Thoughts on Copper Plugs?

[BlackCobra96]

Considering my mods and the fact that wear isn't an issue since it only sees a couple thousand of miles per season, I thought I'd try them. Also, what gap for my setup? And How many miles before I change them?

 

[nckissfan]

I have been running coppers in my car for going on two years now. I can't remember the gap setting. The people at the Ford dealer look at me like I am retarded when I tell them that I am running coppers. They say, well your car will not run to its full potential. :bs:

 

[Quadcammer]

don't know what kinda boost you are running, but i would run the motorcraft awsfa-22c plugs with a .035 gap.

fwiw, i run coppers and they work great.

 

[SVTRob]

I would always run a copper plug. I currently run the NGK TR6, which is a copper plug one step colder than stock. Gap them as big as you can without it miss-firing.

 

[SVTCobra306]

The way I look at it is this: the fancy-twice-as-expensive-or-more platinum/irridium plugs are simply designed to last longer between tune-ups. I personally pull my plugs every six months. Now I could either clean them and re-gap them, and put the old plugs back in, OR I could spend the measly 10 bucks and slap a fresh set of Autolites in.... I'll spend my 10 bucks. Plus nitrous motors are known to occasionally eat a plug, so why waste the money on Irridium? Plat. is out of the picture for me, it doesn't play well with nitrous.

 

[Mhissticobra]

I run copper gapped around .033 on my blown setup. BTW, how do you like Lidio's tuning? I will be getting my car retuned by him this Friday. I had it tuned somewhere else last year but going to him for the retune.

 

[Shambles]

Coppers straight from Ford for me, gapped at .055 for my N/A engine.

Definately noticed a pickup in the car just by swapping the plugs out from the factory ones (which actually looked pretty good after 75k miles).

 

[Red98CobraStang]

ngk tr-55 coppers here for me. 16 bucks gapped at .060 thanks to the livewires and coilpacks. I like these A LOT better than the autolite coppers I just pulled out......

 

[BlackCobra96]

I feel like a wuss for gapping them at .031, but that was the gap on the plugs that I pulled out. Since Lidio from Alternative Auto regapped the original plugs and since it has never given me problems, I figured just leave well enough alone.

By the way, I'm the proud owner of Lidio's rachet screwdriver. It got stuck in the engine compartment and has been sitting their for the past couple of years. Perhaps I'll give it back the next time I use him.

 

[aam 97 cobra]

Copper all the way for me ...

 

[Mechanic]

The platinum plugs are only for duration of tune up. Copper is a better plug with more spark surface area which makes it harder to blow out. The problem is they wear faster. You should be able to get 20000 out of them easily vs 80-100,000 on the platinum.

 

[98 svt]

i just pulled Bosch platinum 2s out of my car and put in autolite coppers gapped at .054. seems to run a bit smoother now.

what were the original plugs?

 

[SKMCOBRA]

The true benefit of copper is that it is the best for pulling heat away from the cylinder. I am considering the new ZEX plug for n/a'd engines. They are copper with a nickel plating to give them a little more longevity. If it's not a daily driver then my performance shop says the Autolite coppers are the best for racing applications.

 

[RippinSVT]

I run copper Autolite 103's (2 ranges colder than stock) gapped at .035 on my car which is on the bottle. I never have a problem. Also, at a buck and change a piece plus only 25 minutes to change them, I could car less whether they last 100,000 miles or 1,000 miles. I fouled my Bosch Platinums (like $6 a plug or something stupid) in about 5,000 when I was running pig-rich. I leaned it out and switched the plugs (plus a bigger MAF, FPR, and few other little things) and went from G-teching 13.40's to G-teching 12.70's. It wouldn't pull at all before in 3rd and 4th, but leaning it out and putting in those copper plugs REALLY woke it up.