Iridium spark plugs

[83BlazerSM465]

Hello new here from Phoenix AZ. I sold the first Blazer I owned in 1990-91, and finally almost 30 years later have purchased another Blazer. Having driven fuel injected vehicles for a long time and having great luck with Iridium spark plugs, just wondering if anyone out there is using Iridium on their carbureted K5s. If so, did you notice any positive/negative effects. Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[K5wrench]

Hello new here from Phoenix AZ. I sold the first Blazer I owned in 1990-91, and finally almost 30 years later have purchased another Blazer. Having driven fuel injected vehicles for a long time and having great luck with Iridium spark plugs, just wondering if anyone out there is using Iridium on their carbureted K5s. If so, did you notice any positive/negative effects. Thanks in advance for your input.

My opinion.
Assuming you replace your spark plugs at least every 10k miles;
Iridium plugs are not neccesary.

Now if you have an oil burning engine.. iridiums are even more unnecessary.
Just use cheap plugs in an oil burner.

Honestly, a spark is a spark.
No benefit to fancy electrodes except in very specific applications and truck motors are not one of those.
For instance:
Arctic Cat TZ1 snowmobile.
You have to practically disassemble the engine to get to the spark plugs.
Iridium plugs will erode less and last longer than conventional plugs.
Therfore, the extra cost makes sense.

Or you just do not want to lift the hood for 30,000 miles and have attached a tube and funnel to facilitate oil changes.

Or you just want to run you plugs until the electrodes wear all the way down to nothing.
I saw that once.
Ford Aerostar van had over 100,000 miles on it's spark plugs.
There was almost nothing left of either center electrode or ground arm.
It ran poorly, but it did run.

But you are here on CK5.
You will keep your Honey in good tune.
You will be replacing plugs before 30k miles anyway.

You will get more horsepower by cleaning the windshield.

 

[nvrenuf]

If I remember correctly the electrode on most iridium plugs are pretty small compared to a typical copper plug, that won't last long on a carb'd motor.

 

[dyeager535]

I think the newer engines (being much higher compression, up to around 11:1 now on 87, in base model cars) are harder on plugs than our truck engines.

Stock AC Delco plugs run forever on my engines, but I do re-gap them every 5-10 years or so. lol No uneven wear or anything, and no changes to MPG over the years. Granted, I don't put a ton of miles on my rig, but I've yet to replace a plug that is too worn to use.

The OEMs spec what is needed for that application. Fancy plugs not called for by the OEM are generally a waste of money.

 

[Chevman88]

AC Delco R44TS on my engine.

 

[diesel4me]

Don't try Bosch platinum plugs in a Chevy V8,they suck--seen several "tune ups" using those that made the engine skip like it had a dead cylinder with brand new ones out of the box!..put the OLD plug back in,it runs perfect again..
I always went with AC or Autolite plugs when I had gas powered GM vehicles..Champions--Eh--they work,but flood them once or foul them with oil,they'll never fire again,and must be replaced..

I never believed in all the hype about platinum or other fancy electrodes--or those "Split-Fire" plugs either..I've tried Split Fire plugs in small engines and they did run better at first,but the failed soon after,they would not even start..in a one cylinder engine,that one spark plug has to be a good one!..

 

[imiceman44]

Don't try Bosch platinum plugs in a Chevy V8,they suck--seen several "tune ups" using those that made the engine skip like it had a dead cylinder with brand new ones out of the box!..put the OLD plug back in,it runs perfect again..
I always went with AC or Autolite plugs when I had gas powered GM vehicles..Champions--Eh--they work,but flood them once or foul them with oil,they'll never fire again,and must be replaced..

I never believed in all the hype about platinum or other fancy electrodes--or those "Split-Fire" plugs either..I've tried Split Fire plugs in small engines and they did run better at first,but the failed soon after,they would not even start..in a one cylinder engine,that one spark plug has to be a good one!..

I tried the split fire platinum plugs and I was not impressed, especially not with the price tag.
Newer cars I have to admit need it.
I ran my Honda 235k on the original plugs, didn't see any difference when I put new ones in

 

[diesel4me]

I'd use platinum plugs only on vehicles that specify them as factory equipment--on anything else they offer no real advantages and are a waste of money..

The only "miracle" spark plug I used that actually did what was claimed,was an "Aldor" brand plug a local discount store sold (and J.C.Whitney had them for years)--they were intended for old worn out engines that guzzled oil,they claimed they would "fire in oil" and not foul--I tried a few in some cars I had that smoked and fouled plugs in a few cylinders,and small engines--they did work,but I bet if I ran them long enough,they would have holed a piston,or burnt valves,basically they were just a super hot heat range plug..not cheap either,at $8 each..

 

[Fastereddie]

Just run the oem ac delco’s.

 

[imiceman44]

I'd use platinum plugs only on vehicles that specify them as factory equipment--on anything else they offer no real advantages and are a waste of money..

The only "miracle" spark plug I used that actually did what was claimed,was an "Aldor" brand plug a local discount store sold (and J.C.Whitney had them for years)--they were intended for old worn out engines that guzzled oil,they claimed they would "fire in oil" and not foul--I tried a few in some cars I had that smoked and fouled plugs in a few cylinders,and small engines--they did work,but I bet if I ran them long enough,they would have holed a piston,or burnt valves,basically they were just a super hot heat range plug..not cheap either,at $8 each..

I had a 2.0 liter engine that had 110 psi in 2 cylinders and 50 psi in the other 2.
It was passing fuel to the oil from the 2 cylinders not burning right.
I put 2 hotter sparkplugs and ran that engine another couple of years. Never had gas in the oil after that