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Nitrous spark plug selection question

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Old 01-06-2007, 12:24 AM
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GrandSportC3
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Default Nitrous spark plug selection question

According to most nitrous kit manufactorers, they recommend to step down at least 1 heat range for a 100 - 150 shot and 2 heat ranges over 150 shot.

Now here is my question:

Right now, there are NGK BKR6ES-11 plugs in my engine.
Those are NON-Resistor plugs.. I used to have Resistor plugs in the engine before the rebuild (Autolite 3924).
The NGK BKR6ES-11 cross reference to the Autolite 3923 which are one heat range colder than the 3924's I had before.. I don't understand too much about spark plugs and the benefit etc. of going either with resistor or non-resistor plugs. Any information about that would be appreciated..

I researched and the next colder plugs from NGK would be the BCP7ES which is also a non-resistor plug.

So, I wonder... Can I go with the Autolite resistor plugs or would it be better to go with the non-resistor NGK plugs???? Any input is appreciated!

Another question would be about plug gaps.. I usually run .045 gap but I read that with nitrous, it's better to go with less gap.. Is that true and what gap would be a good starting point?

Last edited by GrandSportC3; 01-06-2007 at 09:36 AM.
Old 01-06-2007, 08:32 AM
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Vette Crazzy
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a resistor plug is designed to keep noise out of your radio. i thought you were to go with a colder plug for nos? i run ar3924 autolites in my 408 with a 125 shot. the ar is a race plug.

vc
Old 01-06-2007, 09:36 AM
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GrandSportC3
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Originally Posted by Vette Crazzy
a resistor plug is designed to keep noise out of your radio. i thought you were to go with a colder plug for nos? i run ar3924 autolites in my 408 with a 125 shot. the ar is a race plug.

vc
I mis-typed.. Of course I need colder and not hotter plugs.. Edited the post.
Old 01-06-2007, 12:48 PM
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69 N.O.X. RATT
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I like NGK plugs for a nitrous plug. I will see if I can find the actual part # I use.
Old 01-06-2007, 03:06 PM
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who sells NGK plugs? Napa?
Old 01-06-2007, 03:40 PM
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69 N.O.X. RATT
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Originally Posted by GrandSportC3
who sells NGK plugs? Napa?
I get mine from Kragen
Old 01-06-2007, 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by 69 N.O.X. RATT
I get mine from Kragen
Don't think that we have Kragen here in Florida...
Old 01-06-2007, 04:42 PM
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Originally Posted by GrandSportC3
Don't think that we have Kragen here in Florida...
Summit sells them unless you want something close by.
Old 01-06-2007, 06:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Fubba
Summit sells them unless you want something close by.
Well, I don't want to pay $9.99 handling on a $30 purchase
Old 01-06-2007, 07:24 PM
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Napa, O'rileys, autozone. Any of them should carry ngk plugs.
Old 01-06-2007, 08:08 PM
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Originally Posted by 88'Cubka
Napa, O'rileys, autozone. Any of them should carry ngk plugs.
Went to Autozone and they didn't have the NGK plugs that I needed...
Old 01-06-2007, 08:16 PM
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Autolite 3923 for 150 shot , I used these and cut the electro back even with the back side of the center probe. Look at a racing plug the onl difference is the price. A good read is this months Car Craft page 36.
Old 01-06-2007, 11:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Perfomer
Autolite 3923 for 150 shot , I used these and cut the electro back even with the back side of the center probe. Look at a racing plug the onl difference is the price. A good read is this months Car Craft page 36.
hmmm.. doesn't it depend on the engine? That plug might be fine for a pump gas engine with nitrous but I doubt that the same applies to a high compression race engine with nitrous that runs on 112 octane race gas..
Old 01-07-2007, 01:08 AM
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Decided to step down 2 heat ranges to heat range 8 (6 right now)...
I also decided to go with racing plugs.. Let's see how those will work out!

NGK R5672A-8
Old 01-07-2007, 10:19 AM
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red79vette454
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You are going in the right direction. I would say with your DA the -8 would work well on motor and with a small shot.

We usually run NGK -8 on motor and NGK -9 with nitrous. That is with 12.5 compresssion and good gas.

Like John says " read your plugs after every pass". The A/F meter is a valuable tool for tuning the carb but nitrous is a different animal. In our experience you don't want to see A/F ratio higher than 11:1 using the nitrous.

Using the short burst method like you are doing the big thing that you are going to look for is the grey or brown specks on the plug insulator. As you know that indicates pre ignition. If you see them on the plugs you will need to run a colder plug (-9) and/or take out some timing.

Just for your information, I think that you are going to need to bring in about a 150 shot around 2.5 seconds into the run to see a 9 second time slip. Of course that is assuming that you have a fairly tight converter.

