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The mkiv Supra Owners Club

Does iridium really make that much difference?


cookci

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Many disagree with me, but if someone asks me to fit copper plugs to a 2JZ-GTE they sign a disclaimer before I do it. Platinum or iridium tipped, every time, they have a much wider heat range. I dislike Denso, too, I have used NGK plugs in everything including serious race engines, foe 15 years plus, and never had a single plug issue if the grades are right. If the difference in cost of a set of plugs is an issue, maybe a Supra isn't the car to run ;)

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I thought the issue was always that if a plug was to fail the coppers would cause less damage as they just melt.

 

Or perhaps I'm wrong.

 

Molten *ANYium* in the the combustion chamber is very bad news!

 

Precious metal tipped plugs will fire an incorrect mixture without fouling (and God knows there are enough 2JZ-GTE engines around at the moment with incorrect mixtures...:) ), and will exceed their recommended tip temps with less likelihood of failure than a copper plug. Once you start talking of what molten plug tip is less harmful to the engine is the time i get my coat .... ;), you are into something similar to discussing whether you'd rather be shot or stabbed.

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Guest Chumpalot
Molten *ANYium* in the the combustion chamber is very bad news!

 

Precious metal tipped plugs will fire an incorrect mixture without fouling (and God knows there are enough 2JZ-GTE engines around at the moment with incorrect mixtures...:) ), and will exceed their recommended tip temps with less likelihood of failure than a copper plug. Once you start talking of what molten plug tip is less harmful to the engine is the time i get my coat .... ;), you are into something similar to discussing whether you'd rather be shot or stabbed.

 

I was under the impression copper simply melted and would be less harmful than little shards of Iridium. However, I never did really get the hang of science at school.

 

Point taken :)

 

PS. Depends where I was stabbed/shot.

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I thought the issue was always that if a plug was to fail the coppers would cause less damage as they just melt.

 

Or perhaps I'm wrong.

 

Thats pretty much it, iridiums and in particular Denso, are very prone to the insulation cracking and falling apart,when subject to detonation, because the electrodes are much harder and don't melt easy.

 

i know which i would rather have.

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