# Copper, Platinum, or Iridium Spark Plug?



## beyond repair (Jan 27, 2015)

Any reason to choose a platinum or iridium spark plug instead of a copper one? The common consensus opinion is perhaps copper gives best performance, but shortest life. Iridium seems to be the best combo of life and performance. With the easy of replacing a snow blower plug, life is not much of an issue, unless the plug seized or breaks, in which case the long life would have been 100% the best choice.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

copper has always worked up here in THE FROZEN TUNDRA.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Never replaced a spark plug yet in any of the snowblowers I've owned. My philosophy is if it isn't broken don't try to fix it.
*And welcome to the forum, from the Keystone state.*


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## rhenning (Sep 19, 2013)

You get to waste more money if that is your plan. When I first started working on small engines my mentor gave the best advice I have ever gotten. DO NOT fix things that are not broken. Roger


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

Beyond, welcome aboard! What plug does the Owner's Manual recommend when it's time to replace?


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

rhenning said:


> You get to waste more money if that is your plan. When I first started working on small engines my mentor gave the best advice I have ever gotten. DO NOT fix things that are not broken. Roger


Read my post, #3


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

buy the regular NGK plug that fits your snowblower and call it a day. I have used NGK plugs with great success for over 30 years in everything from race cars to record setting Race motorcycles and lawn care equipment. I have tried every brand of plug out there and i know i can rely on NGK to get the job done.


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

+1 on the NGK.


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## Pathfinder13 (Feb 28, 2014)

+1 again on NGK brand regular plug. I have had very very good luck with these on high-performance Hi-rev motorcycle engines and I now have one in my blower.

While there is no use replacing a plug that is performing fine, when it comes time for tune-up or to replace a plug that is not performing fine you won't go wrong.


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## SteelyTim (Nov 14, 2014)

micah68kj said:


> Never replaced a spark plug yet in any of the snowblowers I've owned. My philosophy is if it isn't broken don't try to fix it.
> *And welcome to the forum, from the Keystone state.*


I'm with Micah. I have a coffee can full of good spark plugs that I keep from machines I service. It gives people a warm tingly seeing a nice new plug in there, but in reality with the usage the engines get, they don't wear out. 

I have a spark plug cleaner that acts like a mini sandblaster. I just clean them, check the gap, and install them.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

SteelyTim said:


> I have a spark plug cleaner that acts like a mini sandblaster. I just clean them, check the gap, and install them.


I have heard you have to be careful with those cleaners as they always leave some sand behind that will eventually work its way into the cylinder.


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## SteelyTim (Nov 14, 2014)

That's very true. After cleaning the plugs, I hit them with the air nozzle and shoot them off really well. Never had an issue with doing that.


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

I can see little downside in spending $2 on a fresh spark plug


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

use an ngk br2lm, my local auto store doesnt stock them so i order online for about 4 bucks a piece,


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

uberT said:


> I can see little downside in spending $2 on a fresh spark plug


But I still don't see why.What's the point of replacing something good with something only marginally better? If it starts and runs why "fix" it?


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

Well, if one follows the engine mfr's recommendation for basic maintenance, that could be a reason. I tend to agree, it should be good for a few years assuming the machine if functioning as expected.

I looked at my Owner's Manuals and see:

B&S sez to replace annually
LCT sez to replace every 40 hrs or annually


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

uberT said:


> Well, if one follows the engine mfr's recommendation for basic maintenance, that could be a reason. I tend to agree, it should be good for a few years assuming the machine if functioning as expected.
> 
> I looked at my Owner's Manuals and see:
> 
> ...


I se your point on that. I do folloow PM such as greasing augers, wheel spindles, check air pressure etc, but if it's running I'm not gonna change my plug. I do know my old MTD that I bought back in the early nineties got worked way harder than any other piece of equipmeent I have ever owned. As far as I can recall the spark plug was never replaced and I'm tellin' ya I *worked* that old thing like a rented mule.. It may have been removed a couple times but I cant even gaurantee that. I always keep a few plugs laying around and use them for testing . I can recall replacing a couple of plugs in my lifetiime, in small equipment but it's been rare. I find no fault if you choose to do it but I'm one that doesn't .


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

SteelyTim said:


> That's very true. After cleaning the plugs, I hit them with the air nozzle and shoot them off really well. Never had an issue with doing that.


I had one of those little Champion™ cleaners with the tiny little sanblaster bag on it. i always did the same thing. Hit down inside the plug with a good blast of air and even used to run a little wire down in there just for insurance. Never had any problems w/it but I could see where it would be posible. Had all my tools stolen about 25 years ago and I never replaced it.Lost roughly 10-12 k worth of Mac and snap on tools.


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

I have a 11hp greyhound engine on my old cub cadet snowblower. When i put the engine on it 3 years ago i replaced the cheap chinese plug with an NGK. I don't expect to have to replace that plug again. My lawn tractor which get a lot of use is 21 years old and still has the original spark plug and the engine runs fine. Last year I had to replace a set of worn rings in it but the plug is still going.


