[ukxpat]

I need to change my spark plugs in my 496 mag and I'm having a hell of a time trying to purchase the AC Delco 41-952 so I was wondering if any of you guys have tried the TR55IX?

I've been told that the iridium plugs are better than the platinum plugs, what are your thoughts? Would you try them or just stick with the ACDs. I can easily get the AC 41-983, should I just get these and have done with it?

Thanks!

 

[NuckinFutz]

I just put iridium in my 496 this spring. I didn't notice any difference good or bad, but I do know I know have fresh plugs in for the season.

 

[ukxpat]

That's good to know, thanks! I'm going to do the same thing, I had some popping/backfiring last weekend, so I think that it's a combination of bad gas and old plugs, so I'm gonna drain out the old gas and replace the plugs, then should be good to go!

Cheers!

 

[Chipster27]

That's good to know, thanks! I'm going to do the same thing, I had some popping/backfiring last weekend, so I think that it's a combination of bad gas and old plugs, so I'm gonna drain out the old gas and replace the plugs, then should be good to go!

Cheers!

You need to drive your boat more often so the gas does not go bad.

BTW, do you know what a gallon of diesel goes for in your neighborhood?

 

[ukxpat]

You need to drive your boat more often so the gas does not go bad.

BTW, do you know what a gallon of diesel goes for in your neighborhood?

Haha, now you're not far from the truth there! Wish I was driving it this w/end!

You'll never believe it but it's 99 cents a gallon over here violent44

 

[BDMarine]

The TR55IX Iridium plugs are all we use for that application.

 

[RitcheyRch]

Just run some standard NGK plugs.

 

[franky]

Just run some standard NGK plugs.

Nope....

 

[TPC]

Dance with who brung ya and stay with the MFG spex plug.
Go online if ya can't find them.

Iridiums need replacing sooner IMHO.
Nice, but they just don't last long.

Just my 2 cents worth.
Free advise is worth what ya payed for it.

 

[ukxpat]

The TR55IX Iridium plugs are all we use for that application.

Great to know, thanks! I just went and got some so will be installing them next weekend!

Thanks for the info!

 

[RitcheyRch]

I've always had good luck with the NGK V-powers.

Nope....

Dance with who brung ya and stay with the MFG spex plug.
Go online if ya can't find them.

Iridiums need replacing sooner IMHO.
Nice, but they just don't last long.

Just my 2 cents worth.
Free advise is worth what ya payed for it.

 

[Beer:30]

This conversation is on-going in another thread.

But, here's my personal -first hand experience with a 496HO and plugs.

First of all, in mine, I changed a few seasons ago to Denso Irridiums. I was having a surging (at idle) issue and it helped smooth it out. It ended up being a bad TPS, but at least I knew I had good plugs!

Anyway, some friends have a 2003 Shockwave with an H-O. Every trip or two out to a lake would result in popping and sputtering. We drained fuel, ran different brands, ran multiple brands of injector cleaner, everything. AC plugs, Autolite plugs. Each set of plugs would run great for a few hours - maybe five total- and then start sputtering again.

I checked the fuel pressure, just to see if maybe the regulator went bad and it was running too high. 43 on the nose. Wires all checked good. No codes in the ECM. The plugs were getting fuel-fouled. My theory is, they still have the turbulators in (afraid to pull them out sphss) AND it has permanent mufflers. The total restriction in the exhaust is not helping the already rich fuel setup that these motors have (nasty transoms).

Anyway, I suggested putting in a set of the new E3 plugs. They dyno well and have a visually larger spark. So, in they go. They are well over 10 hours now on this set of plugs and not one sputter. They might even be pushing 20 hours now, as they have been running the boat all this week. Still no sputter/popping.

I am sure Irridiums would work just as well for this situation, but I definitely know the E3s have worked.

 

[ukxpat]

This conversation is on-going in another thread.

But, here's my personal -first hand experience with a 496HO and plugs.

First of all, in mine, I changed a few seasons ago to Denso Irridiums. I was having a surging (at idle) issue and it helped smooth it out. It ended up being a bad TPS, but at least I knew I had good plugs!

Anyway, some friends have a 2003 Shockwave with an H-O. Every trip or two out to a lake would result in popping and sputtering. We drained fuel, ran different brands, ran multiple brands of injector cleaner, everything. AC plugs, Autolite plugs. Each set of plugs would run great for a few hours - maybe five total- and then start sputtering again.

I checked the fuel pressure, just to see if maybe the regulator went bad and it was running too high. 43 on the nose. Wires all checked good. No codes in the ECM. The plugs were getting fuel-fouled. My theory is, they still have the turbulators in (afraid to pull them out sphss) AND it has permanent mufflers. The total restriction in the exhaust is not helping the already rich fuel setup that these motors have (nasty transoms).

Anyway, I suggested putting in a set of the new E3 plugs. They dyno well and have a visually larger spark. So, in they go. They are well over 10 hours now on this set of plugs and not one sputter. They might even be pushing 20 hours now, as they have been running the boat all this week. Still no sputter/popping.

I am sure Irridiums would work just as well for this situation, but I definitely know the E3s have worked.

