Multi-electrode plugs anyone?

[wingman]

Anyone using them? I'm looking at Bosch W8LTCR (triple) to replace the single electrode W8LCR. Any experience or stories to tell?

[Traian]

Em, I had the Bosch platinum 4-electrodes in before and they worked fine. Replaced them with 1-electrode coppers to see what's up, and it ran the same. Cheers

[Russell]

Denso plugs for e34s? Are they available or desirable in our cars. I have always heard that stock plugs work best.

[Robert K]

I believe I've read in this forum before of people having problems with the plus-2 and plus-4 plugs. The standards ones have always seemed to work fine. To be honest, the spark will always travel the path of least resistance anyway. Whichever ground strap happens to be closest to the center electrode will probably be the one the spark jumps between most or all of the time anyway.

My take on plus-2, plus 4 and V-tip plugs...just a marketing ploy by the spark plug manufacturers to extract more money for a product that does exactly the same job. We humans are a curious lot...if we can pay more money for something that does the same job, we always seem to willing to do it. Men's sporting equipment is an excellent example of that!


Grace and peace,

Robert K
1991 535i

[SnakeyesTx]

I've used the +4 and +2 variety. Here's the driveline I ran the +4's on.

83 Jeep Wagoneer, 413 V8 (401 bored .060 over), 10.5:1 compression, torker II manifold and 750 Edelbrock 4-barrel, RV cam, HV oil pump. Nothing super fancy, but really torquey. Anyway, I ran these plugs for about 4 hours and what happened was the electrodes on #1 were crushed inward and the ceramic electrode insulator had broken free and destroyed the piston. #8 plug had the electrodes pushed in as well but the insulator stayed pinched in. Filed a labor claim thru the parts house and they sent the pistons and the plugs to Bosch who concluded that the engine compression crushed the electrodes and the piston "may have been arced on causing hotspots." Even with all their insight, my labor claim was denied and the manager of the store mysteriously got transferred and my claim had to be refiled (but without my pistons and plugs that had already been sent out and never returned).

The engine I ran the +2's on was a little different.

1987 Cherokee Chief, 4.0 6-cylinder, 9.5:1 compression, pretty much bone stock. After learning from my first disaster I tried these +2's and ran them for only 1 hour. Took them out just to check on them and sure enough #1, #5 were bent in pretty good, and #3 was showing signs of moving a little as well. Took them out, ran Champion copper plugs and decided at that point if I ever an bosch again, it would only be their thick single electrode variety.

Since then I haven't run them at all in any variety though since I started using NGK (Denso) Iridium plugs. Single electrode, but VERY very good plugs. Not sure if they make them for our 5-series yet, but I'll be looking for them when the time comes. As for the +2 +4 thing.... my M-50 is 10.5:1 compression.... my 413 was too... no thank you!

Anyone using them? I'm looking at Bosch W8LTCR (triple) to replace the single electrode W8LCR. Any experience or stories to tell?

[BillionPa]

M60 and probably other E34 engines use IK20 Denso Iridium plugs. they do not require gapping, completely plug and play, and work excellently