Spark Plug Gap?????

[GLASEM]

Bought a set of Bosch Platinum spark plugs for my 1980 engine>
My local Porsche mechanic who I purchased them from said to install them as received.
No gapping needed

This took me by surprise......never heard of not gapping

What say yee?????

[tazzieman]

They should be fine out of the box - unless they have been dropped on their tips. I always inspect carefully before install. The thin coated e.g. iridium or Yttrium tipped plugs can be damaged by some types of gap feeler gauges .

[Oh Haha]

I always check the gaps on new plugs before installation. Ya never know...

[S2GART]

Bosch plugs are pre-gapped as they made for specific applications, whereas a set of generic Champions, Autolites, etc are used for several different cars/engines, so gapping is required. With that said, I just replaced the plugs in my E320 Coupe with standard Bosch plugs and I still checked the gap before installing them. I found there was only a slight difference between the plugs, but still with in the range for the engine.

[Flat Six]

Originally Posted by S2GART

Bosch plugs are pre-gapped as they made for specific applications, whereas a set of generic Champions, Autolites, etc are used for several different cars/engines, so gapping is required. With that said, I just replaced the plugs in my E320 Coupe with standard Bosch plugs and I still checked the gap before installing them. I found there was only a slight difference between the plugs, but still with in the range for the engine.

+1

But I never had any luck getting platinums to work well in my 3.2 -- Bosch or otherwise.

Copper (Bosch or NGK) makes a big difference in mine; YMMV.

[T77911S]

bosch platinums are crap. trash them and get some cheap copper plugs.

[porschenut]

Copper plugs work best in these cars!

Gapping the Bosch plugs should not be required, but do check them to make sure.

[GLASEM]

Have had the Bosch Platinum in this 911 since I bought in 2005 and no issues
Runs great

[tazzieman]

My car has run like an absolute champ with platinum Bosch's and the original Bosch coil but not Beru wires.
Seems people either love them or hate them. Perhaps other aspects of the ignition system lead to anecdotal "failures" in the platinums.
There is too much variability between engines , tuning and overall engine components to allow me to take statements such as "this part is crap" seriously.

But maybe "your" platinums are made in China where there is evidently no QC in any product ever

Current plugs are the WR8DC+ +3, made in Russia of all places, says Yttrium tipped - but might be plutonium the way the car goes!

[T77911S]

Originally Posted by GLASEM

Have had the Bosch Platinum in this 911 since I bought in 2005 and no issues
Runs great

try the coppers.

i ran bosch platinums in something else just because that is what the parts guy sold me. one day i decided to try, of all things, something like a ac delco or champion. my car ran better and my gas mileage went UP 2-3 mpg.

the old BMW's are the same way, they like the copper plugs better. just give them a try. there are too many on here smarter than me that support copper plugs. those that have gone from copper to platinum, that will stand behind that, are rare.
bosch or NGK