spark plugs

Woody1 · January 12, 2003

I ran a search on "spark plugs" on here and couldnt really get a lot of info for my particular question. After doing some research and after watching what some have said about their plugs after changing them, I got to wondering what type would be best for my truck. Have narrowed it down to these 3, all Champion plugs. The champions seen to have the longest burn thru the combustion process from what I have read on what others have done research on. Ok...these 3.... Champion Copper Plus, which some others are useing on here from what I have read. Champion Gold, which I cant really seem to find a lot of difference in these and the copper ones, but the curious ones i need input on are Champion "Truck Plug". They are listed on Champions' website for trucks and suv's for the big engines like the 8.1L. Anyone ever heard anything about them? use them? mis-use them? I got over 30k miles on my stockers now and think its time to give it a refresh. Gonna go with new wires too. Possibly a MSD ignition system as well, but havent decided on it yet.

CMNTMXR81 · January 13, 2003

Arrrggg, I've got the Champion Copper Plus number at home. Perhaps BC can chime in, he's changed his and gave me the number.

Woody1 · January 13, 2003

CM, I dont neccessarily need the #. I am more curious about the "truck plug". Any info on it in that vast computer network of a brain you got ? I cant for the life of me find any specs on it to compare it to the copper's or the golds. I know you guys use the coppers, but as always, I wanna be different.(But not at the expense of an engine tho!) Thanks for replying CM.

bcfitzsimons · January 14, 2003

Woody-I had trouble finding the Champion Gold plugs too. But, for fear of rehashing two months' worth of posts, suffice it to say that I ended up wanting to run plugs that were slightly cooler than stock, so I put in the Champion Copper Plus. They've treated me well-no problems thus far. I'll have to go rummaging around the toolbox in the garage to find the box-I'll let you know the stock number when I find it (if you want it, that is).

Fitz.

Woody1 · January 14, 2003

Thanks bc. Go ahead and post that # for the plugs. But I am particularly interested in the Champion "truck plug"

The link for 3'rs is here, and pics of the plugs EXCEPT the truck plug pic. http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/sparkplugs.html

I need info on the truck plug. Might end up calling them.

bcfitzsimons · January 14, 2003

Woody-

For the Copper Plus, the number is 13-RS14YC6. You might be able to use this number as a cross-reference number for the plug you're looking for.

Hope this helps-Fitz

Woody1 · January 15, 2003

Thansk BC. Last night, went to 3 different auto parts stores. I swear, those idiots that work behind the counters couldnt count 5 beans if it didnt have a part # on them. As for knowledge about ANY part? all I can say is geesh. I did however get one ol coot to get the tele # of Fed/Mogal. They were closed at that time, so am going to call them today.

CMNTMXR81 · January 15, 2003

Let me guess, you went to Pep Boys?

Woody1 · January 15, 2003

LOL, no Pepe Boys out here in Farm fields of Iowa. we wont allow them! Nah, went to O'Rielly's and some other one whom i cant remember.

I called F/Mogal today. Talked to a very knowledleable chap. He spoke clearly and made sure I understood the difference. 1st off, the "gold" came out BEFORE the platinum plugs did. It was the hotest plug at that time.Then came the plats....gold sales went down. Coppertip comes along. Coppertip sales still going strong. Golds are no longer manufactured. The "truck plug" is made for big-bore engines such as ours. Has a good lenght of burn time. Combines best from gold/platinum and coppertip into one plug. Says its a 50k mile plug.

Said a bunch of other stuff but i was driving and I cant remember it all now. Was about a 15 min. conversation via cell. Told him what truck/engine/trans and setup I got. He said he would definatly go with the truck-plug, especially if you pull a trailer out on the open road.

