~15K miles on my IK22s. Pulled them today for a torque and gap check. I'm thinking they don't quite look like they should.
Found a web pic of what I remember them looking like and have posted a pic of what they do look like.
I'm thinking there's a bit of anode missing.
All 4 look like this. I'm also thinking that's a bit more than the proper gap.
Not hugely impressed right now.

Was:

Is:

 

.

 

It does appear as if you have some abnormal wear for only 15,000 miles. I would be curious to see what plugs of others running IK22s for around 15,000 miles look like. I hope someone else posts pictures. I am thinking maybe I will hold off going with the IK22s on a pulley upgrade project unless I have drivability problems.

 

Yep. I'm not particularly hard on the car and my commute os <5 miles one way in slow traffic.

Didn't do a visual last time just a torque check so it's been quite a while since I looked at them.


Car still runs well though. MIght be the beefier coil is helping here.

 

Which one are you using - any chance it is the Scremin Deamon? (I was thinking about adding the S.D. along with the IK22s on the s/c pulley install.)

 

That's it.
Maybe 3 years old by now.

 

it takes a lot of heat to do that! Maybe try 24s?

Matt

 

Yep. Already been calling around here.
This area sucks. PEP Boys and Advance don't carry doo doo.


Auto Zone does


Edit: Auto Zone sucks too. Even worse, I told them what I needed multiple times they said they have it I go there and the hand me IK 20 WTF!!!

Edit II: Ordered them online

 

A little OT but what kind of torque wrench are you using? I've been trying to find one for plugs but the small one's only go up to around 20 lb*ft and the larger one's seem too big.

 

I have an inexpensive harbor set...1/4" and 1" drive

I use the 1" with a reducer to 3/8inch drive for my plugs...granted..harbor fgt is not the finest quality but they are pretty close (checked with a good one)..

BTW: the factory plugs were in at all different torque ranges...from 15lbs (#1and 3 to 25 (# 2&4) lbs and it was not from normal changes either! 15lbs I could understand loosening...NOT 25lbs though...Plugs do not usually increase tightness (cold engine measured)

 

I don't use the Denso Iridium plugs anymore. I got annoyed having to swap them every 20k, or risk misfiring due to the anode being eaten away. The NGK Iridium's perform the same and seem to last much longer.

 

I have an old Craftsman that does 10-75 lbs/ft.

Here's a new S•K that I was looking at since my other is 30+ years old and the lock ring is broken.
S•K wrench

Cheap wrench that goes 0-50. Old dial type but will be fine for plugs.

 

What was that digital wrench that Mr. Webb had?? That was nice! I thought that he said he got it from SEARS but I didn't see it on the web-site....maybe it was a snap-on.

 

It was something like this but I don't know the brand. Did come in a red box though??

 

Here is an IK22 plug, also after 15K mi. It does look as if yours has worn away more than this one. However, I agree with Ryephile, the Denso plugs don't last too long.

 

From what I've seen, cheaper too.

Too bad nobody around here had what I needed in stock.

 

Thanks.
My car has been pretty well cared for and never had any real heat issues.

Think I'll try to get some before/after timing retard data.

 

I'll have to pull one and check. I run 24's out here in Satan's country. Curious to see what they are like after about 5k.

 

Obehave, Rye, and the rest,

Interested in the photo of your IK-22 spark plug after 15K+ miles. Looks exactly like my IK-24's after 15K miles. The center electrode appears eroded and the gap is opened up to 0.040" or 0.042". I'd characterize this wear pattern as normal and expected.

A couple of points: 1) The fine wire electrode of the Densos would be expected to erode twice as fast as the twice as large NGK center electrode.

2) The erosion rate has nothing, repeat "nothing", to do with the coil pack characteristics. The aftermarket coil packs are essentially the same, as far as electrode erosion is concerned, as the stock pack, despite what you might think. There are ignition systems that will increase electrode erosion, but not this system.

3) The stock MINI ignition system was designed to fire an electrode gap of about 0.062". Great for the street - starting, MPG, emissions - but falls far short on pulleyed cars at high RPM's. Most tuners run the Densos and NGK's at the out of the box 0.032" and call it good. So, the electrode opening up to 0.042", by itself, doesn't hurt ignition performance. That said, increased electrode gap, erosion and rounding of the electrode surface, and even minimal insulator deposits after significant mileage (even if the deposits don't "look" very extensive) do lead to misfire and the need to replace the spark plug and start over.

4) Read this SAE paper on iridium electrode spark plugs, if you already haven't, from sparkplugs.com. Lots of engineering data free of the claims and myths that haunt all knowledge: http://www.sparkplugs.com/pdfs/iri.pdf

If I was a performance oriented MINI owner, changing spark plugs every 20K miles or more often, wouldn't cause me a moments hesitation. If I were a vendor selling products and my customers are comparing my product with claims by the manufacturer and other vendors, I'd opt for what some might consider the safest approach. At least the customers won't complain to me.

