Re: spark plug and gaps

[Sachelle Babbar <sbabbar@iris.nyit.edu>]

You have to check the gap from the factory. They are ususally good, but
shipping and other junk may damage the gap setting.

The best plugs I've used were Bosch silber (silver) electrodes. No longer
made. Beru silverstone may be a decent bet. These were noticeable better
that the NGK/Bosch tri coppers at high boost. I figure the silvers run
slightly cooler, just enough to prevent preigniting at high rpm/high
boost. Good idle. I used .70mm gap. Worked well, lasted longer than tris.

Currently, I am experimenting with Autolite copper single elctrode.
Resistor plugs, work decently and cheap. I'm going to try some Autolite or
delco plats depending on what the electrode construction is. I want a
coarse electrode, not a fine one like the Bosch.

Incidentally, every parts house I went to has all Bosch applications for
Audi's bypassed by the Plat+4 versions. No supers left, just plat single
which is bypassed.

****************************************************************************
*Steve                                             Sachelle Babbar
*'87  5000CS Turbo 5spd 1.3-2.0 bar             <SBABBAR@IRIS.NYIT.EDU>
*Cockpit adjustable wastegate, AudiSport badge
*
*Disclaimer:"Any information contained herein is based purely on my own
*personal experience and may not necessarily reflect yours. Use caution as
*your results may vary from mine."
********************************************************************************
                                                                               



On Tue, 16 Nov 1999, Livolsi, Stephane wrote:

>   I have had the car (86 5KTQ) for about a year and a half, it is
> totally stock and I have put on about 20,000 km since purchased
> (odometer reads 249000 km).  Dist cap, rotor, plug wires are all new.
> Hunted down and killed a couple of vac leaks.  I have looked at each
> plug and they are a nice even tan color and electrodes visually appear
> in good shape, but I did not measure the plug gap (at the time I thought
> it would be too much of a PITA).  I can hit 1.4 bar but there is a mild
> missing under heavy load (read as WOT!!) which goes away at higher rpm.
> I will be visiting a city that has a VW/Audi dealer this week and want
> to pick up some new spark plugs.
> 
> Questions:
> 
> 1. Are the Bosch tri-electrodes really the only suitable plug for this
> car?  Has anyone tried anything else? (I seem to recall a post from a
> lister who used the Platinum +4 plugs with no adverse results, even
> though the 10v turbo is specifically excluded)
> 
> 2. Are the tri-electrode plugs reliably gapped from the factory, or do
> you have to gap them yourself?
> 
> Thanks gang
> 
> Stephane Livolsi
> 180 Yorston St
> Williams Lake, BC, V2G 3Z1
> ph 250-392-2637
> fax 250-392-2693
> 
> '86 5KTQ stock (if you don't know what it means, you aren't in the club)
>