Thanks Letsmotor0_0

Great information. I'm just down the peninsula from you in Santa Clara. Thanks for the help and a viable alternative.
Charlie

 

>>. There’s a guy on Mini2 (Julz) who lost his warranty just because he had an aftermarket air-filter. >>:

Julz is a woman!!

 

>>>>. There’s a guy on Mini2 (Julz) who lost his warranty just because he had an aftermarket air-filter. >>:
>>
>>Julz is a woman!!

 

Hey LMB, no I wouldn't, I'm not an audio-snob... When its all said and done its about the music! :smile: Though I must admit that I can't wait to replace the HK head unit in my S. FM stations fade in and out horribly. While a better antennae might help I am loath to take off the stocker - I think the RC car look adds to MINI's fun appearance.

Being that my sarcasm wasn't appreciated I suppose I should add something productive to the discussion.

While this doesn't come from JCW, I believe that one of the reasons for the spark plug change has to do with improving A/F flow / exhaust flow & improving burn.

Please visit the following thread @ MINI2 Denso Iridiums IK20 or IK22? It addresses many of the questions tabled here - although there aren't lists of cross-referenced plugs.

 

>>I could not find the JCW plug anywhere, even at two local MINI dealers. I called NGK directly, asking for a compatible plug one range colder than stock, (as suggested by Randy). They said to use their BKR7EKU. It has two electrodes instead of four and only costs $7.63 each. I ordered through a local NGK dealer in the South San Francisco Bay Area, and they had them the next morning, with no charge for shipping. The only catch is that you have to order a whole box of 10. Not a problem since they are so cheap. (My MCS has the Alta pulley and EvoTech ECU).

Let us know how these two electrode plugs work for you and what gap will you use? You can always sell the remainder to us in Marketplace. Thanks for the post.

 

LetsMotor0_0
Thanks for the tip on the NGK BKR7EKU plugs. Ironic that you can get a double electrode plug for a fraction of the cost. BTW, I found the BKR7EKU at Club plug.com ( http://www.clubplug.net/retail_compl...TINUE+SHOPPING ) for $5.85 ea., but you have to buy 10, = $58.50. Also, if your order is over $69, you get free shipping. Time to tune up the wifes truck as well.

Cheers,
MinMax

 

This web site sells them for $9 each.

http://www.clubplug.net/retail_laser_ngk.html

Also check with motocycle shops in town. I buy my RX-7 NGK plugs from them all the time.

Another place is Racing Kart shops / online stores I have purchased there too.

I would imagine it would be safe to go a little colder with the plug it might make the car run a little rough until it is at temp. So drive it easy for a few minutes like your supposed to anyway.

I run 10's in my RX-7 but run higher boost. I was suprised to see they are only running 7's in the JCW I was expecting at least 8's possibly 9's.

Stock RX-7's run 8's and 9's.

I think the point being made in the first place was why is BMW charging so much for an $8 spark plug. Do some searching and you can find them for $8.

I pick up my JCW MCS on Thursday!! WooWoo

 

Actually all they have is BUR7EQP for $12. I thought I saw the BUR7EQUP's. I would imagine these would be fine. The temp is most important along with the dimensions.

 

>>
>>>>I could not find the JCW plug anywhere, even at two local MINI dealers. I called NGK directly, asking for a compatible plug one range colder than stock, (as suggested by Randy). They said to use their BKR7EKU. It has two electrodes instead of four and only costs $7.63 each. I ordered through a local NGK dealer in the South San Francisco Bay Area, and they had them the next morning, with no charge for shipping. The only catch is that you have to order a whole box of 10. Not a problem since they are so cheap. (My MCS has the Alta pulley and EvoTech ECU).
>>
>>Let us know how these two electrode plugs work for you and what gap will you use? You can always sell the remainder to us in Marketplace. Thanks for the post.
>>

I posted this once already, but it was when MCO was down.

Anyway, I'm not sure how to measure the gap on these new plugs. I have three different type of feeler gauges I bought in the 60's and 70's, but none of them have a gap as huge as the stock plugs, or the new BKR7EKUs, (unless I stack them). Just eyeballing the distance between the electode and the center firing tip is about 1.5 mm!

When I called the tech at NGK, he said to install them without regapping them, which I did. They seem to run fine, though I still have a slight detonation since going with the EvoTech ECU. Randy was hoping a colder range plug would take care of this pinging, but it's still there at wide open throttle, despite an ECU remapping. It went away with 100 octane race gas though!