The bottom line, your plugs look fine to me after 15K+ miles. I'd consider IK-24's for high output conditions, and I'd plan on replacing my spark plugs every 15K to 20K anyway. I'm very happy with the performance of the Denso's and love any opportunity to twist a wrench on MINI.

Regards,
John Petrich in Seattle

 

John, Thank you for the good link. As for the IK24s, this car likes them with the stock coil. In this state 10% eth is mandated & the colder plug seems to be a better choice. I was running the 22s, for the last 12+ months, but a hot spell came & the change was made. It's all good so far.

 

Thanks John. I may have mislead you on the coil issue. All I meant was that the higher output coil will bridge the larger gap easier and thus has less of an impact. IE misfires. The car runs fine.

I was digging through sparkplugs.com yesterday and that
is how I finally found a cross reference for the IK24 to NGK. Stuck with the Denso anyway.

It's becoming pretty evident now that this is "normal" as far as the Iridiiums go. That's fine and the frequent changes aren't really an issue. I've never let plugs run more than 25K anyway.(Well maybe in my minivan )

When I first ran the IK20s pre-pulley I ran them gapped at .042. minimc and I had played around with gap. He found that at ~.060 he had issues. I really don't remember if he was running a stock coil or not.

The old MSD 6AL would eat up plugs nicely. Worth every penny of it though.

 

Steve and Obehave,

Obviously a topic close to all of our hearts.

Steve, fine on your plug experiments. Ethanol is probably coming our way soon. I don't have the slightest idea how to tune for it. What do you know? And, what do you recommend? Hope that the link helps.

Obehave, as always, good talk to you. I did misunderstand. I agree 150% on your aftermarket coil with the larger available voltage will absolutely reduce the risk of misfire with worn plugs. Right on. I think that that modest increase in available voltage from the aftermarket coils is their greatest asset. Your never going to see that advanatage except when running either worn plugs or if you experiment with larger plug gaps. I was running the MSD DIS II system for awhile and was experimenting with plug gaps up to 0.080". Car ran great with new plugs, but started missing in high output situations. Eventually reduced the gap on the IK-24's to the out-of-box settings and had no further problems. Idle and cold start were much, much improved with the MSD. But, your comment about the multi-spark CD systems eating plugs was true as well. The reason is that any CD system provides a spark characterized by very fast onset (short rise time), short duration spark with massive current (for that short period). Hell on electrodes, that massive current. The latest F-1 ignition systems have a hybrid ignition system that provides an initial single CD spark followed by a true "plasma", or long duration inductive type sustaining spark. Also, the spark plugs are connected to a sophisticated combustion chamber monitoring system that provides feedback to the overall engine management system.

Will be interesting to see what other feedback comes from this post.

I'm off to Laguna Seca and Thunderhill for a couple of track days. Can hardly sit still from anticipation. These days, putting my money and thought energy into driver skill building and suspension development.

Regards,
John Petrich in Seattle

 

I'm finally getting into the realm of suspension tuning so I may be bugging you in the near future. I've had the rear bar for years and am just learning to use it Just got camber plates and love the difference.
Next is upper and lower rear bars and then I'll start thinking about dampers/springs. For now the stock dampers work as well as I am able to drive so for me there's no urgency.
My interests are Auto-x oriented so there will be some differences.


Off to watch Champ cars and I taped F1 so I'm worthles around the house today.

Will squeeze in a car wash though. Got my priorities straight

A good wife helps

 

"The old MSD 6AL would eat up plugs nicely. Worth every penny of it though." Still have 1 in my Spitfire & it will burn the arm & electrode right off.

Obe, did you get some IK24's to run yet?

"Steve, fine on your plug experiments. Ethanol is probably coming our way soon. I don't have the slightest idea how to tune for it. What do you know? And, what do you recommend? Hope that the link helps."

John, are you running the IK24s with the out of the box gap? Not that this is an important factor, just curious, I took mine out of the box and installed them. Right now it's too early to tell how the Ik24s will work. I'm using Nology wires & a stock IGN. Starting from cold, gas mileage, SOP performance all feel better with the new fuel mandate. This could be just new plugs, but the old 22s looked pretty good. I would know more if I could measure the EGT, then read the plugs. When we ( my son & I ) were racing shifters & 2 cycle pipe karts, we could make good choices for the plugs that we would use. Without any fuel management we could make adjustments based on reading the plugs. The IK24s just need a couple K more & I'll take a look & see how they look.

 

when Randy put these in at pulley install , he told me they should last 100K .I looked at them at 22k after install and this is what they looked like(sorry for focus issue, my camera doesn't have a macro setting, but you get the general idea) I have 2 sets, one in the car and another in reserve that I got way back when, and when they are gone I'll try the NGK's . I check them often........I'm NOT a big fan.When they work, they work well, but................... (ik22)