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## Bror Jace (Jan 13, 2015)

_"I have heard you have to be careful with those cleaners as they always leave some sand behind that will eventually work its way into the cylinder"_

The problem with using sand-blasting or sandpaper to clean spark plug electrodes is that bits of the sand can become embedded in the steel. When the plug is firing, the sand becomes glass and coats the electrode with a layer that does not conduct well. In fact, a layer of glass (or just glassy spots) on the plug would act as an insulator, impeding the formation of the spark.

If I have to clean a plug, I use a steel wire brush like this one:

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/...b33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_17885.jpg

I just got an NGK V-power plug for my Ariens with a B&S 250cc engine. I used to use the same plug in my 1995 Honda Civic that used to get 45mpg. That plug will last me a decade or so in the snowblower.


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## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

yep, NGK or Denso in everything I own.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

"If it starts and runs why "fix" it? "

Why? So that it does start and run each time you need it to.
Who wants to have a no start when you have to be to work in an hour or you're out blowing and all of a sudden you lose power and or start backfiring ??

If you really believe in that "Don't fix it if it ain't broke" then you shouldn't waste money on oil as long as the engine can still turn over and run. 
Or . . . wait until your belt breaks to replace it so you get all the value out it! Same with a spark plug. Things go wrong you can't see and replacing it occasionally gives you a better chance of never running into a no start or a loss of power problem.

I'm a believer in inspecting, replacing and adjusting all the stuff I can in summer and I'll replace anything I don't think will make it through the winter as it's much easier to do it when I don't need it rather than when I can't get out of my own driveway and it's ten degrees out in my garage and I have to tear something down and repair.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> "If it starts and runs why "fix" it? "
> 
> Why? So that it does start and run each time you need it to.
> Who wants to have a no start when you have to be to work in an hour or you're out blowing and all of a sudden you lose power and or start backfiring ??
> ...


You didn't read my whole post, Frog. I *specifically said *I believe in PM. such as checking belts, greasing axles etc. I *do * check my belts before the season and etc. But I am *NO WAY, NO HOW* gonna replace a perfectly functionig plug with a perfectly functioning plug. That's ridiculous. Do what you want with your blower. Fine with me. All I know is that I've been in this game for a long time and never had a breakdown from a bad plug. If I do I have plenty of other good, used plugs laying around, to toss one in. Your new, name brand plug cannot guarantee your machine will always start any more than my OE plug. .


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## Mac (Jan 26, 2015)

Replacing spark plugs is a waste of time and money, unless it is defective and not sparking.
A spark is a spark , any spark plug will ignite the air fuel mixture in the cylinder. Getting platinum or copper or iridium doesn't matter, they all produce a spark.
The only time you need a iridium or platinum plug is they are good for cars that can go 100,000 kms without a plug change, 
In small OPE engines this is irrelevant.


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## brickcity (Jan 23, 2014)

checked my plug last year for first time. six years old and looked fine. was a little surprised that it had a champion plug in it and the manual says use b&s plugs. i guess b&s plugs are made by champion. why else would it come with one from the factory.


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## Bror Jace (Jan 13, 2015)

Anyone here use E3 plugs? I was considering them for a number of OPE I maintain, but a visual inspection left me with doubts about their quality so I passed.


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## tinter (Apr 20, 2014)

Bror Jace said:


> Anyone here use E3 plugs? I was considering them for a number of OPE I maintain, but a visual inspection left me with doubts about their quality so I passed.


I'm the idiot that watches all the car shows, and reads the articles on new stuff. So ,yes I have E3 plugs in my car and snowblower. The plug was shot in my snowblower so I replaced it with the E3, do I notice a difference? Well it starts now. So yes, big difference. Would any other plug have worked? I'm sure. But for the couple dollars difference, I'm happy and I'll probably never have to replace it again.


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## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

Please do some searching online before using those cheap Chinese E3's....they are junk and have been known to destroy engines when they fall apart.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

tinter said:


> I'm the idiot that watches all the car shows, and reads the articles on new stuff. So ,yes I have E3 plugs in my car and snowblower. The plug was shot in my snowblower so I replaced it with the E3, do I notice a difference? Well it starts now. So yes, big difference. Would any other plug have worked? I'm sure. But for the couple dollars difference, I'm happy and I'll probably never have to replace it again.


This guy tried an E3:

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...tenance-forum/41761-toro-ccr-3650-issues.html


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

I normally NGK bp6es or bp5es in most of my ope engines. You can get these plugs for 1.00 each and you will probably never have to replace this in an snowblower or lawn tractor/mower. 

One of the first things i do is replace the cheap Chinese plugs.


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## brickcity (Jan 23, 2014)

surprised nobody has any thing good or bad about champion plugs and can anyone explain why my b&s engine came with one instead of their own plug


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Champions have always been a good choice. I don't know that they do but it wouldn't surprise me to find out that actual B&S plugs are re-branded Champions.


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## Bror Jace (Jan 13, 2015)

_"wouldn't surprise me to find out that actual B&S plugs are re-branded Champions."_

I bet you're right. Engine manufacturers typically source out a great deal of their components. It's easier/simpler and cheaper. You see engine manufacturers with their names on oil filters, spark plug, carburetors, air filters, motor oil, brake pads, etc ... when in fact almost none manufacture that stuff. They buy from vendors and assemble.


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