But that is my guess. And good luck
Old 01-07-2007, 10:29 AM
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Originally Posted by red79vette454
You are going in the right direction. I would say with your DA the -8 would work well on motor and with a small shot.

We usually run NGK -8 on motor and NGK -9 with nitrous. That is with 12.5 compresssion and good gas.

Like John says " read your plugs after every pass". The A/F meter is a valuable tool for tuning the carb but nitrous is a different animal. In our experience you don't want to see A/F ratio higher than 11:1 using the nitrous.

Using the short burst method like you are doing the big thing that you are going to look for is the grey or brown specks on the plug insulator. As you know that indicates pre ignition. If you see them on the plugs you will need to run a colder plug (-9) and/or take out some timing.

Just for your information, I think that you are going to need to bring in about a 150 shot around 2.5 seconds into the run to see a 9 second time slip. Of course that is assuming that you have a fairly tight converter.

But that is my guess. And good luck
Daren, I only need 3.5 to 4 tenths to hit 9's... Spraying in 2nd and 3rd gear should eaily get me into 9's.. (I run 10.40 or faster in sub 70 degree weather with a best of 10.35 in 62 degree weather)

Here are a little more details on how I'll run the nitrous:

Safety setup:

1) WOT safety switch (only allows nitorus activation at WOT)
2) fuel pressure safety switch (shuts off if fuel pressure is below 5 psi)
3) MSD window switch. Nitrous will only be activated if the RPM is between 3000 and 6800. The rev limiter is set to 7000 rpm, so I'll avoid hitting the rev limiter with the spray on.

Retard setup:

Right now, I'm running a 4 degree retard pill in the retard system which puts me at a total of 32 degrees with spray. The retard system is activated with the same push button as the nitrous.

Right now, the plan is to spray as soon as I'm in 2nd gear, then go off the spray button when shifting and push it again after shifting into high gear..

What was your best on engine before you used the spray? How big of a shot?

Last edited by GrandSportC3; 01-07-2007 at 10:42 AM.
Old 01-07-2007, 10:57 AM
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I don't know what converter you have in there, but usually we shift to second at 6800 just past the 60' mark at about 1.8 to 2.0 seconds. Bringing in the nitrous at about 2.5 seconds allows everything to settle in after the shift. You've got to know that the converter is going to absorb a lot if the initial nitrous hit.
That being said I would not shut the nitrous down between shifts because the converter is just starting to grab with the extra power. Then you are going to release it and start over again. That could be a dangerous mixture for everything concerned including trans, motor and traction.

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Old 01-07-2007, 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by red79vette454
I don't know what converter you have in there, but usually we shift to second at 6800 just past the 60' mark at about 1.8 to 2.0 seconds. Bringing in the nitrous at about 2.5 seconds allows everything to settle in after the shift. You've got to know that the converter is going to absorb a lot if the initial nitrous hit.
That being said I would not shut the nitrous down between shifts because the converter is just starting to grab with the extra power. Then you are going to release it and start over again. That could be a dangerous mixture for everything concerned including trans, motor and traction.
The converter is a 4500 stall transbrake converter.. It doesn't stall too high footbraking (which I'm doing). My transmission shifts 1 - 2 at 6200 RPM and that's before the 60' mark. (1 - 2 cannot be shifted manually, it's always automatic). My 60' times are already between 1.39 and 1.41 without spray footbraking.
The reason why I don't want to spray during the shift is because the transmission is stronger when in gear then during the shift...

The 1 - 2 shift occurs at about 1.3 seconds into the run. I have a 2.74 first gear and 4.11 rear gears. So, I'll hit the spray at about 1.5 seconds into the run, then I'll shift into 3rd gear early (usually shift at 6500 - 6800 RPM but with the spray I'll shift early) and go off the spray during the shift and then hit it again until the end of the run.

Last edited by GrandSportC3; 01-07-2007 at 11:35 AM.
Old 01-07-2007, 11:32 AM
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69 N.O.X. RATT
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3.5 to 4 /10's is a lot of e.t. to gain in a mid 10 second car. I have never used the -8's and have had great luck with the -9's.

Your next motor will need -9's or even -10's

I think your plan will gain an appreciable amount of MPH, but not much et. I agree with Daren that you need to put the power to the car as quick as possible to get a 9 sec slip. NA converters are not efficient nitrous converters, granted we are only talking about a 100 shot, but the rule still applies.

Not totally an apples to apples comparison; but when I first ran nitrous in my current car the car would go 9.40's on the motor at 140-141 mph. I made one run that I engaged the nitrous (150 shot) at about 60' and the car went 8.995 at 154.
Old 01-07-2007, 11:36 AM
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I agree that going off the nitrous between shifts could upset the chassis and cause the car to unload and break traction. If you do this be careful, don't want the thing to swap ends on you. The IRS might actually help with this issue.


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