New Spark Plugs Shave 1 second of 0-60mph.

PGFracing

Near Omaha, NE
I recently changed from stock protege BRKE5 or something like that plugs to factory MSP in my car (2003.5 MSP) and watched the 0-60mph time drop dramatically. I was wondering if I found that much gain from a swap, how much more could I find in gapping them appropiately. What kind of gaps are people running. I was also wondering if anyone knows what range of thermostat is stock and who makes something very low maybe in the 120 range. I'm guessing factory is 195 range. I find about another .5 second in the 0-60mph with lower engine temps.
 
PGFracing said:
I recently changed from stock protege BRKE5 or something like that plugs to factory MSP in my car (2003.5 MSP) and watched the 0-60mph time drop dramatically.

A second??? Dude, unless your car was running like complete crap before, your 0-60 time didn't drop by a second. You'd have to gain about 50whp to shave a full second from your 0-60 time.

Also, why were you running 5 series plugs in your MSP? That's too hot. Not good for the motor.

I was wondering if I found that much gain from a swap, how much more could I find in gapping them appropiately.

So long as the spark works and isn't creating hot spots, then none.

What kind of gaps are people running.

I run NGK 6 series plugs and gap a .029 or so.

I find about another .5 second in the 0-60mph with lower engine temps.

.5 seconds is a lot. What are you using to time your runs?
 
my grounding kit gave me almost 1.2s off my 0-60mph.....and my sparco shiftknob was an additoinal .8s...I figure I'm almost able to run with the Evo's now...
 
You know you guys could actually be nicer since he is a newer member apparently (post count)... AND if he was getting detonation for some reason before and the MSP was limping etc... then he could get some pretty serious improvements... a second may still be stretching... but drive a little better and get some improved output and that can make a world of difference.
 
The only folks who posted some halfway decent info were Kooldino and Turf Burn. All other posts have been measured, and found wanting...
 
Measured and found wanting... damn it what movie is that from!

But anyway... I advise everyone to shy away from fine wire plugs in general on FI car... too easy to foul, and too easy to get a hot spot in many cases. I had nothing but problems with Platinums and the likes, and had customers with issues with Iridiums, had them switch to standard BKR style plugs and cured a lot of problems...
 
Yeah, copper are cool. Everything I have learned about FI cars say to use standard plugs and change them often.
 
Yes, standard plugs are the way to go in my experience... the only higher benefit you can get into later, but good luck with all the issues in getting a decent idle, is going to a retracted gap plug... which then helps even more with detonation and spark preservation... but you'llh ave a hard time finding those for our application, and no one runs anything like that at all that I know of... their standard application is methanol based dragsters etc... but for certain reasons are good for extended duty racing vehicles like LeMans... but that's all more than you guys need to know.. as far as our cars and so forth... go standard copper.. the NGK VPowers have been good to me..

also of note... realize that a "heat range 6" plug in one brand is NOT the same as in another brand and even with in the same brand if you change configurations, like extended reach versus standard.... the heat ranges are also again not equivalent (6 in standard is NOT the same as 6 in extended for resistance to hot spotting)
 
PGFracing said:
I recently changed from stock protege BRKE5 or something like that plugs to factory MSP in my car (2003.5 MSP) and watched the 0-60mph time drop dramatically.

It seems like you are saying that you had different plugs and switch back to the stock MSP plugs. Actually, what you said doesn't make much sense. What plugs did you have, and what plugs did you switch to?
 
TurfBurn said:
Measured and found wanting... damn it what movie is that from!


a knights tale?




...glad the new plugs are working out for you. what did the old ones look like when you pulled them?
 
I put in a stock protege engine with 20,000 miles on it, My original engine has 9,800 miles on it. After 3,000 miles of driving on the stock protege (of course with all MSP components/like turbo stuff on swtiched onto it) engine I switched to MSP plugs. The car is very quick and even quicker now. The only change I see is that the timing belt could use to be a little tighter on this motor than my original motor. I have a 0-60mph spot, that I test and tune at. I shaved 70ft distance by putting in the MSP plugs, which I was curious because everyone said the base model proteges ones are better because they dissipate the heat better than the platinum, which maybe true, however there seems to be better explosion with the newer plugs. I also forgot to mention I changed the coils, and the wires too, although factory stock parts, but 14,000 miles less time on them. I estimate my 0-60mph time to be around 5.9 now and was around 6.9. Reaching 60 around 5600 rpms in 2nd gear and I also find that the car is much quicker short shifting than taking it to the redline. I need to adjust my turbo though because it seems very mild, not really kicking in till around 5,000 rpms, so I'm only seeing around 800rpms of explosive power. Never had a turbo car before, but have etensive background in roadracing and motocross. I'm guessing my boost is set very mild for stock. It's my understanding it can vary from car to car. I'f I get it to engage sooner should be able to get around 5.5 seconds 0-60mph times, which is pretty good for a stocker. Also going to zero plus tires should help times, but I haven't been able to find anyone that knows what would be the appropiate zero plus tire and being in the midwest, everyone is pretty much sports car illiterate here. It's circle track stuff here.
 
See, that makes sense. The plugs you had weren't meant for FI (NGK 5 heat range is too hot). The MSP stock plugs are good for low boost levels. If you go any higher I would go with copper or Iridium and one heat range cooler.
 
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