colder plugs

i was woundering what plugs should i go with, i can get Iridium IX Spark Plugs pretty cheap.
im going to run a 3.4" pully.
what plugs should i go with?

TR6 IX plugs
TR55 IX plugs

not sure what to go with

i dont know about the iridiums.

If i were in your shoes, i would go with Autolite 104's, maybe even 103's.

What is your full mod list? what does a 3" exhaust entail, exactly? Dp back? u-bend back?

i now have a short ram intake and a 3" exhaust.
soon to have

Short Stack Intercooler
Injector Spacers
Size:1" for SS IC
throttle body spacer
Alternator Voltage Booster
ZZP 1.0 PCM
Pacesetter headers
2000 deg coated Option 1:Add O2 extension Option 2:Universal catless downpipe

Supercharger Pulley Size:3.4"
Machined Intake
Ported M90 Supercharger
E-stat
180Thermostat


thats what im about to put on

do you have any way of scanning for KR?

im pretty sure that with the IC you wont have a problem, but the hotter the plug you can run with no knock the better.

right thats why i wanted to go with a colder plug,
btw what is kr exactly. and i dont have a way to scan it..
i used to run turbo and detonation is a bitch..

shoulod i go with the tr6's instead of the ix's??????

http://www.zzperformance.com/grand_prix/articles1.php?id=20

heres a good write up for KR.

i told you, i dont reccomend the iridiums, but i dont know enough about them to help you. autolites are cheaper, and they are what i run

iridiums and platinum plugs are not good in our SC engines. the main issue that makes them bad is what makes them good in NA engines. the electrode tips are smaller then normal. in NA engines this makes the spark more compact and reduces fouling and formation of deposits. but in a boosted motor, the small electrode heats up much faster and becomes a source of pre ignition. also the materail is said to not hold up to the combustion temps.

autolite plugs are prob 90% of the plugs that are run in these motor by the people in the know. stock plugs in the autolite system are 606's one range colder is 605, then 2 ranges 104's and 3 ranges colder are 103's.

with that mod list i think you can get away with 104s maybe even 605s but i would recomend getting something to scan for KR so you know if you need to go colder or need additional tuning.

KR is Knock Retard. it is where the motor detects deotonation (Knock) and retards the spark timing. (see i wasnt calling you names!) KR will damage the motor. it is bad.

there are a few scaners out there that will scan KR. i use a aeroforce interceptor gauge on a daily basis and have a DHP powertuner for data logging for when i want/need to retune the car.

Off Clubgp:

Edit: "I'd go by these guidelines for plugs":

Non-intercooled:
3.8” factory: Autolite 605 @ .055-.057” gap (or AP605/APP605 platinums @.060”)
3.4-3.25” pulley: Autolite 104 @ .052-.054” gap
3.1-3.0” pulley: Autolite 103 @ .047-.050” gap
2.9-2.7” pulley: Autolite AR94 (4 range colder race plug) @ .044-.046”

Intercooled
3.25-3.0” pulley: Autolite 104 @ .050-.052”
2.9-2.7” pulley: Autolite 103 @ .046-.048”
2.6-smaller: Autolite AR94 @ .044-.046”


< Message edited by RedNFastGTP -- 4/16/2007 1:54:52 PM >

Mpulse, I really feel bad about telling you this but please listen.

DO NOT BUY PACESETTERS!

I just got a set of my own and they have been nothing but headaches.

You have to remove the tranny dipstick and possibly bend it out of the way of the crossover. The crossever is nearly impossible to get in there. The welds are rather poor. The coating WILL fade.

And I don't care what you think, THEY WILL LEAK! I didn't believe anybody saying that these headers were all that bad. Until I got them.

If you do buy them, buy a pre-bent tranny dipstick tube from ZZP and 2 2.5" Easyclamp band clamps from NAPA.

As far as I know, you need to do that with any headers. At least I did. ZZP sells a pre-bent one for the TOGs. I just mamed mine and ended up making my own tube out of flexible copper piping.

Don't feel too bad, Lone. Headers have always been a PITA; just ask anyone with a '50's or '60's car at a cruise night. You always have to modify something to make them fit, and of course some headers are better/worse than others.
Case in point: My ex-boss shoehorned a 454 LS7 into a '57 Chevy; the engine had to be solid mounted, and one of the header tubes has a "matchbook cover" clearance from the upper control arm..

Pacesetters arent all that bad. Any header for these cars suck. For the price, you cant beat pacesetters. TOGS leak too. Its just a fact of life that if you want your headers to work, get them welded.

Mine dont leak.

I have S&S headers, they were quite easy to install, as I didn't have to do anything with the trans dipstick tube... the location of the O2 sensor is kinda a PITA, but overall...

As I side note, I have a leak at the crossover flange that I cannot get to seal... it's just a small one though so I'm not too crazy worried about it.

arent S&S primaries smaller?

How can you go say "TOGs leak" and then in the same post say "Mine don't leak" (pacesetters) ?
The only way to have a decent headers leak is to do a crappy job installing them. This may not apply to pacesetters, since theres a high chance of leaking even when installed right.
For TOGs and similarly jointed headers, if you don't have the donut gasket in good condition and perfectly centered before you tighten the joins, they will leak there. Re-center and its fine.
Other causes of leaks on any header is lack of surface prep on the flat-gasket joints, or using crap gaskets. Personally I wouldn't double stack gaskets, either. Felpro FTW.

Most people with S&S, TOGs, and SLP headers flat out do not have leak problems. You can't say oh well, they all leak and ignore the fact that pacesetters leak many times more than any other header. Ordonez is lucky to not have leaks on his set.

S&S have 1 5/8" primaries... same as SLP and TOGs. Pacesetters and TOG Xtremes are the only headers for Grand Prixs with 1 3/4" primaries. That's why some people complain about a loss in torque with Pacesetters... primaries are too big for most everyday applications.

1 5/8" primaries will suffice for probably 80-90% of 3800 motors.

question on sparks: my stock NA will benefit from Autolite Iridium or not? I just saw Bosch and Autolite ads in Hot Rod Mag, and wanted some feedback before I go and buy some expensive junk for the GP.

bump. Answer, please?

The reason i said that mine dont leak is because they are welded, which is why i said, "if you want your headers to work, get them welded"

Pacesetters dont leak at the donut gasket, they leak at the slip joint at the y-collector.

honestly, i would just go with some 606's or 605's. dont waste your money on the expensive ones

awesome. Thanks, Corey. Sure appreciate the advice.

You're right except the S&S headers have 1 1/2" primaries.Chico(pops)

as far as the pasesetters, i was told by zzp that they machine them before they go out.
and they dont have any problems with them leaking

lol. imagine that. a company that sells the product says its ok.

You should believe them.

LOL ordonez... "you should believe them"

Yeah, the hundreds of customers with leaky Pacesetters says otherwise. Yes, even the ZZP "fixed" ones. I've heard of a few successful leak-free installs right off the bat, but most have to fight to get them sealed up.

ZZP knows all. all their products are perfect.

yes of course... intense too... that LSD is bulletproof

their 1st gen pcms are good too.

if platinum plugs are bad, then why would GM put them in as factory OEM equipment?

TR6IX are two range colder than stock, TR55IX are one range colder than stock. Thrasher has the info on thier site, here's a couple links for you to check out.

http://www.thrashercharged.com/store_htm/accessories_autolite.asp

http://www.thrashercharged.com/store_htm/accessories_ngk.asp

hope that helps!!

I believe platinums work fine for stock... but if you're modded you want the copper core plugs