plug opinions, new owner

[m3f_Sliquepimp]

hello all. I went to do my first plug change today. Everything went well. I found no oil at all on or near the plugs, so I guess my gaskets are okay. Besides that, I felt that the plugs looked pretty good for an engine with 145,xxx miles!!! I decided to put in some ngk v-power copper plugs. I don't have a problem changing them as often as needed and I've always been done well by copper. The car had ngk-r BKR6EQUP in it, and I went to ngk BKR6E(6962). I gapped them at .32 and didn't use anti-seize. So what does everyone think of my choice? The car dropped idle a little, it was at approx 625, now it sits at approx 525.

[m3f_Porschetech]

any reason why you went from a mutli electrode for a single electrode?

[m3f_Sliquepimp]

any reason why you went from a mutli electrode for a single electrode?

I actually didn't know what was in it. I just got the car a week ago. I just wanted to make sure that all the small things are up to snuff. With that being said, it's always been my understanding that multi-e. plugs don't help vs. single...

[m3f_Porschetech]

I actually didn't know what was in it. I just got the car a week ago. I just wanted to make sure that all the small things are up to snuff. With that being said, it's always been my understanding that multi-e. plugs don't help vs. single...

there's a reason why manufactuers use what they do. i'm sure there's nothing wrong with using a single electrode.



i tend to stick with what the manufactuer specifies. i've been in this trade too long and i've seen how much of a nightmare a simple plug change can turn into

[m3f_WRXEATR]

I actually didn't know what was in it. I just got the car a week ago. I just wanted to make sure that all the small things are up to snuff. With that being said, it's always been my understanding that multi-e. plugs don't help vs. single...

If that were the case, why would a tight ass company like BMW spend the extra money building these cars with installing Bosch 4 points on the assembly line right from the factory? If a single point plug worked equally as well, don't you think they would just use a cheaper single point plug at 5-8$ less per plug and want to save all that money?

[m3f_Sliquepimp]

If that were the case, why would a tight ass company like BMW spend the extra money building these cars with installing Bosch 4 points on the assembly line right from the factory? If a single point plug worked equally as well, don't you think they would just use a cheaper single point plug at 5-8$ less per plug and want to save all that money?

Well, on that same token, why would a company like BMW eliminate all kinds of parts and options from U.S. models vs. Euro models, when most BMW's are now made in north america...... I can appreciate where you are coming from, but I cannot and will not trust every single thing any car company does. So, with that being said, could we talk about plugs here? First off, I did not know what the previous owner had in the car, so I guess he wasn't as much of a vinegar/water solution as I though he was..... How do the 4 elec. plugs look to you, worn evenly and okay? Anything wrong wrong with using ngk BKR6E6962 gapped at .32? Thanks.

[m3f_WRXEATR]

Well, on that same token, why would a company like BMW eliminate all kinds of parts and options from U.S. models vs. Euro models, when most BMW's are now made in north america...... I can appreciate where you are coming from, but I cannot and will not trust every single thing any car company does.

Practicality and Justification. An ITB s50B32 setup on an ///M3 for the US costs significantly more, and is not justified or practical for the US market. Plus, it means a bigger sticker price too, putting the e36 ///M3 into a whole new comparative performance/cost bracket for the time when it was made and marketed.

So, with that being said, could we talk about plugs here? First off, I did not know what the previous owner had in the car, so I guess he wasn't as much of a vinegar/water solution as I though he was..... How do the 4 elec. plugs look to you, worn evenly and okay? Anything wrong wrong with using ngk BKR6E6962 gapped at .32? Thanks.

Honestly, I would stick with a BKR6EQUP. They're pregapped too.


As for your custom gapped single electrodes...I have no idea what to tell ya. The plug gap for these cars isn't a common discussion point because many people use the pregapped 4 points.


http://www.unofficialbmw.com/images/SparkPlugChart.pdf


.....and that is a form straight out of the BMW Factory TIS online interface. (although ironically hosted on unofficialBMW.com)


Just get the 4 points man, if you are using a single electrode because you're concerened about spending money and trying to save it, you picked the wrong car.

[m3f_Supered ///M]

while we're on the issue of plugs, does anyone know if it is better to run copper plugs for F/I?

