Bosch Platinum +2 VS. Bosch Platinum +4

[andrew.brandon]

is there any difference in them? would they be good with a lightly modded car? I will be adding a MSD DIS 4 in the next few months and I want to go ahead and get the basic stuff out of the way. I know plugs don't have that much to do with power itself but it seems like if your going to upgrade your ignition system you might as well go with better plugs while your at it.

[zlexiss]

Hint: +1, +2, or +4, the spark only jumps to one place. The path of least resistance (generally the closest 2 edges or corners on the electrodes).

+2 and +4 plugs might be good if you have fouling problems, since it might give you a better chance for a spark on a dirty plug.

From my perspective, all those extra electrodes are just cluttering the area around the spot I'm trying to start fuel and air burning at. Ideally, I'd like to have the area around the spark wide open for best propagation of my combustion flame front.

[95DropTop]

look into ngk istead of +4's some people have had some problems with them. spark plugs are spark plugs unless your running nos or fi.

[terminaldegree]

+2, +4, it's all a load of crap.

Federal Trade Commision went after the makers of the "splitfire" spark plugs years ago for making false claims also.

NGK sounds like a more useful, less problematic choice. They actually make the stock AC plugs for our cars, too. Platinum isn't the way to go on a highly modded car-- this is almost universally agreed upon now.

[Controlman]

I agree with what they said about the NGKs. I had the +4 plugs and they were OK for awhile, but didn't last long at all. after about 20K miles, there was a miss at about the 2600 to 2800 RPM range. Switched to NGK TR-55s and have been running strong.

[zlexiss]

I'm running the NGK's too, great after 40k miles still..

[HeadyFirebird'00]

My shop tech teacher said +4's are good because the spark is split into 4 littler arcs. these smaller arcs blance out the combustion flame or boom. Instead of having one big arc that sends its ray to the gas mix igniting only one part that eventually ignites the rest, +4's supposetly uses the 4 smaller arcs to make a faster equaller combustion. this makes for a more complete combustion faster...

he said that he uses +4's in all of his cars, and he recommended me to get em. i went with NGK instead after reading more about the NGK business and how they work compared to the +4's.

I say its personal prefferance, but every plug does its job regardless of the plug..

As for the part that the arc only jumps tio the lest resistant tip, thats hog wash. i watched a +4 plug fire outside the engine and it had 4 little arcs... smaller but there...

It just balances out the combustion mix more evenly and effectively .. from what i understand, its not a bid deal though, if your having doubts go with NGK. I did. The boshe +4 are a little contraveresal being that not many people believe its capabilities. i didnt want em cause NGK just seemed better for me. It was my choice to go with the NGK vs. the +4.

This is in my experiance, do with it what you can.

[Loochy88]

ive had +4's for years now, and ive never had a problem with them. Spark plugs are a lot like oil in that people tend to bash what they dont have. Im sure NGK's are great too.

[andrew.brandon]

Originally posted by HeadyFirebird'00:
Britney Spears is the Ugliest Girl in the World!

[img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img]

so would the tr-55's be right for me then? I am not sure what to choose

[Blue Flame V6]

Originally posted by HeadyFirebird'00:
Britney Spears is the Ugliest Girl in the World!

I would still do her in the butt though

[badbird02]

i say use the ac delco iridiums you save quite a bit of money and if you look at them they say ngk on them

[zlexiss]

Originally posted by HeadyFirebird'00:
My shop tech teacher said +4's are good because the spark is split into 4 littler arcs. these smaller arcs blance out the combustion flame or boom. Instead of having one big arc that sends its ray to the gas mix igniting only one part that eventually ignites the rest, +4's supposetly uses the 4 smaller arcs to make a faster equaller combustion. this makes for a more complete combustion faster..

Shop teacher = wrong, the spark only goes to one spot each time it fires, the path of least resistance. Even Bosch themselves steers clear of claiming more than one spark (dodges with "multiple spark paths.. strongest spark"), ever since physics beat marketing in the Splitfire case.

[3.4 slow to go]

I've had +4s in my Blazer for about 3~4 yrs, along w/Bosche wires and only got an increase in mpg.


go figure.

[terminaldegree]

+4's may be fine, but the marketing theory is COMPLETE AND TOTAL BS. Ever take physics? That spark is still going to just ONE place-- whichever one is closest to the center electrode [if even by .001 inch].

I post and read on another board moderated entirely by factory trained mechanics, and they post constantly about how many ignition related problems are solved simply by running the correct spark plugs instead of the Bosch. Obviously, the situation changes a bit if we're talking about a modded car a bit.

[andrew.brandon]

so for the sake of argument the tr-55's would be the probable way to go?