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Can Spark Plugs really make a difference?
Topic Started: Feb 21 2009, 11:38 PM (4,410 Views)
kawmanse
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I bought my first Geo last November. It's a 1992 Metro with the G3 3cyl w/ 5spd trny. At first it spewed oil and sucked down gas, so I did a ring job and re-did the head with new valve seals and gaskets. I cleaned all the carbon out of the EGR ports and ran seafoam as instructed. What really saved me a huge headache was reading the postings about the tiny little oil checkvalve, which was missing in mine when I took it apart. I wouldn't have known to look for it though without the help of the forum. At any rate, after giving the engine at least 1000 miles break in I'm getting about 170 psi in each cylinder at my last check. I was getting about 43-46 mpg until I changed spark plugs last night after hearing about them at work. The plugs I'm talking about are the E3s (http://www.e3sparkplugs.com/). After taking it on a test spin with mostly 55mph driving I topped off the tank and was shocked to see it got 54mpg! It's the first time it's ever gotten over 50mpg. My question is, can spark plugs really make that much of a difference? Anyone out there have any experience with E3s?
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2000Firefly1.3L
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You just answered your question that your mileage increased from 50 to 53mpg. Although, instead of purely anecdotal evidence I strongly suggest that you test at near-laboratory conditions, if possible. Which means, stock vs e3 plugs. I would suggest you register at ecomodder.com and get into their community. They are very scientific-method focused.
Try http://ecomodder.com/forum/general-efficiency-discussion.html .
And hopefully either you or someone else can make some more accurate tests.
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Woodie
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No, if the spark plugs really did make a difference, then your old ones were bad and needed replacing. Fancy materials like Iridium and Platinum will make them last longer, but for the most part, a spark is a spark. If your engine has good compression and the fuel mixture is right, plugs will make no difference.

I don't even regard a fuel mileage calculation until I have three full tanks (ten gallons or more) to judge by. Then, If the first and third tank aren't drastically different than the middle one, the middle one is a believable number. There's just too much room for variance in filling it up, no way to tell if it's full to the same level or if there's a quart sized bubble in the tank because the car wasn't sitting in the same exact spot.

It's also very easy to affect your mileage a substantial amount just by driving style, especially right after you've done something you expect to increase mileage.
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BillP
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I commute 100 miles a day round trip at turnpike speeds and my mpg varies about 10% doing the exact same route. The only difference is traffic.
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metromad


BillP
Feb 22 2009, 09:29 AM
I commute 100 miles a day round trip at turnpike speeds and my mpg varies about 10% doing the exact same route. The only difference is traffic.
And wind, and air temp... :thumb
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Johnny Mullet
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I always use the standard NGK plugs in my Metro and have yet to have any problems. I am not sure about your MPG increase because it really takes several tanks of fuel to get any actual evidence of an increase in fuel economy.

For instance...........

I replaced my P155/80R13 tires with P175/70R13 and it took about 4 tanks of fuel to calculate a loss of about 2 MPG with the larger tires, but then the cold weather we been having could also contribute to this (I put the tires on at first snowfall). I really won't know what decrease I got in mileage until warmer weather where I can compare my numbers.
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BillP
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metromad
Feb 22 2009, 11:21 AM
BillP
Feb 22 2009, 09:29 AM
I commute 100 miles a day round trip at turnpike speeds and my mpg varies about 10% doing the exact same route. The only difference is traffic.
And wind, and air temp... :thumb
Yep, I noticed that going to work at 5:00 am in calm winds and then driving home at 4:00pm with 20 mph tail winds for a few days gives me higher mpg...everytime. I attribute most of my mpg reduction to construction on I-95 though. Sometimes I have to crawl at 5 mph for 10 minutes and that always shows the biggest change in mpg. I top-off 2-3 times a week and calculated every tank's mpg for the last 25+k miles . I can bank on 34-36 mpg with sprinklings of 37-38 mpg commuting.
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Ryan
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Ryan

I've been through two sets of NGK "V-Power" until last November. Then I replaced the NGK's with basic Autolites and I did notice a very slight drop in idle quality and acceleration. Maybe it's a coincidence. I replaced those with Bosch platinums in December and things have been fine. I started using the NGK because my old Honda Spree had it as standard equipment and that lone spark plug lasted a long time.

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Cobb
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Plugs do make a difference. First off, honda engines love NGKs and toyota loves densco. Platinum plus bosch plugs are not recommended for forced induction engines.

Also, read the plugs, colder plugs assist with allowing the same performance with lower octane gas and reduces preignition, kock, detonation..

Anyway, my scion loved the plus 4 bosch plugs and my super charged tacoma loves denscos 3 terminal plugs. Made throttle response improved and better performance in cheaper gas.
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kawmanse
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Thanks for everyone's comments. I'll run a few tanks thru it and see if the difference is consistant. Like I said though, I had never gotten in the 50s with this thing before so the jump was noticable. BTW, I had relatively new bosch platinums in it prior to changing to the E3's. I forgot to mention that they had a coffee with cream color on the electrodes coming out thus telling me my mixture and temp are ok. Once again, thanks for everyone's help
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Cobb
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Id go a unit colder. FYI, penny color plugs are from fuel addatives like injector cleaner or octane boosters.

Mythbuster tried different fuel gizmos. None of them worked on the bench test, however seat of the pants they did as you subconsciously drive more efficient.

Fooling with the timming can effect fuel economy too.
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mwebb
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FOG

in my world bosch platinum plugs of any type but especially the +4 are not acceptable spark plugs .
UNLESS the platinum spark plugs made by Bosch are the OEM specified spark plug .
i have never seen Platinum +4 specified by any OEM , ever.
if we find them in a car with a drivability problem , they are replaced with the correct spark plug for the application prior to real system testing .
very often , no further testing is required . as that was the problem .
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