Like the title says, let’s talk about spark plugs. Now that my car has roughly 6500 miles on it I’ve decided to take the time and replace the plugs. While I could go with the NGK Iridium type, I have been researching the Brisk plugs and am seriously considering them. With that said, has anyone installed them and are there any longer-term reviews? EVO and Whalen guys feel free to chime in since you seem to have started the trend.
Let’s talk about spark plugs
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JDBPFLYER
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Yes this is a KNOW issue with the factory plugs. Brisk recommends .030 (factory spec), many tuners recommend .018-.024 for up to 40 PSI. Turbo motors are hard on plugs, as the boost goes up it gets worse (blow outs, jumping to ground,miss-fires in general)Does the gap on the OEM plugs widen? From what to what? Over what period of time/mileage? Brisk recommends a gap of .020 for their plugs, but if you are comparing that to a stock plug that shows a gap of .30 when you pull it out, that's because the OEM plugs are supposed to be gapped at .031 already, not because they have widened. Personally, I've never seen any evidence of iridium plugs' gap wearing/widening unless they are extremely old/high mileage or in an engine with some problems unrelated to the spark plugs. Is there something about our CanAm motors that destroys the electrode on even iridium plugs? Or is that only an issue on higher tunes/boost levels?
While a good conductor, silver has a very low melting point, lower than any other spark plug material; copper, platinum, iridium... And while you are correct that I have no experience with the Brisk plugs, I do have significant experience with others over the course of 50+ years and in multiple types of vehicles; street, offroad, 2, 3, 4 wheels, stock and built, recreational and competition. When it comes to forced induction, however, that is indeed new to me so you are correct in that I have no experience with them, nor with higher than stock boost levels.
In any case, this has been a very enlightening conversation.
How many miles are on your canam? Have you checked or replaced the plug yet?
As far as the melting point, you are correct as I stated in my earlier reply. If the motor is lean (AFR) it will cause the cylinder temps to increase (fast I might ad) and it will melt the silver causing a miss-fire condition, when this happens the cylinder will richen up and hopefully not take out a piston. I would MUCH rather replace a spark plug then a piston, kinda like a fuse! These plugs will allow more safety over non silver plugs.. Win, Win, Win for them!
hopefully we can ALL learn from discussions on here (including me)!
I can data log mine but it has Evo 3R tune at 9 psi crack so not stock pressure.
Great info added here this round. I have a couple questions that I can't remember seeing definate answers to.
For discussion purposes, let's break the X3 cars/engines into Gen1 2017-19 Turbo R....and then the Gen2 2020-2022 Turbo RR.
Q1...If you have an old OEM set of plugs laying on the shelf for either a Gen1 or Gen2 engine, can you post the spark plug brand/number, and state if they came from a R, or RR engine..year would be great also. This will document the same or different, OEM heat ranges as supplied to dealerships.
Q2... it's been discussed that during the Gen1 R years too much anti-seize was used on the plugs causing slight misfires/codes thrown....do any Gen2 RR owners who have pulled plugs feel that the plugs still have too much anti-seize installed? Anyone gotten a code that could be traced to this in your RR car??
For discussion purposes, let's break the X3 cars/engines into Gen1 2017-19 Turbo R....and then the Gen2 2020-2022 Turbo RR.
Q1...If you have an old OEM set of plugs laying on the shelf for either a Gen1 or Gen2 engine, can you post the spark plug brand/number, and state if they came from a R, or RR engine..year would be great also. This will document the same or different, OEM heat ranges as supplied to dealerships.
Q2... it's been discussed that during the Gen1 R years too much anti-seize was used on the plugs causing slight misfires/codes thrown....do any Gen2 RR owners who have pulled plugs feel that the plugs still have too much anti-seize installed? Anyone gotten a code that could be traced to this in your RR car??
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RR's make more boost than the R's so 20+, rr's only though
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2020RR - Also the NGK -LMAR9AI-80 (yes 80 NOT 8), mine had ZERO anti-seize and where tight. Pulled them out at around 1500 miles or so, plugs looked good and were still gapped @ .031-.032. No codes, but the idle did improve (smoother) and throttle response was better once I replaced the OEM NGK with the BRISK plugs.
Just a little detail but the white crap is thermal paste and not anti seize. Started as a requirement from Rotax for their Aircraft applications. I hear that it isn't needed any longer but I used it on my new Brisk plugs.
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Ya my DS450 uses the same white paste. Couldn't find my stash when I was doing the plugs in the X3 though... Next time i pull them I will add it. Good info
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The “white paste” found on the outside of the plug is not a thermal paste. It is dielectric compound. When replacing the coil pack back on top of the plug it is advisable to add a little as it will keep the rubber boot from sticking to the ceramic insulator and damaging it when you remove them again. It also aids in keeping the spring at the end of the coil pack from moving around and causing potential misfires. This has been a service suggestion since the beginning of distributorless ignition systems first came out in the mid 1990’s.
Perfect and thanks for the posts...we now know the 2018 R and 2020 RR both use the exact plug, the plug number, and seems that factory has tapered back using the thread "goop", or possibly quit altogether. Late 2019 R/early 2020 RR owners will probably be the closers on the thread goop saga. Also it has been mentioned to use a light coat of dielectric grease on the plug porcelain.
With all mentioned, members will be able to buy new plugs and have them on-hand for maintenance day change-out. The Brisk brand seems well liked with a gap of ~.020 for tunes, possibly ~.025-.030 for stock compared to NGK at .031.
Paul Harvey's "getting to know the rest of the story" is evolving quite nicely..[emoji23]
Pretty sure the .020 plug gap recommendation is an EVO specific tuning thing. Stock is still .030 and When I talked to Whalen on the phone he doesnt necessarily recommend going as low as .020. He recommended .025-.030 over the phone to me.
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17-19 has paste, 20 and newer dont. If tuned always follow that builders spec on gap, evo is .020. If you get even a hint of paste on the plugs when reinstalling the car will run like crap and stumble, a long swab can be used to wipe clean before reinstall.
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