289 spark plugs

[Mrs. JunkYardDog]

spark plugs

Nate,
With the state of gasoline as we know it, do you feel that the Bosch, or Autolite is better than Champion? I need to do whatever, to help my hot idle. It keeps getting slower, the hotter it gets. I have a 62 GT, 4 speed w/AC.

I don't put Champion even in my lawn mower , any of you that like them good for you I've had some bad experience with Champions, Autolite and or AC and finally Bosch "in that order"

[rockne10]

Odd how those eleven year old threads simply pop up.

[RadioRoy]

Odd how those eleven year old threads simply pop up.

It means that some people are actually using the search function.

[PackardV8]

It means that some people are actually using the search function.

OT, but yes on this new forum host site, the search function is considerably different and maybe easier to use. On another forum I'm seeing the same thing; old threads being revived.

jack vines

[greyben]

A lot depends on your driving style and condition of your engine.. On general mixed driving, city and freeway I never had a problem with old stock H14Y or current J12Y in any of several V8s, 259 and 289 with standard compression ratios from 7.0 to 8.5.

[Hawklover]

Anyone know what plug was specified for the R4 engine?

Lark Parker
If at first you don't succeed -- you will get a lot of advice.

Standard R-4 is J10Y

[StudeRich]

Standard R-4 is J10Y

Unfortunately, Dale is no longer alive to get your answer.

[GrumpyOne]

Interesting. When I had an '85 Subaru Turbo Sedan it came with NGKs. I swapped them out for the counter part Champions (I had always been big on Champions). The car ran much worse and got poorer mileage. I bought new NGKs and all was well. I had the same experience in Echo engines (Mantis tiller and Echo string trimmer). Both ran much better on NGKs. Having said that, I gave up on Champions in my Studebakers after a friend gave me a set of Autolite 437s for my R-2 Avanti when I was having so much trouble with fouling on our Potomac Chapter Route 66 trip in 2003. Again, problem solved. Since I have put 437s in my '64 Daytona Wagonaire (259), my '64 Daytona convertible (289) and my '53 Commander (232).

Hear Hear!!!

As far as I'm concerned nearly any make is better than a Champion. NKG plugs are excellent and A/C etc. are OK too.

Champions...... NYET!

[Hawklover]

Jeeze Rich that's terrible:-(

Unfortunately, Dale is no longer alive to get your answer.

- - - Updated - - -

Sixty years of using Champs........never a problem:-)

Hear Hear!!!

As far as I'm concerned nearly any make is better than a Champion. NKG plugs are excellent and A/C etc. are OK too.

Champions...... NYET!

[Roger L.]

I too have had problems with the Champion H14Y plugs. When I had them in my 56 President you could feel a slight jerkyness when driving at almost any speed. I switched to H18Y and the problem went away. I still don't like Champions though so I use Auto Lite in my GT.

Roger List

[64Avanti]

Plugs on the Studebaker V8 don't come close to the pistons unless you have some sort of a popup design. I use NGK plugs on the race car. Much better selection of heat ranges.

[Mike Van Veghten]

DO NOT...use the "J" series (GM, 3/8" reach) style plug unless you KNOW that your heads have been cut for them.
Otherwise the ignition portion of the plug is buried up in a tunnel...the spark plug hole..!
While they will "work", just not to the best that they are designed to. Doing this has "somewhat" the effect of running a hotter spark plug...not a good thing overall.

Also, using a hotter spark plug than recommended, and the "engine" (not the car..!) seems to run better...is NOT the spark plugs doing. It means that 1. the engine is not tuned correctly (too rich, ignition timing), 2. the engine is burning oil, 3. a combination of 1 and 2.

Mike

[Hallabutt]

I've been a believer in NGK since I started using them in the Datsun 240Z that I used to own. I've used them in a number of cars, over the last thirty five years. I am at the point that I need to consider the best plugs for the rebuilt 289 that is going in a 1962 Daytona convertible. Should I be looking for a cross reference on the Champion H14Y, or should I be looking at a plug that crosses with the Chamiopn number (RH18Y) that Dwain Grindinger referenced. Ten year old thread, things change, maybe not our Studebakers, but the fuel certainly has. Others on here seem to agree-is the H18Y still the go to plug?

I been lucky enough that I don't even know what I have in most of my cars, but they all have worked fine. My time is running out. Whatever I put in the 62 is apt to be the last set that I have to put in the car, so I want to get it right.

Bill

[jnormanh]

Ah, the old best spark plug topic. Some posts say "Champions suck" and some say "Champions are great".

IMHO, this is right up there with the "best oil" discussion.

My opinion, FWIW, is that spark plugs, so long as they are the correct dimension and heat range are all the same, and that's even more true now that we don't have leaded gasoline eating away at them. If you want to spend extra for platinum tips, then they'll last 100K miles instead of 50K.

Same with motor oil. If the original factory recommendation was 30wt, then any present day major brand 30wt oil is better than what these cars ran on when new. In fact you could even run 10W30 or 15w40 which would be even better.

[Mike Van Veghten]

Ha...finally..!
jnormanh pretty much says it. Spark plugs aren't much different than a freaken lug nut. Yea, yea I know, not the same, but in reality..!

Look at what makes up a spark plug (non-resistor).
1. The Terminal. A solid piece of metal that makes the connection to the high tension wire. Is screwed to or pressed onto the center electrode.

2. Insulator. Goes from one end almost to the other. Made of porcelain. Performs several different functions. It's bonded to the main body to hold in combustion. It's also the main controller in achieving the different heat ranges in given plugs.

3. Cement. Bonds the insulator to the metal body. Helps with the cooling of the plug. Bonds the center electrode into the center of the insulator.

4. Body. Performs several different functions. Also has the ground electrode welded to it. Helps with the cooling of the plug. Has various sizes of a hex pattern formed into to aid its installation and removal. Has various different threads to be able to allow the plug to be firmly attached to the cylinder head.

5. Ground electrode. A small separate piece of metal welded to the body of the plug. Can be one, two, three, four or even one single ring. Some plugs even have "no" separate ground electrode. There are some that are made up of a round piece of material, similar to the center electrode that are pressed into a hole in the body of the plug.

6. Center electrode. Made of various different material. Some materials last longer than others, cost more than others. Makes up the positive electrode that sticks down into the combustion chamber, various amounts. The terminal is attached at it top.
While they can be made of several different materials, the electrical properties (ability for electron flow) are actually fairly close to each other.
When talking a "nonresistor" spark plugs, the center electrode is just a single piece of material that is cemented into the center of the insulator, goes from one end to the other.

SO...WHERE'S THE MAGIC..?

There's more going on with a set of points..!
When I was a kid, I used to think one brand was better in a good running engine, while one was better in an engine that had "many" miles on it. As an adult, and experimented with many brands...
Given similar materials (cheaper vs. expensive) I see no difference in the way spark plugs perform. Yes, the more expensive materials, do last longer, and actually do not flow the electrons quite as well as the cheaper materials, but the differences are so minor, a normal, old fashioned ignition in good condition can handle any spark plug made today AND...create the same spark to light the air/fuel mixture.

Yes resistor spark plugs are a whole different can-o-worms in the way they work.

Mike

P.s. - Oh yea, save your money by not buying the "gimmic" plugs.