Most popular spark plug for Corvettes
06-26-2006, 02:33 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Most popular spark plug for Corvettes
I was just wondering what is the most popular spark plug being used out there for a small block Chev. There must be a Corvette owner out there who has experimented with various plugs [who is not brand loyal]
thru the years, that has found "the right one" maybe a engine builder
that will let go of his secret.
There must be millions upon millions of engines out there [in the U.S. and Canada] that are simular to mine-
No smog devices
350 cu.in. revs only to 5,000 R.P.M.s
short block is stock
Dart heads with 2.02 valves
single 4 bbl. carb. 650 cfm.
Crane roller cam
Crane roller rockers- 1.5
Accel dist. with electronic module
Accel coil
I do not need a resistor plug. I never put the radio on I love to hear the exhaust , it is like listening to a heart beat. I need tapered seats.
I know there has been articles written about conventional oil comparing it with synthetic oil and articles about oil filters but I have never seen anything about plugs , what got me thinking is the post that Barry K. wrote about changing to NGK-B4 plugs.
I wonder what Lars recommends ? Just trying to make my small block better. I go to car shows and see Straight Axles for sale
I cant understand why they would want to sell theirs! I dont think I would be able to sleep at nite with mine being out of my garage,
its like one of the family.
thru the years, that has found "the right one" maybe a engine builder
that will let go of his secret.
There must be millions upon millions of engines out there [in the U.S. and Canada] that are simular to mine-
No smog devices
350 cu.in. revs only to 5,000 R.P.M.s
short block is stock
Dart heads with 2.02 valves
single 4 bbl. carb. 650 cfm.
Crane roller cam
Crane roller rockers- 1.5
Accel dist. with electronic module
Accel coil
I do not need a resistor plug. I never put the radio on I love to hear the exhaust , it is like listening to a heart beat. I need tapered seats.
I know there has been articles written about conventional oil comparing it with synthetic oil and articles about oil filters but I have never seen anything about plugs , what got me thinking is the post that Barry K. wrote about changing to NGK-B4 plugs.
I wonder what Lars recommends ? Just trying to make my small block better. I go to car shows and see Straight Axles for sale
I cant understand why they would want to sell theirs! I dont think I would be able to sleep at nite with mine being out of my garage,
its like one of the family.
Last edited by lovevettes; 06-26-2006 at 02:41 PM.
06-26-2006, 02:39 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
love
for what it's worth.......... I always ran the AC R45 plug with no problem. I believe JohnZ runs and usually recommends the R45S extended tip plug.
Only until I ran into the problem of my car starting to have a missing problem that stopped when I switched to the non-resistor NGK B4 plug I never had problems with the R45 plugs.
Other than the missing issue now gone, I can't tell the slightest difference in driving the car between the R45's and the B4 plugs.
If I wasn't llloking for a non-resistor plug to search out my missing problem I'd still be running the R45's.
for what it's worth.......... I always ran the AC R45 plug with no problem. I believe JohnZ runs and usually recommends the R45S extended tip plug.
Only until I ran into the problem of my car starting to have a missing problem that stopped when I switched to the non-resistor NGK B4 plug I never had problems with the R45 plugs.
Other than the missing issue now gone, I can't tell the slightest difference in driving the car between the R45's and the B4 plugs.
If I wasn't llloking for a non-resistor plug to search out my missing problem I'd still be running the R45's.
06-26-2006, 05:22 PM
#4
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2003
Location: Greenville, Indiana
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Originally Posted by BarryK
love
for what it's worth.......... I always ran the AC R45 plug with no problem. I believe JohnZ runs and usually recommends the R45S extended tip plug.
Only until I ran into the problem of my car starting to have a missing problem that stopped when I switched to the non-resistor NGK B4 plug I never had problems with the R45 plugs.
Other than the missing issue now gone, I can't tell the slightest difference in driving the car between the R45's and the B4 plugs.
If I wasn't llloking for a non-resistor plug to search out my missing problem I'd still be running the R45's.
for what it's worth.......... I always ran the AC R45 plug with no problem. I believe JohnZ runs and usually recommends the R45S extended tip plug.
Only until I ran into the problem of my car starting to have a missing problem that stopped when I switched to the non-resistor NGK B4 plug I never had problems with the R45 plugs.
Other than the missing issue now gone, I can't tell the slightest difference in driving the car between the R45's and the B4 plugs.
If I wasn't llloking for a non-resistor plug to search out my missing problem I'd still be running the R45's.
For a street driven engine, the proper heat range plug, correct fuel mixture and a hot reliable spark are the keys to plug longevity over and above any specific brand, in my opinion.
06-26-2006, 09:28 PM
#5
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2003
Location: Greenville, Indiana
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Originally Posted by BarryK
love
for what it's worth.......... I always ran the AC R45 plug with no problem. I believe JohnZ runs and usually recommends the R45S extended tip plug.
Only until I ran into the problem of my car starting to have a missing problem that stopped when I switched to the non-resistor NGK B4 plug I never had problems with the R45 plugs.
Other than the missing issue now gone, I can't tell the slightest difference in driving the car between the R45's and the B4 plugs.
If I wasn't llloking for a non-resistor plug to search out my missing problem I'd still be running the R45's.
for what it's worth.......... I always ran the AC R45 plug with no problem. I believe JohnZ runs and usually recommends the R45S extended tip plug.
Only until I ran into the problem of my car starting to have a missing problem that stopped when I switched to the non-resistor NGK B4 plug I never had problems with the R45 plugs.
