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Bright Idea?

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 1:24 pm
by mechanix
Has anybody tried those Bosch Super 4 spark plugs?

If so would you buy them again?

They claim they are really good, are they worth the effort? :-?

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 1:50 pm
by Cam
I understand that the general opinion is that NGK plugs are the best performers. Not exactly what you want to hear if you want to stick with originality, but they are good.

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 2:41 pm
by Kevin
I am with Cam as regards NGK, I think its partly to do with better quality than Champion unfortunatly.

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 4:39 pm
by Cam
By the way Kevin, did you get the Private Message I sent you?

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 5:29 pm
by dennis
hi
what is the NJK number for the plugs that best suit moggies.
mine are both 1098 engines and standard

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 5:42 pm
by Kevin
Yes I did Cam and I have replied (all is revealed)

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 5:43 pm
by Cam
I think that the NGK BP6 or BP6E or BP6ES should be fine. Failing that the same in the 5 range should be OK.

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 5:55 pm
by Kevin
Hi Dennis there are 2 recommended
Standard BP6E price quoted £2:37
Iridium BPR6EIX price quoted £7:52
The more expensive ones are supposed to last 60,000 miles
If you want more info have a look at
http://www.spark-plugs.co.uk/index.htm

You slipped in while I was finding their web site Cam, its worth a look.

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 6:05 pm
by Cam
Those Iridium plugs look the business, trouble is I did not see them listed in the BP8 heat range which is what I use. I use BP8ES at the moment and am really pleased with them although normal factors don't stock them. If I want any they have to order them in.

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 6:44 pm
by Kevin
Cam your plugs are quoted at £2:80 and any order over £10:00 is post free as they only charge £11:20 is that cheaper than what you now pay.
Are these the ones you were looking for BPR8HIX £7.52 each.
I will have a look tomorrow just to see how much Halfrauds do them for as a price comparison you never know this might be a cheaper source.

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 7:50 pm
by rayofleamington
one other trick for halfuds is to look in their 'halfords label' boxes.
occasionally it has the same part as in the name brand box.
But look VERY closely as copy parts are made to look similar!! Things like thermostats, dizzy caps etc..

This would happen
A) when the halfords buyer couldn't source the part seperately at lower cost (eg when it's low volume).
B) When the part is from a sub-supplier who makes it for both firms from the same tooling.

Then they'll buy in the same part with a different box but use less mark up as the Halfuds part is supposed to be cheaper.

This tip also works in DIY centres for household stuff but this is more risky as on a complicated assembly the supplier may use cheaper screws / different platings to save cost on the 'home brand' item.

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 9:07 pm
by Cam
I tried getting them from Halfords (as they are an NGK dealer) and they said thet they could not supply them?!?!

So, I ended up ordering a lot in bulk from David Manners (next door to the Birmingham Minor centre). Actually I could do with some more in about 4-5000 miles, although I think they will probably last a bit longer as my last set still looked fine when I replaced them, but I replaced them anyway as a matter of course.

Trouble is that was a good while ago (maybe 2 years?) and I can't remember how much I paid. Must be age!! :lol:

With regard to the BPR8 plugs, I would assume that they are the correct temperature but I think they are resistive types (hence the R) and I don't really want that, although they might be all right as apparently they don't need as much voltage to fire compared to the normal plugs.

The reason I said that I could not see them is that the BP8ES was not listed in the equivalents chart.

Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:46 am
by edd
but I think they are resistive types (hence the R) and I don't really want that,
Sorry but is me being new to cars. :-?
What difference does a resistive plug make? an dwhy would you fit them to some cars and not others.

Cheers

Edd

Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 11:55 am
by Cam
New cars have them fitted so that their ignition systems don't cause airborne interference to TV sets and radios as you drive past houses. Unfortunately this reduces the intensity of the spark and so the performance is not as good. Modern cars are designed to use them. Old cars are not, so if you use them in old cars, they don't help the performance of the system.

Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 1:33 pm
by Kevin
Been to Halfrauds and they do the following NGK plugs for
BP6E or BP5E are V groove and cost £9:49 for 4
BP6ES or BP5ES are Copper cored cost £8:99 for 4
The Bosch Super 4 cost £19:99 for 4
They do not keep BP8 range as Cam said, so for those its probably cheaper to get them from sparkplugs.co.
It seems that that V groove are 1st choice recommendation I dont know why they would be better than the copper ones, but they all seem much cheaper than the new Bosch ones which are probably designed for newer cars..

Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 8:22 pm
by Gareth
airborne interference to TV sets and radios
ahh... but would it stop ClassicFM crackling in the car? I *think* mine are NGK... they're the little white bits sticking out of the side of the engine, yeah? :lol:

Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2003 9:15 am
by Kevin
they're the little white bits sticking out of the side of the engine, yeah?
Thats right Gareth and as Dizzy might say they have cable type thingys running from them to an upturned flowerpot whotsit :roll:

Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2003 9:51 pm
by Cam
would it stop ClassicFM crackling in the car?
Not really, for that you need an in-line supressor for the radio.

I can't believe that you don't know what a spark plug is!!! You are the master of the brakes!! :lol:

Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:59 am
by Gareth
:lol: I was havin' you on - just trying to get in before Dizzy did... ;)

I've got a couple of suppressors knocking around somewhere, which I had hoped would be doing something, but with the crackles, I doubt it. Haven't had any complaints from the neighbours about my sending their tellies funny, tho... ;)

Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2003 10:14 pm
by Robins
I use the NGK BP6ES aswell, they are brilliant plugs.
I have tried those Bosch 4 prong things and I can say don't waist your money, there was no noticable difference in power and no added reliability as far as starting was conserned either, in fact it was probably slightly worse if anything. Not to mention difficult to clean them. I actually took them out after a couple of hundred miles and sold them to a mate with a mini and went back to my NGK.

Cam, have you tried going to your local Lucas branch for your BP8ES plugs, go on their website to find the address of the nearest branch to you (unless you already know it), http://www.lsuk.co.uk/

Something that does mess up the TV, or rather the 'sky digital' setup is a Snooper radar detector. My neighbour found that out the hard way and now switch's his snooper off.