Real men change there own spark plugs...smart men pay to have it done for them. That job was no fun and I hope I never have to do it again. But the peace of mind should be well worth it, knowing a bad plug is not going to send my truck to Ford for a new motor. Went with the Splits.

[This message has been edited by KGM (edited 01-31-2001).]

 

Whats the big deal with split fire plugs? Are the plugs that every car company in the world use not suffice? I dont get it.

------------------
2001 Black L on order.

 

skennett,

The stock plugs are platinum which is not good for supercharged applications. The NGK TR-6 and the Splitfires are the only regular plugs listed to fit. The Splitfires give you some added throttle response. Either way you go you can't go wrong but don't leave the platinum's in for a long time.

------------------
Later,
Chuck
Black 00
Chuck's Lightning Page

 

Chuck's right, get rid of those platinums, stat. However, I am very dubious about any claims of improved performance with splitfires. See http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1997/9702/splitfir.htm
Also, http://www.cadvision.com/puzeym/splitfire.html
If splifires had any significant performance advantage don't you think every racer in the world would be using them?

------------------
I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

'84 Alan Record Carbonio, Aerospoke wheels, Campy brakes.
'00 SVT Lightning, silver, built 2/9/00, #133 of 4966, G-tech Pro, JBA headers, 4.10 gears, Swanson chip, Pro-M, NGK plugs, carbon drive shaft, Roadmaster suspension kit
13.39 @ 102.5
2001 Kevlacat 2400, twin 115 Evinrude FICHT, Raytheon VHF, radar, autopilot and GPS chartplotter/fishfinder.

gmvye@pacbell.net

 

Geo...Now ya tell me

 

Does anyone know what to gap the NGK's at?

 

I've seen posts ranging from 41 to 46 with an average of 44.

Pawn

 

if there is "increased throttle response", I would expect to see numbers to back it up in ETs, or on the dyno. I have seen neither, and remain a skeptic.

If it makes you feel better to spend you money on stuff like this, go for it. I find that the fuzzy dice I got for Christmas seem to give me increased throttle response, too. Or is it the 30-degree temps?

------------------
Regards,
Gordon

'99 Red Lightning
Johnny Lightning Superchip
Johnny Lighting Ram Air Kit
Century Tonneau
Best 1/4 mi. ET: 13.249 secs

 

The part number for the NGK TR6 is 4177. Got mine at my local auto parts store. Don't remember price, but I thought it was extraordinarily cheap compared to some of the plugs people were using, under $2 apiece. I am not a price shopper, I'd pay several times that if I thought I was buying a better product, but I think these are the best plugs for the L., period. NGK http://www.ngksparkplugs.com recommends a gap of 0.044. Some think this is too much, mine are gapped at 0.040 and seem to run fine.

 

BadDog,

People are paying $400 for a single blade throttle body for increased throttle response with little to no gain in ET so what is so unbelievable about this happening with a $32 set of sparkplugs. It's not voodoo.

If ibfast,MRBBQMAN, me and others word on this is not good enough then so be it. A dyno won't show better throttle response.

------------------
Later,
Chuck
Black 00
Chuck's Lightning Page

 

i don't buy spark plugs for xtra hp, i buy them for their ability to fight off the various strange concauctions i throw at them and remain intact. the stockers will last a long time as long as you do not use your boost. if you do,, consider changing to a plug that can handle more cylinder pressure, like NGK's. if you plan on mods, like more psi (pulley) or nitrous, consider a plug with a thick hd ground (thats the part that is coming off in chucks on the stockers) like the splits. the splitfires show less wear, and danger of an increased gap, than the ngk's i used (on blown nitrous). i've liked the ngk's on my blown dodge. i've always thought splitfires were a gimic, but they are holding up better, and thats what really counts, when you are changing them yourself

 

I ran my platinums for 15000 very hard miles and never had any problems with them,i only took them out because of other people's posts saying that we should put the ngk tr6 plugs in so i installed them and drove the ngk's for another 5000 miles with no problems.I noticed no difference in throttle response between the two BUT there was a big difference when i used to run my pro-m with a chip calibrated for pro-m that the ngk's caused detonation much earlier around 95 mph and with the platinums it detonated around 110 when i compared the two.I feel that the ngk's are a good plug but they are not 1 stage colder than our platinums that they claim to be in my opinion!I know have installed the splitfires but have not been able to get any good tests on them because of wet roads! Just my .02!
-----------
HIGH ROLLER

 

Unless the spitfires work different in cars than in motorcycles, Motorcycle Consumer News showed no gain whatsover (inspite of manufacturer claims).

------------------
Sandy (Spider) Scott
Skydive69@msn.com
Apopka, Florida
99 White Lightning #2091 DOB 6-8-99
Airaid air box (S&B Filter) & Superchip
Kills:
Last 4 generation Mustang GT's (Including Cobra)
Audi S4
Dodge R/T

 

My only experience with Split-fire spark plugs where a disaster. Installed them in my 5.2L Dakota. Ran fine for a while. Then all hell broke loose. Started having all kinds of problems like hesitation, bucking and stalling which got progressively worse.

Truck was still under warranty and dealer was replacing parts right and left until they figured out it was the damn Split-fires that where the problem. They also mentioned that they where having problems with Split-fires in other Dodge products, and to stay away from those plugs.

I might have gotten a bad set, or maybe they where for the wrong application. Who knows?

However, my older brother who has been hot-rodding since the 1950's said the Split-fire double electrode concept is not new. They where not up to much back then too. Just another gimic to him.

 

the 2 electrodes is a gimic, because all plugs have one electrode and numerous grounds. the splits have one spark that will jump to the nearest ground. the bosch platinum 4's have four grounds to pick from. it's all BS about more hp. but a fresh set of properly gapped plugs is always going to feel better than a worn set. i don't know why the splits are working so good on my lightning, i'm not going to go out and put them in my other vehicles, they get the ngk's, and the only platinums i install, go in the kids 4cyl ricers.