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What is your preference of spark plug make for your machines?

champion :thumbsup:

As long as they are the right heat range personally I don't see a difference. They all do the same job. Now years age when I was working as a truck mechanic we did run across a brand of plugs that the porcelain would break off and hit the top of the piston. I am not real sure what the brand it was being so long ago but it seems like it was Champion plugs. I am going back into the early 60's and am sure they have fixed the problem. I don't think they even sell large gas powered trucks anymore only pickup trucks????

NGK Spark Plugs, Champion would be second choice.

Champion Plugs, NGK Spark would be second choice.

I use what the manufacturer recommends. The manufacturer designed, engineered and built the particular piece of equipment to operate ideally with a specific spark plug or equivalent.

i agree with lawnranger the manufacture know what there doing so they mated the engine to the best plug for it so i always put in what would come it it new

Just curious what difference do you see in different brands of spark plugs? If you got the right plug for what ever peace of equipment its in. I just can't see what difference it makes because as I see it they all do the same job. Start better,run better, last longer, cheaper to buy, easier to find, you must have a reason??? which I don't understand. I know different style plugs last longer which cost more to buy but I have never seen any different in the way the engine starts or runs by brand plugs that's in it. Just curious nothing else. I know as for myself I buy what ever brand the store has which I am buying it from.

wel i use the one the engine came out with cause like i said they know what there doing and i dont beleave everything i read about how great the diffrent type of plugs are i think its just alot of money spent to get you to pay alot of money for something thats not any better as far as cars go the platinum plugs are good for 100,000 miles but i have seen them fail at 30 and 40,000 and face it how many of us will put 100,000 miles on there mower thats why i go with the original plugs

reynoldston said:

Just curious what difference do you see in different brands of spark plugs? If you got the right plug for what ever peace of equipment its in. I just can't see what difference it makes because as I see it they all do the same job. Start better,run better, last longer, cheaper to buy, easier to find, you must have a reason??? which I don't understand. I know different style plugs last longer which cost more to buy but I have never seen any different in the way the engine starts or runs by brand plugs that's in it. Just curious nothing else. I know as for myself I buy what ever brand the store has which I am buying it from.

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That's why I ended my previous post with "or equivalent" and when you use what the manufacturer recommends you can't go wrong. By the way, the difference I see in different brands of spark plugs are the color and size of the letters they use to designate what plug it is, the shape of the porcelain insulator and the fancy colors on the box. Use what works best for you in your particular situation.

Back in the day if a GM vehicle came into the shop it got AC Delco plugs, Chrysler got Champion and Ford got Motorcraft because I found it did make a difference in the way the engine responded. Now the computer can compensate for just about any kind of driving condition and it may make a whole lot less difference.

Whatever comes in the engine. Used to work on outboards and if you put an "equivalent" in some of them you had an unhappy customer coming back.

I use what the manufacturer recommends.
Use either briggs branded or champion in briggs.
NGK in Honda.
Any chinese product gets NGK also

well lawnranger i still work on cars for a living and i still put in what it came out with cause it does run better and i have seen a few times now that a customer has put in some of these fancy so called great plugs and the car not start had it towd in cause they dont know what they did wrong put the origanal plugs back in it and starts right up and runs great

Lawnranger said:

I use what the manufacturer recommends. The manufacturer designed, engineered and built the particular piece of equipment to operate ideally with a specific spark plug or equivalent.

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Well to begin with spark plugs are not mated to engines, and manufacturers don't designed, engineer and build the particular piece of equipment to operate ideally with a specific brand of spark plug. If that were the case then you wouldn't be running champion plugs in lawn mower engines because Champion plugs were and are specified for automotive replacement application.

Engine manufacturers buy there Spark Plugs based on where the engines are made and or from what ever manufacturer they can get the best deal. Yes they use a particular heat range for a specific piece of equipment but that can be done with any plug that's why you can cross reference plugs.

I don't believe I've ever had a problem with my mowers that was caused by the spark plug, so I stick with what it came with, usually Champion.

scott47429 said:

well lawnranger i still work on cars for a living and i still put in what it came out with cause it does run better and i have seen a few times now that a customer has put in some of these fancy so called great plugs and the car not start had it towd in cause they dont know what they did wrong put the origanal plugs back in it and starts right up and runs great

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After 25 years in the auto industry I have seen it enough times to know better, too.

Ric said:

Well to begin with spark plugs are not mated to engines, and manufacturers don't designed, engineer and build the particular piece of equipment to operate ideally with a specific brand of spark plug. If that were the case then you wouldn't be running champion plugs in lawn mower engines because Champion plugs were and are specified for automotive replacement application.

Engine manufacturers buy there Spark Plugs based on where the engines are made and or from what ever manufacturer they can get the best deal. Yes they use a particular heat range for a specific piece of equipment but that can be done with any plug that's why you can cross reference plugs.