[m3f_WRXEATR]

while we're on the issue of plugs, does anyone know if it is better to run copper plugs for F/I?

Copper absorbs and transfers heat more effectively than Iridium, but at the cost of shorter lifespans. I would worry more about the different gap, and insulator nose length (temp. stepping). I know guys who run Iridium, and copper, and have never heard of and horror stories from either. I'm sure both would suffice just fine.

[m3f_Sliquepimp]

Practicality and Justification. An ITB s50B32 setup on an ///M3 for the US costs significantly more, and is not justified or practical for the US market. Plus, it means a bigger sticker price too, putting the e36 ///M3 into a whole new comparative performance/cost bracket for the time when it was made and marketed.







Honestly, I would stick with a BKR6EQUP. They're pregapped too.



As for your custom gapped single electrodes...I have no idea what to tell ya. The plug gap for these cars isn't a common discussion point because many people use the pregapped 4 points.



http://www.unofficialbmw.com/images/SparkPlugChart.pdf



.....and that is a form straight out of the BMW Factory TIS online interface. (although ironically hosted on unofficialBMW.com)



Just get the 4 points man, if you are using a single electrode because you're concerened about spending money and trying to save it, you picked the wrong car.

nah, it's not about the money. Mainly it's about A: I do not trust bosch plugs. B: I have studied and read that multi-electrode plugs do nothing more than standard due to microscopic differences in electrode gaps and the electricity will go to the same shortest distance each time. C: I spend my time between working on cars and working on computers and I don't mind changing the plugs every 2-3K miles if it means I get a better transfer spark.

[m3f_WRXEATR]

.32 is your spec then. You are correct.


When I ran single E plugs in my car, it felt WAY different than with the NGK 4 points. To each his own I guess.

[m3f_Sliquepimp]

.32 is your spec then. You are correct.



When I ran single E plugs in my car, it felt WAY different than with the NGK 4 points. To each his own I guess.

I couldn't say on mine because I was unsure of the history. It ran fine when I got it.... but you know.... So, I just figured I'd be thorough. So, do you have any opinions about how the old plugs look? Also, is a 500-550 idle sound good? I also changed the oil today too, if that accounts for anything. I went with amsoil 5w-30. I considered 5w-40, but it said something like "turbo diesel oil" and I didn't like that tag line on the off chance it had detergents or the like in it.

[m3f_Braymond141]

nah, it's not about the money. Mainly it's about A: I do not trust bosch plugs. B: I have studied and read that multi-electrode plugs do nothing more than standard due to microscopic differences in electrode gaps and the electricity will go to the same shortest distance each time. C: I spend my time between working on cars and working on computers and I don't mind changing the plugs every 2-3K miles if it means I get a better transfer spark.

The BKR6E are a great choice. I run them with my supercharged setup (although I'm on 7 step), and I had them when I was NA too (6 step). The only drawback to these plugs is lifespan. 5-10k miles service intervals doesn't make sense to BMW when their choice lasts over 100k. That doesn't mean that the chosen BMW ones are any worse though.



I like fresh coppers every few months

[m3f_WRXEATR]

I couldn't say on mine because I was unsure of the history. It ran fine when I got it.... but you know.... So, I just figured I'd be thorough. So, do you have any opinions about how the old plugs look? Also, is a 500-550 idle sound good? I also changed the oil today too, if that accounts for anything. I went with amsoil 5w-30. I considered 5w-40, but it said something like "turbo diesel oil" and I didn't like that tag line on the off chance it had detergents or the like in it.

Mine idles like clockwork when warm between 550-575RPM confirmed by the digital tach in the cluster. You look good there. Here is what my plugs look like: Yours look a little dark.....maybe running rich? Hows your fuel econ?

[m3f_Sliquepimp]

The BKR6E are a great choice. I run them with my supercharged setup (although I'm on 7 step), and I had them when I was NA too (6 step). The only drawback to these plugs is lifespan. 5-10k miles service intervals doesn't make sense to BMW when their choice lasts over 100k. That doesn't mean that the chosen BMW ones are any worse though.



I like fresh coppers every few months

awesome. Thanks for the +1. As I mentioned, lifespan isn't an issue. I'm used to changing plugs every 7,500 or so. Plus, the m3 is almost as easy a plug change as the 318is. It just has a few more plugs.....