Regular Gas in my Q45 - Experiment.

[Q45tech]

Most people only hear the mild ping when the accelerator is depressed at low rpms in a high gear as the cruise advance is suddenly too much and the ping [rattle] starts before the ecu can react.

The dangerous ping occurs around >4,000 rpm and WOT which is usually covered up by engine noise!

By the way we have now replaced 2 more Q injectors since last week. This brings the total to 14 since March 1. This is more in 2 months [since E10 availability] than we have changed in 5 years!

[maxnix]

I did remember. I also referenced the difference in engines.

My main focus was on the benefits of iridium vs platinum plugs.

I reiterate, we all have VH or VK series ingines here. In that context (which your extensive quoting was not), neither the less expensive NGK iridiums nor any other manufacturers plug is recommended.

The head design per se does not determine the fuel type. It is the mean effective pressure within the cylinder that does.

[StarPD]

Most people only hear the mild ping when the accelerator is depressed at low rpms in a high gear as the cruise advance is suddenly too much and the ping [rattle] starts before the ecu can react.

The dangerous ping occurs around >4,000 rpm and WOT which is usually covered up by engine noise!

By the way we have now replaced 2 more Q injectors since last week. This brings the total to 14 since March 1. This is more in 2 months [since E10 availability] than we have changed in 5 years!

Dennis, for those who don't understand the phenomena, explain the differences between normal combustion, preignition, and detonation. Also explain how detonation is not always audible even at low RPM/high load, but still damages engine components. Shock loads from detonation can be severe, and affects cylinder walls, pistons, rings and bearings. Note to the uninitiated: If you can hear detonation (ping) it's damaging your engine. If you have detonation, and can't hear it, it's still damaging your engine, just not as fast or as severely, but the damage is cumulative.

[bullittandy]

Who would be Greg Childs, the owner of this board. The plugs haven't changed in 6 years.

Your point is?

I'm not talking about Greg when referencing "who knows who." I'm referencing the person HE talked to. I do think an engineer's opinion is helpful but that's one person, six years ago and who knows what the variables were in this engineer's decision to NOT recommend Iridium plugs. His company sells them and they must have tested them and until we have proof that they are not beneficial and at worst harmful then they appear to have nothing but benefits. More power, less voltage requirements, cheaper than some plugs.

[qship96]

My gut says iridiums will work no better or worse than the platinums, may last longer, but that is no benefit in the Q as the platinums already outlast the valvecover gaskets,and makes NO economic sense to replace gaskets without doing plugs at same time..... so why even deviate from the proven platinums in this application as there is nothing to gain?

[Haitian_King]

I reiterate, we all have VH or VK series ingines here. In that context (which your extensive quoting was not), neither the less expensive NGK iridiums nor any other manufacturers plug is recommended.

The head design per se does not determine the fuel type. It is the mean effective pressure within the cylinder that does.

*Gasp*

A post devoid of spelling errors? How nice.

Look here cowboy. I don't really give an "F" about iridium plugs. I got my new platinums in about 900 miles ago. Dig?

I was just offering information that I found about the plugs themselves. There isn't much about VH/VK engines anywhere else on the internet besides NICO. So I rounded up some info about the plugs and naturally assumed one of the people that have actually been inside the engine would be able to take the info and apply it to whatever project/experiment that they happen to be involved in.

I don't know when iridium plugs became available for widespread use, but if it wasn't out before the VH's debut, then there could be a possibility that it could give you a benefit. Research has shown me that iridium is allegedly 8 times stronger than platinum and possibly a better conductor.

[elwesso]

i simply think that the platinum plug reputation speaks for itself. The iridiums arent really that much cheaper and you dont really gain anything by the TYPE OF PLUG.

Thats not to say, you cant gain something by changing the HEAT RANGE! Why do you think the original Q was offered with a 6B plug and then they changed the 5G (hotter).

[Haitian_King]

i simply think that the platinum plug reputation speaks for itself. The iridiums arent really that much cheaper and you dont really gain anything by the TYPE OF PLUG.

Thats not to say, you cant gain something by changing the HEAT RANGE! Why do you think the original Q was offered with a 6B plug and then they changed the 5G (hotter).

I did not know that about the B plug being the original offering.

Thank you for sharing that.

Does the same apply for the 97-01 Q as well?

[elwesso]

its not about the B or G, as they are the same thing. But the 6's were offered in the 90-92 Q and the 93+ were the 5s because people werent running their cars hard enough/short trips and causing them to foul out.

[jimbyjimb]

Do a diesel swap. You'll be my hero. Haha, if only I were a rich man...

[sijoko]

Do a diesel swap. You'll be my hero. Haha, if only I were a rich man...

Ha.........at $4.50 a gallon for diesel, I'm not going anywhere near it. Speaking of outrageous fuel prices, how are most Q owners going to react when gasoline hits $5 per gallon? And don't say it won't, because it will.

I know that I can 25 mpg on the highway and I'm happy that it is better than the 20 or 22 that I used to get. Now, my next step is to install a water injection system that will allow me to run 87 octane without any problems.

After that, I'll be looking at a 3.13 gear swap from the M45.

[jimbyjimb]

Even at 4.50 a gallon you'd still probably be saving dough as far as mpg goes. A big ol' honkin diesel V-8 would likely see well over 30mpg on the freeway in a Q. You'd just have to recover from that HUGE initial financial blow of finding one you want, buying it, the cost of install, modding the hell out of the suspension, brakes, frame, fuel system, sheetmetal, and mating it to a transmission, modding a rear end and linking them all up while trying not to make it look like a hack job. In fact, it wouldn't be a Q at all anymore, so let's just build an entirely new chassis and drop a Q body on it, it would completely defeat the purpose of ever having bought one. What a great idea! It serves no practical purpose whatsoever! We all can dream...sigh...

Seriously though, water injection is great stuff. Interested to see how it turns out.

[ddrumman]

I'm paying $4.03 for 91 oct and the 87 oct is $3.83. On average I fill up with about 15 to 17 gallons. The savings of $3 to $3.40 per fill up are not worth the headache. I like the way my car runs. I've never put anything other than 91 oct in the gas tank. No matter how expensive gas gets the difference between 87 and 91(93) will always be around 0.20 to 0.25. So, the car is what it is and so are the prices. Deal with it or get something that'll give you 340 miles out of a 10 gallon gas tank.