As for the MSD ignition system, have talked to several people that deal in them, including Leon @ www.truckperformance.com and they all say that it is not needed on the 8.1. If anything, do a blower and headers. Well, that is bad on my timing for 2 reasons...I want to do a lift 1st...6".....get some bigger tires/rims. and main thing is right now....IS SOOOOO DANG COLD OUT IN THE DRIVEWAY! I am not like you others that have the advantage of a lift to put it on! I got to do things in my driveway on top of a hill! If I put it in the garage, I have to take out my tractor, and 2 quads to work on it, then its to log for the garage door to close, sooo, its tooo cold! Will wait till spring, and by that time, will be out of warrenty, and warm enough to do some more mods to it. I will prob just settle on changeing plugs for now. On another note.....I recently.....about 4300 miles ago, sent into Blackstone technologies, a sample of my oil in one of their kits. It was the first one, so they didnt have anything to track it to/from, but report was good cept for one part says it my have some "excessive bearing wear". Before I jump to conclusions, it also said to wait and see what next change would be. I requested for them to hurry up and send another kit when I sent that one in. They emailed me and said they would hurry and get one out. Well, I like to change oil at as close to 3k as possible. As you can see from above, I was 1300 over. I could NOT wait any longer! Took it to GM dealer today and had it changed, and had no kit to put sample in to send. Well guess what.....got home and in the mail, was the kits.....GGRRRRR>>>>(had them send 2 cause we (wife and I) recently bought a brand new 03 Toyota Avalon XLS with the spoiler and the traction control. 30 miles on it when we got it. 2nd kit is to track what the oil is going to do from the START of that vehicle.) Just made me SOOOOO mad! I kept putting off the oil change hopeing to get my kit in before I change my oil ! GGGGRRRRRRRR !!!!!!!!!!!!!

bcfitzsimons · January 15, 2003

I wouldn't get too upset about "excessive bearing wear." If memory serves, that means that you had high levels of copper in your oil. But, I THINK (and I have to admit, I'm not positive) GM may use bearings with a high copper content. So, if their computer equates high copper levels with excessive bearing wear, it actually may not mean that at all. You may have normal wear, actually. I guarantee CMNT could clarify this. He seems to have access to the GM Powertrain Development files or something . . .

Fitz.

Pancho · March 5, 2003

Did anyone here find the Champion truck plug number for the 8.1/Allison? I am preparing to use the GM top engine cleaner and then replace the plugs. I have been checking back here periodically to check the tread. Woody1 did you eventually change tto the truck plug? CMNT and Fitz - would you have used the truck plugs over the copper?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

bcfitzsimons · March 6, 2003

I never did find the stock # for the truck plug. The Copper Pluses worked just fine in mine. As a matter of fact, I swear that the truck is more responsive off the line than with the platinum plugs. I think it would be a difficult thing to prove; it just FEELS that way.

I found a big Excel file on the internet somewhere that cross-references every single plug that's available on the market. I think I found it by starting on clubplug.com and going from there. If I'm able to, I'll post it tomorrow when I get home from work. I was down at Summit yesterday (new store-can you say drool? ) and was asking the guys there about plugs and apparently they carry copper NGK's, platinum NGK's, and the new iridium tipped ones (which, of course, are $9 per plug ) for the 8.1.

But, no wires available for the 8.1 yet. CMNT-have you found any wires yet?

Fitz :thumb:

sierra8.1 · March 6, 2003

Woody1

Was reading your thread and since I have the 8.1 also,thought I could help you out. I found the #'s for Champion's on http://napaonline.com

Plat. #CHA 3013 @$1.99

Copper #CHA 13 @$1.19

Truck #CHA 4013 @$2.59

all gap at .060 in.

Hope this helps

Larry

Pancho · March 7, 2003

I went to Autozone yesterday to cross reference the number provided for the Copper Plus with the truck plug. Ended up buying the 4013's. I used the GM top engine cleaner tonight and will change the oil in the morning. Hopefully I can change the plugs as well if I have time.

I have 34,000 miles on the truck and don't think I will need to replace the wires. Is there anything I should be on the look out for when reinstalling the wires?