Spark Plugs

[Scottie]

reading the posts recently on spark plugs.

Can I change mine? or would it cause a problem with the warranty!, but all I would need to do is take them out for a visit to the dealers;).

Now that I have my ITG and back exhaust fitted I fancy doing this "silent" mod upgrading the spark plugs

but what kind will suit a

R56 Cooper.????

[Hamish]

Denso Iridiums are the way forward in my opinion... i posted up some info about the technical stuff about them.

I would hope that warranty would be ok. Check the owners manual and see what plugs they list. They should list NGK and hopefully Denso. Like you say, you can change them for your service. But Denso is supplied OE to many car and motorcycle manufacturers. The car companies will dual source so they are not "held to ransom" by one supplier.

Not sure if Bosch are fitted OE by any manufacturer, but they seem to have a decent reputation.

But if it were my choice, i'd go for Denso :thumbs up:

[Gismo]

Buy an S :Whistle:
Fi, what are you hoping to gain from the plug change? if your car's running ok i wouldn't change them :frown:
If you drove like John :Whistle: or stoney :Whistle: then you might notice teh benefit.

As far as warranty goes, shouldn't be a problem, the MINI plugs are meant to last around 50k miles or so, so they wouldn't bet getting changed for the time you own the car :laugh:

[Scottie]

well if there is a better plug out there then I fancy putting them on my car.

Not sure what plugs are available for the Cooper

[Gismo]

I agree the Denso's are probably the best on the market, but, higher tuned cars opt for "colder" plugs, so, for no tune at all i'd reckon you'd be ok with like for like, whatever that is.
Perhaps a wee look on their website may help, or, ask over on MINI2

[john]

Denso!!!!

[Scottie]

I checked on their web site and it states denso IR Power plugs and that they are the same plugs used in the S will this be right??

[john]

I never ever changed the plugs on my road MINI's just the race car and I did not notice any difference.

[Hamish]

Basically, when replacing plugs, if your car is untuned, i would recommend sticking with the heat range that is supplied as standard. Therefore fitting Iridiums will be fine, but if your car is standard, buy the Denso Iridiums with the same heat range as the plugs you have in just now.

As a guide... the easy way to work out a Denso heat range compared with an NGK one is to multiply the NGK number by 3... if you have an NGK "8" heat range then use a denso 24. But the other letters in the part number are all relevant as to the dimensions of the plug (i.e. hex size etc).

If you tell me the part number of the plugs in your car just now Fiona, I'll cross reference it for you so you know what Denso's you need.

Cheers

Hamish

[Hamish]

Here is a link to the Mini application page from the denso website...

http://www.globaldenso.com/cgi-bin/global/plug/euro/4w/4w-plug.cgi?action=search&filename=4w-56.txt

Hope it works, but should prove useful.

Cheers

Hamish

[Scottie]

when changing spark plugs do you still have to check the gap with feelers.?

When my dad had me servicing my cars in the "olden days" he always had me checking the gap on the spark plugs before I fitted them, then he had me spit on the thread of the plug before I screwed them into the plug hole:blush:. I'm sure he was joking with me but I always done this.:yes nod::blush::blush:

[Scottie]

from the real oem site


http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=MF32&mospid=49644&btnr=12_1405&hg=12&fg=05

and then this



SPARK PLUG, HIGH POWER BERU 12ZR6SP03 4 03/2007 12120035933

[GCA3N]

Just so we get this right, the plugs in my cooper were the origonal ones (embarassed to say 48,000 miles old) I guess that is why i have found such a big difference, add that to the fact of the new induction kit and you have a noticeable difference.