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I expected nothing less.

Years ago the only spark plug that I ever had problem with was Champion. If you flooded your engine they would not refire. Don't know if that still happens. I do still use Champion, they seem to have a larger selection in the big box stores.

All of my ATV's Snowmobiles and what not get NGK
My chevys get AC DELCO,
Saws get NGK, 4 Mix Engines get Bosch.
Motorcycle gets Denso.
I have tried Different Plugs in Older Chevy motors and could tell a Difference same with Ford and motorcraft.
If I had a Chevy motor that was worked I still ran Delco unless I needed to run a short plug then I ran Accel or some NGK's.

I stumbled across this information while doing a little research. Click on the link, go to page 17, look under the title heading "Spark Plug" on the top half of the page, go to the outlined box that has the word "IMPORTANT" in upper case and bold letters. Take careful notice of what the warning says and implies. Even with evidence like this, I'd be willing to bet there is still at least one person on this forum that will argue the point.:laughing::laughing::laughing:

Here is the link: http://www.echo-usa.com/getattachment/de2bcd12-cae2-4156-93f5-cdeabdf40638/PAS230es1112_121411.pdf

I can hear the nay-sayers already - "but, but, but, it doesn't matter." Tell Echo that they are wrong.:laughing::laughing::laughing:

Aw just put some Splitfires in and go whack some weeds:biggrin::biggrin:

Popeye said:

Aw just put some Splitfires in and go whack some weeds:biggrin::biggrin:

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LOL, I love it!:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

I'd be willing to bet there is still at least one person on this forum that will argue the point.



No argument here because not my equipment and could care less what ever you do with your equipment or time. I am not going to hunt all over for a certain brand spark plug. Just how much money can I charge a customer looking for a spark plug? If they don't like the brand spark plug I installed,they fix there own mower next time or take it else where.

reynoldston said:

I'd be willing to bet there is still at least one person on this forum that will argue the point.



No argument here because not my equipment and could care less what ever you do with your equipment or time. I am not going to hunt all over for a certain brand spark plug. Just how much money can I charge a customer looking for a spark plug? If they don't like the brand spark plug I installed,they fix there own mower next time or take it else where.

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It's nice to be in a position to tell your customers that.

Lawnranger said:

I stumbled across this information while doing a little research. Click on the link, go to page 17, look under the title heading "Spark Plug" on the top half of the page, go to the outlined box that has the word "IMPORTANT" in upper case and bold letters. Take careful notice of what the warning says and implies. Even with evidence like this, I'd be willing to bet there is still at least one person on this forum that will argue the point.:laughing::laughing::laughing:

Here is the link: http://www.echo-usa.com/getattachment/de2bcd12-cae2-4156-93f5-cdeabdf40638/PAS230es1112_121411.pdf

I can hear the nay-sayers already - "but, but, but, it doesn't matter." Tell Echo that they are wrong.:laughing::laughing::laughing:

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IMPORTANT
Use only NGK BPM-8Y spark plug (BPMR-8Y in Canada) otherwise
severe engine damage may occur.

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That's funny! Doing a search for a cross-reference on that plug tells me there's no exact equivalent of that heat range, but a lawn mower isn't a race car, so you're not going to see any difference if you're one step too hot or cold on the plug for chrissakes. Engine damage might occur, though, ,if you used a totally wrong reach plug or one with the wronk type of seat.

However, I like NGK plugs. They have a wider, more forgiving heat range.

If I took my equipment to someone that told me to get lost if I requested a certain plug would not sit to well with me. If it took a extra day or two to get a speical plug I would understand.

It's nice to be in a position to tell your customers that.



It sure is. When you are retired, work cheap, and only do what I want and when. Believe me I had a lot of year not like that but not anymore. I have found after working on someones equipment,or cycle we are more on a friend type bases them a customer, business type. I have no problem telling a customer they would be better off taking their repairs to a different shop. It would make a customer more dissatisfied with me if I have to charge them 30 or more dollars for a spark plug that I had to spend a haft a day looking for then not to do the job. If it ever come down to a certain brand sparkplug I would tell the customer to buy their own would also work for me.

Reading this thread confirms what I've always believed, this spark plug thing is a religion. It's just like when people swear by Ford, Chevy or Dodge because that's what they grew up liking. Most everyone has had an isolated bad experience with some major brand plug and will dis that brand forever after. If one particular brand was consistently unreliable, it would soon disappear off the market.

No argument here because not my equipment and could care less what ever you do with your equipment or time. I am not going to hunt all over for a certain brand spark plug. Just how much money can I charge a customer looking for a spark plug? If they don't like the brand spark plug I installed,they fix there own mower next time or take it else where.

