Car Craft Magazine Homepage Car Craft
Facebook Click here to find out more!

Choosing The Right Spark Plugs For Your Custom Engine

Don't Get it Wrong! Know Something About Reach and Heat Range and Everything Else You Need to Pick the Right Plug.

Photography by
  • Spark Plug Guide Bosch Race Plugs
    Autolite, Bosch, Champion, NGK, and others offer race plugs that are generally much colder than production plugs, otherwise they offer little in the way of increased power. These are Bosch race plugs.
    Spark Plug Guide Bosch Race Plugs
    Autolite, Bosch, Champion, NGK, and others offer race plugs that are generally much colder
  • Spark Plug Guide Ground Strap
    Any engine with high cylinder pressures will generally demand a shorter ground strap, which precludes the use of long-nose-reach spark plugs. The longer ground strap can turn into a heat sink, which can cause serious pre-ignition problems. This is especially true with nitrous.
    Spark Plug Guide Ground Strap
    Any engine with high cylinder pressures will generally demand a shorter ground strap, whic
  • Spark Plug Guide Melted Plug
    Here's what happens when you run a too-hot plug in an E85-fueled engine at 12.5:1 compression. E85 is a very pre-ignition-sensitive fuel, and this plug literally melted. On E85, Champion recommends plugs three steps colder than a comparable gasoline heat-range.
    Spark Plug Guide Melted Plug
    Here's what happens when you run a too-hot plug in an E85-fueled engine at 12.5:1 compress
  • Spark Plug Guide Bosch Lineup
    On the left is a standard copper-core Bosch spark plug. In the middle is the Bosch Platinum, while on the right is the Bosch Platinum +4 plug, with four separate ground straps to increase durability. All three are offered in the same heat range, giving you a wide array of choices just within the Bosch lineup.
    Spark Plug Guide Bosch Lineup
    On the left is a standard copper-core Bosch spark plug. In the middle is the Bosch Platinu
  • Spark Plug Guide Shorter Plugs
    A common problem is interference between header tubes and spark-plug boots. Often, shorter plugs, such as ACCEL's shorty spark plugs, will minimize the difficulties. Other manufacturers also offer shorter plugs, but they are not necessarily called out as such.
    Spark Plug Guide Shorter Plugs
    A common problem is interference between header tubes and spark-plug boots. Often, shorter
  • Spark Plug Guide Specialty Plugs
    ZEX (left) has specialty nitrous plugs that offer two different length ground straps. The longer, primary ground strap employs a copper core, while the three shorter-side-gap electrodes keep the tip clean. On the right is the E3, the latest entry into the specialty plug market. E3 claims its diamond-shaped opening around the copper center electrode offers improvements in emissions and mileage.
    Spark Plug Guide Specialty Plugs
    ZEX (left) has specialty nitrous plugs that offer two different length ground straps. The
SOURCES
Autolite
800-890-2075
www.Autolite.com
Federal-Mogul
26555 Northwestern Hwy.
Southfield
MI  48034
248-354-7700
www.federal-mogul.com
Bosch Mr. Gasket Co.
8700 Brookpark Rd.
Cleveland
OH  44129
Denso Sales California
3900 Via Oro Ave.
Long Beach
CA  90810
www.densoiridium.com
NGK Spark Plugs
Wixom
MI
www.ngksparkplugs.com
E3 Spark Plugs
www.e3sparkplugs.com
Zex
3418 Democrat Rd.
Memphis
TN  38118
Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!

*Please enter your username

*Please enter your password

*Please enter your comments
Comments:
Not Registered?Signup Here
(1024 character limit)
Car Craft