Spark Plug Upgrade Help !!!

[blake_peanut]

My CP-E set up is catted and no I don't have a boost gauge. But I ordered one last week along with the vent pod. Now that I'm modding a bit I figured it was a good idea. Thx for the replys guys, much appreciated. I got the Forge for a killer deal on the boards that I couldn't pass up. I didn't suspect my stocker was leaking, but car feels a little stronger with the new bpv. Certainly no crazy gains but I feel it made a difference nonetheless.

I have 42,xxx kms on the stock plugs, so they have a ways to go before they need to be replaced. I think 8.5MS3 raises a good point I really didn't consider. How often I put high demand on boost/engine. Id' have to say I really don't give er often. I've never tracked it, although I do plan on making a few runs down the track come the Spring. Its my daily driver in all year round. I really don't beat the s*** out of the car. I'm thinking I may not expose the colder plugs to higher heat as you say very often, so I'm not sure exactly what to do here.

I do plan on getting an AP before the Spring, sometime over the winter here. Looks like there are a lot of tunes for these things now. I read a lot of threads/info about the AP's when they first came out but stopped shortly after. Looks like I'm out of the loop you could say. All these terms like ATR etc. I don't know what the hell is going on haha! All these different companies tuning em and what not! I'm sure there's a single thread that can help me out.

 

[blake_peanut]

MSMS3 - Side not, noticed you have the second generation MS CAI with air straightener. I have the first generation without the air straightener, I've never had a single problem with it. Should I look into getting the air straightener from somewhere?

8.5MS3 - How do you like those sways? I'm thinking my next mod will be the Hotchkis sways, hear they're great and you can definitely feel the difference.

 

[8.5MS3]

MSMS3 - Side not, noticed you have the second generation MS CAI with air straightener. I have the first generation without the air straightener, I've never had a single problem with it. Should I look into getting the air straightener from somewhere?

8.5MS3 - How do you like those sways? I'm thinking my next mod will be the Hotchkis sways, hear they're great and you can definitely feel the difference.

I would get the air straightener, you can pick one up at SU.

Sways are awesome, car is so much more neutral and body roll is almost non existant. I have the rears set on the stiffest setting. Only do that if you have a front sway otherwise the car will have a major tendency to oversteer. its also fun seeing ppls reactions when i pull into an inclined driveway or whatever and one of my rear wheels comes off the ground a few inches

 

[Darth Vader]

[QUOTE

I have 42,xxx kms on the stock plugs, so they have a ways to go before they need to be replaced. I think 8.5MS3 raises a good point I really didn't consider. How often I put high demand on boost/engine. Id' have to say I really don't give er often. I've never tracked it, although I do plan on making a few runs down the track come the Spring. Its my daily driver in all year round. I really don't beat the s*** out of the car. I'm thinking I may not expose the colder plugs to higher heat as you say very often, so I'm not sure exactly what to do here. [/QUOTE]

You may think you have a way to go before replacement. I pulled mine at 25,000kms and I had 4 cracked insulators, one with large pieces missing and pretty heavy corrosion on the iron part of the plug. Car was running fine but, for how long? Standard heat range is fine up north here, by and large. I have a DP, an RP, a CAI/TIP and a Forge. New standard heat range plugs look perfectly fine since I put them in 5,000k ago.

 

[MSMS3]

MSMS3 - Side not, noticed you have the second generation MS CAI with air straightener. I have the first generation without the air straightener, I've never had a single problem with it. Should I look into getting the air straightener from somewhere?

8.5MS3 - How do you like those sways? I'm thinking my next mod will be the Hotchkis sways, hear they're great and you can definitely feel the difference.

Get the straightener. You can get it as an AEM part if not from Mazda. What I am about to say is just anectdotal rumor: It is believed that the reason Mazda stopped sale of the 1st gen and added the air straightener in gen 2 is that the turbulence in air flow the MAF sensor was seeing was causing it to misread air mass and miscalculate AFR target. Some think this resulted in a few excessively leaned out engines that failed.

I do not know if this is true. But to be safe, consider picking up the straightener from one of our vendors. The MAF sensor does need to have a reliable and consistent stream of air passing across its element.

 

[MSMS3]

I agree with Darth. Replace the plugs now. You are right on the edge for colder plugs and with your relatively infrequent high load high rpm use, can probably stick with standard range until you upgrade to AP. But if that upgrade is coming soon and you do intend to up boost any more or lean out AFR's any with a tune, one step colder is in order.