Since they're pretty inexpensive, I'm going to keep the other 6 plugs Miniihune. Great price you found there MinMax! I'll have to remember that for next time.

Anyone know how to measure the gap on these new plugs, where the electrode does not overlap the firing tip? Thanks.

 

I don't think we need to gap them. I haven't found confirmation, but I have seen gaps as wide as 2.1mm listed. High energy ignitions have a much greater spark duration/size than I/we grew up with, and too narrow is worse than too wide from what I have seen. MCS run rich, so that means incomplete burn, ergo black tailpipes. My Works is not nearly as bad, and wide"flame front" with wide gap is probably what does it. I'll keep looking/asking, but hope that is enough of an explanation to start. Here is NGK chart, and since BKR7EKU has no hyphen, it prob is pre gapped unless it is dropped. You may want to eyeball uniform gap, so at least they match plug-to-plug.

BKR7EKU=14mm;5/8 proj tip;surface discharge;resistor;7cold;19mmthread reach;2 ground electrodes; semisurface discharge.


NGK Spark Plug Chart
Example (note that not all 6 fields will always be used, such as in BKR6EY):

B CPR 6 E S -11

First box from example (B):
Letter Thread Diameter
A 18mm
B 14mm
C 10mm
D 12mm
J 12mm
Second box from example (C, P, R):
Letter Construction
C Hex size 5/8"
K 5/8" projected tip (ISO)
M Compact type
P Projected insulator type
R Resistor type
U Surface or semi-surface discharge type
Z Inductive resistor
Third box from example (6):
Heat Range
2 (Hot) <———> 12 (Cold)
Fourth box from example (E):
Letter Thread Reach
E 19mm (3/4&quot
F Tapered seat
H 12.7mm (1/2&quot
L 11.2mm (7/16&quot
No symbol:
18mmø = 12mm reach
14mmø = 9.5mm (3/8&quot reach
Fifth box from example (S):
Letter Firing End Construction
A Special design
B Special design for Honda CVCC
C Low angle ground electrode
G Fine wire nickel alloy center electrode
GV Gold-palladium center electrode
Special construction of V-type
Racing use
H Partial thread
K 2 ground electrodes for Toyota / BMW
L Half heat range
LM Compact type for lawn mower
M 2 ground electrodes for Mazda rotary engine
N Special side electrode
P Premium platinum
Q 4 ground electrodes
R Special ground electrode
S Standard 2.6mmø center electrode
T 3 ground electrode
U Semi-surface discharge
V Fine wire gold-palladium center electrode
VX High performance platinum
W Tungsten electrode
X Booster gap
Y V-grooved center electrode
Z Thick 2.9mmø center electrode

Sixth box from example (-11):
Number Gap
-8 0.8mm (0.032&quot
-9 0.9mm (0.036&quot
-10 1.0mm (0.040&quot
-11 1.1mm (0.044&quot
-13 1.3mm (0.050&quot
-14 1.4mm (0.055&quot
-15 1.5mm (0.060&quot
-20 2.1mm (0.080&quot
null

 

>>I don't think we need to gap them. I haven't found confirmation, but I have seen gaps as wide as 2.1mm listed. High energy ignitions have a much greater spark duration/size than I/we grew up with, and too narrow is worse than too wide from what I have seen. MCS run rich, so that means incomplete burn, ergo black tailpipes. My Works is not nearly as bad, and wide"flame front" with wide gap is probably what does it. I'll keep looking/asking, but hope that is enough of an explanation to start. Here is NGK chart, and since BKR7EKU has no hyphen, it prob is pre gapped unless it is dropped. You may want to eyeball uniform gap, so at least they match plug-to-plug.
>>
>>BKR7EKU=14mm;5/8 proj tip;surface discharge;resistor;7cold;19mmthread reach;2 ground electrodes; semisurface discharge.

Thanks for the info Diggy. I'm looking a new plug now as I write this, and there is no hyphen, so it's pregapped, and the gap appears the same as stock. However the firing tip on the colder plug extends out of the porcelain insulator about 1mm or so, but on the stock plug, the metal firing tip is flush with the porcelain insulator. I imagine that's what makes the stock one a hotter plug, right?

 

I think that is more the surface vs. semisurface discharge, and the heat range is determined more by the electrical structure of the plug itself...prob poor terminology, but a 6 and a 7 look the same, but don't fire the same. I think.
Thanks for responding too, I am beginning to think I'm a thread killer