Has anyone out there used BERU plugs in their F series MINI? If so:

- how did you like them?
- did you later stick with with them or switch up?
- if you switched up, what did you switch to and why?

I switched out Champion plugs that were on my car when purchased (F56S), to BERU plugs about 24K miles ago. Much smoother than the Champions (in fairness, I don't know the age of those Champions or who put them in). But I do get some weird stumbles here and there at cold start (no misfire codes, and the cause may be something else). Wanting to hear other experiences with the BERUs besides mine.

 

I'm looking for spk.plug #s - Champion Iridium 9425, BERU ? whatever else ? I got my Burger spk. plug socket & I'm ready to get down. (F-56 2.0L) B46

 

Beru Z366 is what I have running in mine. Purchased at Outmotoring as a 4-pack.

A lot of folks are discussing NGK. NGK is a solid brand. So solid, in fact, that apparently there are a good number of counterfeits floating about trying to capitalize on it. So if you go NGK, be VERY sure you are buying from a trustable party. I would probably avoid generic eBay sellers altogether.

 

I have no experience with Beru plugs. Rough guess is that they are near end of life. Consider pulling them and check the gap and condition. Unless you never have any fun, turbo engines are hard on plugs.

I ran both an N14 (80 K miles) and an N18 (64K miles). I believe I only used NGKs in both engines. Plugs were generally toast by 25K - 30K miles.

I pulled a set of the Champions from a '19 S @ 24K miles (purchased Sept. '22, used w/ 24K). Plugs were badly worn - considerable erosion on the ground electrode. Their condition was about what I'd expect for a 25K NGK

The Champions were replaced with NGKs. Recently pulled the NGKs out for an inspection @ 15K miles - they pretty much looked like new with less than 0.002" change in the gap. Re-gapped to 0.029", re-installed. Remains to seen how they look @ 25K

 

Good info here. Thank you.

My BERUs are at just under 25K miles. I noticed the cold start stumbles over 2500 miles ago (not sure exactly when). I had gotten close to your conclusion about a need for inspection, so I intend to do that when they hit the 30K mark.

I know the JCWs have a 30K plug replacement interval -- have wondered for a while now, especially noting what you did about turbos and plugs, why the S (turbo) and base Cooper (turbo in the F series) are literally double that.

Re-gapping -- I've read somewhere that iridium can be fragile enough that gapping is not a great idea (in part the reason for plugs coming pre-gapped from the factory these days). Got any particular thoughts on that?

 

I've never had a problem re-gapping the NGK plugs.
I always check and adjust as needed. I am careful to not force a clearance gauge into the gap.

 

does B46 or B48 make a difference ? I got B46. What's the NGK # ?

 

Realoem.com shows the same plug (BMW part number 12120047375) in use on both B46 and B48 flavors of the F56, as well as on the B36 and B38 flavors.

NGK part number looks to be SILZKGR8B8S but you may want to cross check that.

 

thanks, that's the # I got written down. got NGK - SILZKGR8B8S, BERU - Z366, & CHAMPION IRIDIUM 9425 I Likes It !

 

I have a 2015 S (factory tune heavily modified) B46 engine. I tried the above NGK's and had misfire on 3 cylinders. Foxwell scanner. They could have been fakes but then ordered Champions from a MINI parts dealer. Impressive results with 56,000 on odometer. Accelareation is up-along with MPG. They appear to be the same as NGK's with Champion logo, Iridium (electrode pointed). They are probably all made by the same manufacturer. Beware-my 2015 with the B46 shows upon on fitment, from websites, as a F55 not a F56. Wrong.

 

Interesting. ChampNGKs eh? So 56K miles on the odometer now? How many miles on those plugs?

 

Only a couple of hundred. MINI recommendation is 60,000. No notes on tune, however. Another observation is that cold start has smoother idle. Looking back, probably should have changed them at 40,000, kind of like the oil change interval. I do 5,000, not 10,000. At this altitude (6,500), I have used 91 (highest) tier 1 gas from day 1. Exhaust valve always open. The NGK's came from Amazon and I returned them. Received the Champions from Turner as they were in stock and closer. Any major MINI parts dealer should be fine. Why they list the '15 B46 as a F55 only on some sites I have no idea. Local parts store did not have NGK's in stock (only 3 in stock at all of their chain stores) and did not know when they could get them, backordered.

 

B46 spark plugs gap - .029 Champion Iridium/copper washers #9425, Beru #Z366, NGK #SILZKGR8B8S, Bosch #94201. I like gettin' plugs out of mail box & workin' on a cold motor. Burger 12 pt. plug socket $27.43 outa mail box, times have changed. I like Carfax tellin' me my plugs were changed @ 33.6 & having 46.2 mi. on car I got 12.6 on plugs HOORAH ! my '15 2.0 L hot-tuned, water/methanol injected, lowered F-56 goes from 40mph to 120mph like a top-fuel dragster. Thanks for all the plug data Time Will Tell on brand & interval

 

I don't know how many miles were on the Champion plugs I pulled (they were in the car when I bought it and became its 2nd owner). But at the time I would have similarly reported, post-change: smoother cold start idle. Smoother in general beyond that. Acceleration improved. Not sure on fuel economy as I was still messing with the car a lot and using the AC (which hits MPG pretty hard -- figured that out when cooler weather came around). Speaking generally, the BERUs are definitely better than the Champions that were in the car when I bought it -- but not knowing how long the Champions were in there, that could have been age/wear.

Your experience swapping plugs at 50K certainly suggests that my plan to pull the plugs and inspect at 30K is wise at minimum. Interestingly, unpredictable/inconsistent cold start idle stumble is back -- and I'll hit 25K on the plugs in ~700 miles. Maybe I'll pull them at the 25K mark instead. The JCW interval is 30K and has the same engine, soooo...

 

"The JCW interval is 30K and has the same engine, soooo..."

No.
Check realoem.com for your engine. If it is a '17 S, you have a B46. JCW is a B48. If you look at the right front of the engine block, toward the top, under the large hose, you will see the stamp. You may need a mirror.....

 

D'oh!

I knew my S is a B46 (no confusion there) but I didn't realize the JCW was a B48. That clarifies a LOT, lol

Thank you!

 

Yep the factory engine JCW have the shorter intervals, same on Gen 1 and Gen 2 MINIs. Champion France (not usa) is now the stock plugs for the newer MINI engines. https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ooooooooo.html

MINI likes to change things up.

Yep they held on to the B48 platform for the JCW engines.