 

[blake_peanut]

I agree with Darth. Replace the plugs now. You are right on the edge for colder plugs and with your relatively infrequent high load high rpm use, can probably stick with standard range until you upgrade to AP. But if that upgrade is coming soon and you do intend to up boost any more or lean out AFR's any with a tune, one step colder is in order.

Thx for the replys. I'll definitely look in to getting the air straightener, I'm sure its easy to install.

So you're saying that I should replace the plugs? But NOT with step colder until I get an AP? I'd really like a tune/AP, s*** I NEED one. Since installing the TBE, I'm running rich at idle big time. Plus I'm throwing the P0421 code from time to time, which the previous owner of the TBE also did. My gas mileage is pretty bad, I'm thinking a tune will help me out.

So if I'm going to replace plugs here, what should I go with. Just a set of NGK Iridium's? Gap them to?

 

[8.5MS3]

Denso Iridiums ITV22s gapped to 0.026-0.028

 

[blake_peanut]

Denso Iridiums ITV22s gapped to 0.026-0.028

These are NOT one step colder correct? Sorry ****** newb with the plugs, I just like to triple check things.

 

[8.5MS3]

They are colder, get itv 20s or the oems

 

[shpankey]

I gapped mine Denso Iridiums to .30 and they run great there.

I only had 8,700 miles on my stock plugs and they were horribly black with rich carbon all over them. BAD. My exhaust tip is black as hell too. My car runs insanely rich. I need a tune so bad.

 

[Biggs]

I too have a step colder plug question... the shop that im thinking of having work done with has NGK IRIDIUM IX 6510 spark plugs but I think they are gapped at .044.
I would just go with the densos but the shops giving me a discount on the NGKs...

If i have them gapped to .028 - .030 should I be ok?

 

[8.5MS3]

I too have a step colder plug question... the shop that im thinking of having work done with has NGK IRIDIUM IX 6510 spark plugs but I think they are gapped at .044.
I would just go with the densos but the shops giving me a discount on the NGKs...

If i have them gapped to .028 - .030 should I be ok?

what are your mods?

 

[Biggs]

what are your mods?

Cp-e nano, Cp-e TIP currently... the shops going to do a cobb DP and a cobb AP w/ protune (hence the plugs)

 

[8.5MS3]

Cp-e nano, Cp-e TIP currently... the shops going to do a cobb DP and a cobb AP w/ protune (hence the plugs)

0.026-0.028 should be fine

 

[Biggs]

0.026-0.028 should be fine

with the ngks?

 

[MSMS3]

with the ngks?

Yes. Proper gap for your level of mods is going to be the same whether you are using Denso or NGK plugs. You may have to experiment to find the best gap with the AP tune, but will be a bit tighter than stock.

 

[shpankey]

I didn't know this. I did mine at .30 and seems ok but would like to optimize!

09 Speed 3 Mods

COBB SRI
COBB Turbo Inlet
SU Test Pipe
Turbosmart BPV (left it exactly as it came, haven't adjusted, dunno how, lol)
KMD v2 high pressure fuel pump internals
Denso Iridium 1 step colder (.30 now but will change to what u guys say)
Coil Pack Spring Stretch Mod
CP-e Rear MM
SU Shifter Bushings
XT-M5-QS synth transmission fluid
PP 5w-30 synth motor oil w/ Wix filter

...where should I gap mine to?

 

[uthemang31]

A quick question: are 1-step spark plugs necessary with Stage1+MSCAI2 93 Octane?

 

[hugador]

A quick question: are 1-step spark plugs necessary with Stage1+MSCAI2 93 Octane?

You'll probably be fine. I have been running on stock plugs for over 5k miles since I installed AP Stage1. Have been going WOT almost daily for a couple weeks now with no problems. No rough idle or anything out of the ordinary than when she was stock. Only time I see KR is when I drive the car when not fully warmed up. I'll see .4 - .7 KR or none at all in a WOT 4th gear pull. No biggie since 1-step spark plugs are not guarantee to prevent KR. Plus if you don't see KR then you are not driving a speed3 lol. If I were heavily modded then I would upgrade spark plugs. What I would like to know what happens if you don't upgrade?