Other than the missing issue now gone, I can't tell the slightest difference in driving the car between the R45's and the B4 plugs.
If I wasn't llloking for a non-resistor plug to search out my missing problem I'd still be running the R45's.
For a street driven engine, the proper heat range plug, correct fuel mixture and a hot reliable spark are the keys to plug longevity over and above any specific brand, in my opinion.
06-27-2006, 12:46 AM
#7
Race Director
Member Since: May 2000
Location: Redondo Beach USA
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Originally Posted by ricks327
At Duke's suggestion of using the Denso W14PR-U or W14-U and the NGK XR 5 I switched to these over the AC45. 
My recommendation is Denso W14-U or NGK B4, which are non-resistor equivalents to the non-resistor AC 45.
If you want an extended tip equivalent to the non-resistor AC 45S, choose the Denso non-resistor W14P-U.
The Corvette (misinformation) Forum continues in true form.
More thorough discussions are in the archives including discussions of why AC heat range "5" or equivalent is best and resistor versus (OE) non resistor if you care to search archives, and most major plug vendors have cross reference charts on the Web.
Duke
I also suffer from "oldtimers" disease ocassionaly.
06-27-2006, 03:06 PM
#10
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The ghost may return to haunt occasionally, especially if Duke is misquoted.
Some new SHP dyno numbers from a secret CF member may be in the mill for next month... word has it that it revs strong to 7200, and it's "all stock", but what do I know?
Over and out for now.
Some new SHP dyno numbers from a secret CF member may be in the mill for next month... word has it that it revs strong to 7200, and it's "all stock", but what do I know?
Over and out for now.
06-27-2006, 03:18 PM
#11
Safety Car
Member Since: Sep 2004
Location: St. Clair Shores MI
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C2 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019
2017 C2 of the Year Finalist
Originally Posted by SWCDuke
The ghost may return to haunt occasionally, especially if Duke is misquoted.
Some new SHP dyno numbers from a secret CF member may be in the mill for next month... word has it that it revs strong to 7200, and it's "all stock", but what do I know?
Over and out for now.
Some new SHP dyno numbers from a secret CF member may be in the mill for next month... word has it that it revs strong to 7200, and it's "all stock", but what do I know?
Over and out for now.
BTW: Am I the secret Forum Member ???
Last edited by Donny Brass; 06-27-2006 at 04:01 PM.
06-27-2006, 08:02 PM
#13
Race Director
Originally Posted by SWCDuke
........, but what do I know?
08-23-2018, 08:13 PM
#14
Melting Slicks
One time many years ago, I tried an extended tip plug in my '65 L76 motor with its 461 heads and had poor results compared to the standard tip plugs. My conclusion was that the extended tip was too close to the top of the piston dome - bear in mind that the 461 heads position the spark plug about 1/8 inch closer to the piston top than later heads such as the 462s; and the dome on the L76 piston is about 1/8 inch high. Standard tip plugs are my choice with the early heads and domed pistons.
08-23-2018, 08:21 PM
#15
Safety Car
They're Dart heads. Do they take tapered seat plugs like many modern heads? AC 45s are old style gasket seal plugs and they won't work on heads that take tapered seaters.
08-23-2018, 09:01 PM
#16
Team Owner
I’ve run AC45S Autolite 86 and NGK-XR4 and the NGK-B4. The last one gets my vote. The NGKs are the only plugs I’ve ever installed that produced an immediate difference. The idle improved as soon as I put them in both of my cars.
08-24-2018, 08:02 AM
#17
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I bought another set.
This car is a cruiser, a "car show" car, an occasional driver, etc.
The "old" NGK B4's I removed were pristine.. Check out the photos.
08-24-2018, 08:07 AM
#18
Team Owner
Almost a shame to replace those! I've seen your 63 Chuck and its a damn sight more than a casual cruiser my friend - its gorgeous...
Yeah - I've been sold on the NGKs for about 1/2 decade now.....swapped them out of the 63 for judging -- they looked perfect, put in ACs for that, then swapped NGKs back in within two weeks of completing the judging thing...
Yeah - I've been sold on the NGKs for about 1/2 decade now.....swapped them out of the 63 for judging -- they looked perfect, put in ACs for that, then swapped NGKs back in within two weeks of completing the judging thing...
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; 08-24-2018 at 08:09 AM.
08-24-2018, 09:22 AM
#19
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Almost a shame to replace those! I've seen your 63 Chuck and its a damn sight more than a casual cruiser my friend - its gorgeous...
Yeah - I've been sold on the NGKs for about 1/2 decade now.....swapped them out of the 63 for judging -- they looked perfect, put in ACs for that, then swapped NGKs back in within two weeks of completing the judging thing...
Yeah - I've been sold on the NGKs for about 1/2 decade now.....swapped them out of the 63 for judging -- they looked perfect, put in ACs for that, then swapped NGKs back in within two weeks of completing the judging thing...
I had already ordered a set of 10... so............
It's such a PITA to change the plugs, especially on the RT side with the one piece plug shield...that I'm just gonna leave the NGK's in place. Throughout my life, I've had bad luck with any AC plug, 44's, 45's, etc. Autolites have been good to me. I'm too dumb to be able to figure out Champion's system.
08-24-2018, 10:11 AM
#20
Le Mans Master
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So does anyone run an iridium plug in an old school engine? I am amazed by the iridium plugs I pull from the new engines at 100K plus. I have yet to replace one.