Great to see that you did all that testing! I think that I'll go with the Iridium's and see how they go. If I still get the same problems then I'll switch to the E3s.

Hopefully that should cure the problem!?!

 

[Boat Tech]

Great to know, thanks! I just went and got some so will be installing them next weekend!

Thanks for the info!

Just curious what part number spark plugs did you find and buy?

 

[ukxpat]

Just curious what part number spark plugs did you find and buy?

I just picked them up from Autozone, here's the URL:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/oems/oemsProduct.jsp?categoryDisplayName=Routine+Maintenance&appQuestionText=&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=942664_0_0_&productId=942664&sortType=&questions=[]&parentId=cat30056&filterByKeyWord=tr55ix&navValue=14200033&categoryNValue=14299999&itemId=prod61187&displayName=Spark+Plug&store=5944&oemPartNumber=TR55IX&brandName=Ngk

Part Number: 7164 Weight: 0.1 lbs OEM Brand: NGK Resistor: yes Heat Range: 5 Center Electrode Material: Iridium Number of Electrodes: 1 Ground Electrode: Nickel Alloy Insulator Type: Ceramic Thread Size: 14mm Reach: .708 inch Seat Style: tapered

 

[Boat Tech]

I just picked them up from Autozone, here's the URL:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/oems/oemsProduct.jsp?categoryDisplayName=Routine+Maintenance&appQuestionText=&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=942664_0_0_&productId=942664&sortType=&questions=[]&parentId=cat30056&filterByKeyWord=tr55ix&navValue=14200033&categoryNValue=14299999&itemId=prod61187&displayName=Spark+Plug&store=5944&oemPartNumber=TR55IX&brandName=Ngk

Part Number: 7164 Weight: 0.1 lbs OEM Brand: NGK Resistor: yes Heat Range: 5 Center Electrode Material: Iridium Number of Electrodes: 1 Ground Electrode: Nickel Alloy Insulator Type: Ceramic Thread Size: 14mm Reach: .708 inch Seat Style: tapered

Originally Posted by mpottorff
Have a pair of 496MAG HO in a Baja 302. Question it looks like the NGK BP7HS is the stock plug...correct? Is that the best plug to run in these motors?
Thanks
Mike
Just be carefull from what I have hered You really only should be running OEM spark plugs And that would be AC delco. I am not 100% sure on the ngk plugs, But when I looked up your engine in the ngk web site I did not see the part number you came up with at all, Here is what I found at ngk. MERCRUISER 496 Mag HO Stern Drive 8 cyl Chevrolet Big Block

Spark Plug Part No. Stock No. Plug Gap Photo
Platinum PZTR5A-15 7862 0.06 Or here is the link I found it on.http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/apps/motorcycles/SPARK PLUG, And here is the AC delco
Part Number: 41-983 for that engine. Or merc part number might be 863622001 if it has not [SS] to another number by now.
Product Notes:
[Platinum Plug-Spark Plug]
thanks I just helped find the platinum for this guy.

 

[ukxpat]

Originally Posted by mpottorff
Have a pair of 496MAG HO in a Baja 302. Question it looks like the NGK BP7HS is the stock plug...correct? Is that the best plug to run in these motors?
Thanks
Mike
Just be carefull from what I have hered You really only should be running OEM spark plugs And that would be AC delco. I am not 100% sure on the ngk plugs, But when I looked up your engine in the ngk web site I did not see the part number you came up with at all, Here is what I found at ngk. MERCRUISER 496 Mag HO Stern Drive 8 cyl Chevrolet Big Block

Spark Plug Part No. Stock No. Plug Gap Photo
Platinum PZTR5A-15 7862 0.06 Or here is the link I found it on.http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/apps/motorcycles/SPARK PLUG, And here is the AC delco
Part Number: 41-983 for that engine. Or merc part number might be 863622001 if it has not [SS] to another number by now.
Product Notes:
[Platinum Plug-Spark Plug]
thanks I just helped find the platinum for this guy.

I was going to put the AC 41-983 plugs in but was told the the iridium plugs are a better conductor of the spark and last longer than the platinum plugs? Pepboys have the AC 41-983 in stock but I just wanted the best most reliable plug???

 

[Beer:30]

I was going to put the AC 41-983 plugs in but was told the the iridium plugs are a better conductor of the spark and last longer than the platinum plugs? Pepboys have the AC 41-983 in stock but I just wanted the best most reliable plug???

Out of curiosity, do you still have your turbulators in and do you have full-time mufflers???

 

[ukxpat]

Out of curiosity, do you still have your turbulators in and do you have full-time mufflers???

To tell you the truth...I have no idea! I'm new to boating and only bought this boat 2 months ago. To me, it looks like there has been little to no maintenance done on this engine whatsoever, and it seems like every time I take it out something else goes wrong with it! I just want to try to do as much as I can do to make it a clean and reliable boat.

Bearing that in mind, do you think that I should stick with just the standard AC Delco plugs rather than the iridiums?

 

[Beer:30]

Bearing that in mind, do you think that I should stick with just the standard AC Delco plugs rather than the iridiums?

Absolutely not. Just run whatever plug you want. ACs are fine, but Irridium is definitely better. As I stated, the E3s work very well also. An updated plug can't HURT the motor.