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That's exactly the kind of tech I DON'T want working on my equiqment. I was an OMC tech for a while and went to OMC school. I have seen some of the work done by "mechanics with that attitude". Got expensive at times for customers that got work done by someone with the "It's not my boat" attitude.
Don't mean to offend you BUT.............
If your not going to take the time to fix it right. Leave my stuff alone.

That's exactly the kind of tech I DON'T want working on my equiqment.


You would be exactly the person I wouldn't work for. I don't know what you do for a living but mine is retirement. I only do work because I have done it all my life and still just do it for more of a hobby then a job. I can tell for one thing you would know a lot more then me so it would be best I didn't work on your equipment. I guess somebody must like my work because I have all I want plus turn some down. Yes in my younger years I have been to training classes plus 50 plus years as a full time mechanic so I just might know something.

reynoldston said:

No argument here because not my equipment and could care less what ever you do with your equipment or time. I am not going to hunt all over for a certain brand spark plug.

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Whatever happened to being proud of your work?
Do you ever get repeat customers?

You would be exactly the person I wouldn't work for

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Then we have an understanding with each other. I'm retired also. But if I work on someone elses's stuff I will do at least as good a job as I do own my own. If you're gonna do it, do it right especially if your getting paid for it.
Best of luck to you and I wish you well.

Lawnranger said:

That's why I ended my previous post with "or equivalent" and when you use what the manufacturer recommends you can't go wrong. By the way, the difference I see in different brands of spark plugs are the color and size of the letters they use to designate what plug it is, the shape of the porcelain insulator and the fancy colors on the box. Use what works best for you in your particular situation.

Back in the day if a GM vehicle came into the shop it got AC Delco plugs, Chrysler got Champion and Ford got Motorcraft because I found it did make a difference in the way the engine responded. Now the computer can compensate for just about any kind of driving condition and it may make a whole lot less difference.

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Exactly. back in the day if you put Champion equivalent plugs in a chevy you better take your old AC plugs and a plug wrench with you if you didn't like walking. Been there but didn't have to walk. :biggrin:

I've seen the same on Waukesha industrial engines. The plug of choice for years on a particular engine Mod. was Champion. A dealer that sold us a new engine determined NGK were better and I was out in the middle of the night changing back to Champion in less than 24 hours. All engines aren't created equal and neither are plugs.

SandburRanch said:

Exactly. back in the day if you put Champion equivalent plugs in a chevy you better take your old AC plugs and a plug wrench with you if you didn't like walking. Been there but didn't have to walk. :biggrin:

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Back in the day?? Must of been way back :smile: better take your old AC plugs and a plug wrench?

Popeye said:

Then we have an understanding with each other. I'm retired also. But if I work on someone elses's stuff I will do at least as good a job as I do own my own. If you're gonna do it, do it right especially if your getting paid for it.
Best of luck to you and I wish you well.

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It just seems you are throwing a lot of mud at me. We don't even know each other and you are telling me I do poor work. Now what in the world are you getting this from. Just over a spark plug brand. Just because I don't care what brand spark is in a engine as long as its the proper one makes me a poor mechanic so be it. Now to me poor work is leaving out bolts and nuts, just taping up wires and letting them lay loose, pounding on bearings, etc. I think you get the picture. I will compair my work with anyone and find I have a lot of return customers.

No mud. Just a different way of going about things and differences of opinion. Like I said I wish you well. I'm done here.

reynoldston


I don't think anyone is saying your a bad Mechanic, But the way you came off makes it seem loike you have a bad attitude and don't care about your customers.

If a Customer requests a certain plug I think it is the Mechanics job to get it for them.

Or have the customer supply it if you can not get it easily.

JOE.G said:

If a Customer requests a certain plug I think it is the Mechanics job to get it for them.

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It would be the parts guy's job to get it. It would be a mechanic's job to explain why the plug was not necessary or suitable if he had that knowledge, but "the customer is always right". Unfortunately, both parts guys and mechanics will often pass on bad information and old wives' tales.

If a Customer requests a certain plug I think it is the Mechanics job to get it for them


I don't know what world you live in but I have worked for big dealer and manufactures and you get what ever they have for parts and if not you would pay big time. You are making it look like I am just throwing in any thing to make it work. This is not true because I use top quality and proper parts. Any dealer that does work around here gets 70 dollars a hour and I get 10 dollars and hour. The customers I work for are looking for top quality work for low money so lots of times instead of me spending hours looking for parts I will let them do that. I have this under standing with them right from the start and if they bring me wrong parts or poor quality its there problem not mine. Any dealer I have ever worked for you use their parts and prices or they will tell you right out they wouldn't work on your equipment but because I am saying this I do bad work. Yes this is throwing mud at me. I don't come on this forum for this type arguments but try to give my advice on repairs. On top of this I am not asking to work on anything of yours.

I am not throwing mud at you and am not saying that you are bad at what you do, I just mentioned the way that you said it doesn't seem like you cared about your clientele, I understand that there are diffirent parts and different brand names and that a lot of them will do the same job as the name brand one, there are also some that will not.

