.045 Spark Plug Gap

[Rekinyze]

Hey Guys,

Will spark plugs with a .045 spark plug gap work fine with a stock 2006 350Z with no other modifications? I know that the manual calls for .043 gap I believe...

Thanks for the help!

[C-Kwik]

what kind of plug?

[Rekinyze]

I was thinking of trying out those new Pulstar Plugs. They come default gapped at .045.

[merlin3]

use oem replacement ngk plugs, do not use the gimmick plugs.

[C-Kwik]

If the Pulstars work as they state, then the larger gap should not be a problem.

The Pulstars, in concept, are sound. They are pretty much like the Nology spark plug wires in that they have a capacitor that causes stores the current briefly and then discharges in a higher energy, but shorter duration spark. Whether or not it provides better performance out of the motor is another question. But as it should provide a higher voltage spark, I would expect the slightly bigger gap would not be a problem.

[all4sho]

use only factory ngk or you are going to have problems nissan's do not like other plugs at all!!!

[C-Kwik]

use only factory ngk or you are going to have problems nissan's do not like other plugs at all!!!

Care to provide an actual technical explanation?

[all4sho]

i don't really know why because i am only the parts guy but we get cars in all the time with b.s plugs in them running like sh^t, setting engine codes, skipping, all kinds of crazy stuff all because of the plugs. I have seen some weird things with non-nissan parts like plugs, sensors (o2, crank, cam), starters, alternators, disturbers just what i have seen.

thanks,

[merlin3]

I don't know why people dont like to listen to the fact not to use other plugs besides ngk. Maybe some of you guys should do some research on my350z or twinturbo.net and see how the z32 and z33 do with other plugs.

[C-Kwik]

Don't make the assumption that one manufacturer can not create as good a plug as another. That said, some manufacturers try to build a better plug by being different. For example, the Bosch 4 platinums, use 4 side electrodes rather than a top electrode. Splitfire uses a ground eletrode that is split at the end. These can drastically change how a motor runs as manufacturers now use computer modeling to optimize combustion for the best results. Something a simple as moving the spark location, even slightly can affect performance. That said, most plugs still use a very traditional layout. What we do see out of the typical platinum plugs that are used by OE are that they are double platinum for engines with coil packs for longevity and run a fine wire center electrode to reduce quenching and reduce the voltage requirement to bridge the gap when firing.

The key to this is likely in finding a cuitable non-NGK plug if that is the route one takes. In my case, I'll be replacing the plugs in the Titan soon. I will be trying out the Denso SK Iridium plugs. They use a fine wire center iridium tipped electrode and a platinum tipped ground electrode. While iridium should offer a slight performance benefit as it conducts electricity better, my hope is to get better long term performance as iridium lasts longer. And at only 6 cents more per plug than the OE double platinum plugs, its worth it. I have no doubts that this plug will work fine as the layout of the plug is the same.

I'll most certainly report back my findings, but I don't expect to find anything out of the ordinary.

[Rekinyze]

so...will a good set of NGK plugs do anything for performance?

[C-Kwik]

Nope. The OE plugs are double platinum NGKs. So replacing them with the same would only provide as much performance as when they were new. Iridium plugs can provide a slight increase in performance at best, but currently, NGK doesn't offer a double iridium plug or a plug with an iridium center and platinum ground electrode (they are available outside the US however), which means they wouldn't last as long.

A potentially better plug might be in a particular liine of Denso iridiums. Currently, Denso has a center iridium/platinum ground plug here in the states, but it is not really designed to perform much better than the current platinums (except for longer wear). But they have a performance line of iridiums that run an ultra-fine wire center electrode. Unfortunately, in the states, they use only a iridium center electrode, while there are versions of this plug with platinum ground electrodes available outside the US. Essentially, such a plug wouldd have benefits of running a smaller center electrode, but have a reasonable lifespan in vehicles using coil packs.

[TITANG9]

Bottomline, which one is the best spark plug for a N/A G35 or 350Z 2003 -2006...Denso or NGK Iridium?
Modified by TITANG9 at 1:27 PM 1/4/2009