Spark Plugs

[swingn]

Hi All

I know this is a bit of a random question, but is there any specific type / brand of spark plugs I should be using?

I know the GT's come standard with platinum plugs, so obviously would be replacing them with something of the same or better quality.

My car has done about 52k & I want to give it a good freshen up before I have various mods installed & then re-tuned.

Cheers
Matt

[ultrablue]

ngk ilfr6b are the only ones i have heard of

[tangcla]

There's almost no gain in spark plugs. I'd get coppers, at least you can re-gap them and justify better performance.

Only benefit of more expensive plugs is a longer change cycle.

(btw I wouldn't get coppers for an EJ20, labour would kill you to change them often! haha)

[coyote]

My car has done about 52k & I want to give it a good freshen up before I have various mods installed & then re-tuned.

How much boost are going to put into it?

If a moderate increase, slightly cooler plugs wouldn't hurt.

[swingn]

My car has done about 52k & I want to give it a good freshen up before I have various mods installed & then re-tuned.

How much boost are going to put into it?

If a moderate increase, slightly cooler plugs wouldn't hurt.

Still a little unsure how high I can push the boost on the auto turbo. Any advice?

I was hoping to bump it up to at least 17.

[coyote]

Any advice?

Buy a manual?

Seriously, I'm allergic to automatic cars and have never touched one ... but I can see no reason why a different gearbox would mean boost actuation is any different.

[swingn]

Sadly the auto's have a smaller turbo then the manuals

I start another thread for auto boost levels

Because I'm getting some new mods, then I'm going to have a re-tune, I want to make sure parts like spark plugs are running clean & clear. Same goes with the fluids.

[05gtwagonman]

now this is somthing I can help a little with...

Clarence, good on ya! coppers?? You did at least put the short version down that I am about to elaborate on here...

Seriously, ask for a quote from your mechanic, be sure to sit down for the answer, then decide that it isn't worth that sum to do the job, go out and buy some plugs and do it your self...

Several hours later, with only the two front plugs changed, and most of the ancillary plastics and the battery out, grab a beer, tell yourself to stop swearing and realise, that the mechanic knew somthing about what he was talking about...

I was luck in that I had exactly the right length extensions for the socket required to get them out, so I eeeeevvveentually got all of them done, but boy was it painful. Then I realised why you put platinums in there...

A cooler plug for higher boost may be a good idea, but you will regret anything that sends you in to do that job more regularly than is absolutly required...
The distance between the rails and the heads makes this job very painful, and I changed mine at 60k for peace of mind, and the plugs had no problem and there was no performance or any other noticable improvement.

Stick with what you have in there, unless you have reason to belive that they are causing a problem, and get them changed at the 100k service, as your mech will already have most of the crap out of the way for the job at the time anyways...
Platinums are the only plugs that the books in the parts shops will recommend anyways...
I was told that others might be ok, through to sightly better, but the job sucks, and is dear. Stick with the NGK plats...

[tangcla]

haha - I meant copper plugs in terms of performance gain, not ease of changing but yeah they are a bit of a kent to change on the EJ engine.

[adhar]

Go the better plugs so you don't have to change them too often. It is a real pain to get to them as the engine sits lower than any other subaru i've worked on. I changed them in my MY05 GT the other day, and the whole engine sits nearly an inch lower than any other subaru ive seen and i've worked on everything from forresters to full-blown rally cars.

BTW i had to unbolt the engine mounts and lift the engine 1 inch so i could get to the plugs as the plugs sit down below the chassis rail.

Bitch of a job!

[XXB4XX]

hey peeps.. 04 Lib GT 2.0L = ILFR6B? and you sure they are meant to be platinum? I thought all Subi's were Iridium plugs?

[Robbks]

Stock is Platinum
upgrade is Iridium

neither of which i'd bother wasting money on
NGK BKR-6E about $3 a pop. check gaps are 0.8mm. just change them frequently (10-20,000km)

Boosted cars clog up and ruin plugs no matter whether they're cheap or expensive. and detonation is a sure fire way of killing them quickly, especiall the fine tipped iridiums. det can take chunks off the electrodes, effectively re-gapping your 0.8mm gaps to something larger. then the boosted air blows snuffs out your spark and you get a mis-fire.

[XXB4XX]

Have you seen the effort needed to keep changing 3 dollar plugs??? Fuck that!!

I'd pay 200 a plug just to not change them every 20k

[Kevlar GT]

Have you seen the effort needed to keep changing 3 dollar plugs??? Fuck that!!

I'd pay 200 a plug just to not change them every 20k

Ha ha ha, my exact thoughts as I read the above post.

[Robbks]

seriously..?
airbox.. 3 bolts and couple of hose clamps
1 bolt holding each coil to the head/ plug (use ratcheting ring spanners or 1/4" drive sockets)
tube socket and short extension to loosen the plug enough to undo the rest with socket by fingers
1/2 and hour and 1 beer