So Once again It was your attitude toward your customers that I commented about and I still think that if a customer wants a certain part then you should install it for them, even if they have to get it themselves ( Of course only if it is the right part ).

So Once again It was your attitude toward your customers that I commented about and I still think that if a customer wants a certain part then you should install it for them, even if they have to get it themselves ( Of course only if it is the right part ).[/QUOTE]



Like I said I have a understanding with a customer before I ever touch anything. If I can't do top quality work all I am saying is take it elsewhere. We have a lot of shops around here that make a living doing this type of work and need the work. This is not a job for me but a hobby and I am sure any hobby of your you pick and chose also. There is a big differance between a hobby and a job and if you don't know this you got your own problims. I also like making a few $'s and not lose money. When I was working full time I sure would never have time to be on a forum at this hour.

my dad once told me you can buy ac bad in the box,im wanting to try selling the auto-fire,at one time champion was the "off /no name brand"..its reccomended to change plugs every 100hrs anyway,i doubt any plug maunfacturer is going to warranty your coil for their spark plug failure anyway,so go with what works best.german equipment german plug..etc,my forst time in a froum lol.

Lawnranger said:

I stumbled across this information while doing a little research. Click on the link, go to page 17, look under the title heading "Spark Plug" on the top half of the page, go to the outlined box that has the word "IMPORTANT" in upper case and bold letters. Take careful notice of what the warning says and implies. Even with evidence like this, I'd be willing to bet there is still at least one person on this forum that will argue the point.:laughing::laughing::laughing:

Here is the link: http://www.echo-usa.com/getattachment/de2bcd12-cae2-4156-93f5-cdeabdf40638/PAS230es1112_121411.pdf

I can hear the nay-sayers already - "but, but, but, it doesn't matter." Tell Echo that they are wrong.:laughing::laughing::laughing:

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I wonder what they call severe damage? Most cases with the wrong plug it dose not start or skips. I assume they are not talking about an interference. That is obvious.

I view it as what is my time is worth. A spark plug is very inexpensive compared to most things. I just get what it came with from the factory and if I can not, I get NGK. It has always worked out fine for me. The Chinese Torch plugs cross ref to NGK's very well.
I know that Briggs and Stratton plugs are Champions so that is a no brainer to substitute.
There may be 10 other plugs out there that may work just fine. I don't have time to experiment.
I have found the cross ref charts can take some poetic license and not all references are the exact heat range. That is something you need to be careful with.

I use Briggs & Stratton plugs in the kit. Keeps it simple - once a year (or two). :thumbsup:

nbpt100 said:

I wonder what they call severe damage? Most cases with the wrong plug it dose not start or skips. I assume they are not talking about an interference. That is obvious.

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A plug that's way too hot will cause pre-ignition, maybe burn a hole in the piston. But that's mostly for racing engines, which use cold plugs. Lawn mower engines use fairly hot plugs. But just because a plug fits it can still cause interference if it's too long a reach or extended nose. And there are different kinds of seats, so using the wrong one can cause physical damage or damage from leakage. Even using a longer reach plug that does not cause interference is bad because deposits building up on the exposed threads will make it impossible to remove.

I use whatever the OEM used or recommends, it may not make much difference in a small engine but all engines are tuned by the OEM to a specific plug (in some cases two (NGK or Denso) in Japanese stuff). The or equivelents in most cases have been reverse engineered becasue the plug manufactureres don't release detailed date on heat ranges etc only approximations.

Thats why You see the difference in cars/motorcylce/boats etc when you put in the equivelent it works but is just a little off in a small engine maybe not even enough to really notice but it's off.

In this day and age with the internet the right plug is really only a google search and 2 Days away, many times with free shipping.

reynoldston said:

I'd be willing to bet there is still at least one person on this forum that will argue the point.



No argument here because not my equipment and could care less what ever you do with your equipment or time. I am not going to hunt all over for a certain brand spark plug. Just how much money can I charge a customer looking for a spark plug? If they don't like the brand spark plug I installed,they fix there own mower next time or take it else where.

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Absolutely agree. My personal preference is NGK.

reynoldston said:

As long as they are the right heat range personally I don't see a difference. They all do the same job. Now years age when I was working as a truck mechanic we did run across a brand of plugs that the porcelain would break off and hit the top of the piston. I am not real sure what the brand it was being so long ago but it seems like it was Champion plugs. I am going back into the early 60's and am sure they have fixed the problem. I don't think they even sell large gas powered trucks anymore only pickup trucks????

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sure they do---large semi trucks now are converted to compressed natural gas using the converted same big diesel engines

Question:
As long as the plug Fires, is Clean, has the right Gap, and has nice edges, (all total 3 minutes work)....
Why would I change it ??