MX-3.com

Now I have my oil question answered what about spark plugs, I get a free tune-up because I was away from home, so what should I buy? platinum, v groove or just regular?

Buy regular copper plugs. Either Denso or NGK, whichever is cheaper for you. Just Denso or NGK. Our engines don't respond well to other brands for some reason.

Paylrider wrote:Now I have my oil question answered what about spark plugs, I get a free tune-up because I was away from home, so what should I buy? platinum, v groove or just regular?

Look who's back - well tanned and rested ...LOL.
Good old copper ones as LF1 mentioned should do the trick. Dan at the parts counter (Mazda) will also urge you this way too. Welcome back!!

I agree w/lakersfan1... w/one exception. I started running "halo plugs" in my MX-3 3-4 years ago. Rated for 100K miles under normal use and I still have the original set in there 50K miles later. I was so impressed, have also installed em into my '90 MX-6, '96 626, '95 Camry, '92 Celica GTS with great results. Halo's are expensive (currently $9 USD ea.) and went out of production for most of 1995 but they are now available again. I think it was U of Michigan that did some tests a few years ago on a variety of spark plugs - you can probably find the UofM link on the site-linked below. I remember that Bosch plat-4's were one of the expensive ones tested against standard copper plugs. The plat-4's showed no increase in power, responsiveness, or gas mileage compared to a regular plug. The plat-4's did provide a longer lasting plug and that was their only measurable diff. The Halo's were the only plug to show performance and mileage improvements over the others.

To validate the results, the testers then took off just the "halo" and replaced a std. copper plug's sidewire with the 360* halo tip. The copper halo-modified plug showed similar improvement. Researchers concluded that the halo tip shape was the difference. When I installed in my MX-3, it was one tank of gas after a 100% complete tune-up (with NGK's). I swapped out the NGK's for Halo's and the "seat dyno" reported a smoother idle, quicker and stronger throttle response and best of all, my mileage on the next tank of gas under virtually identical driving conditions was 3.3mpg higher. I'd run NGK's or Denso if I wasn't using the Halo's. Here's the link if interested. (btw, halo's are not good for turbo'd or superchged. motors) http://www.haloplug.com/faq.php

Sorry for long post. I called out sick today so am rambling with the time.

I checked out the site, the Halo people have a lot of good info there, more people should check it out.

Never heard of halo plugs as far as the bosch+4's I went from NGK to the +4s and did notice a lil diff. in power gain dunno maybe cuz my old plugs were going bad. Altho I will mention that after installing I also noticed a loss in gas milage get round 250-275 miles to the tank depneding on what gas I run.

Anyone else use Halo?

NGK Iridium

http://www.geocities.com/djxtravaganza@ ... 2226500828

Stock NGK plugs

I agree with thw stock NGK plugs from Mazda.
I`ve tried several others, including some insanely expensive Bosch Super 4`s... (they sucked bigtime, way too hot).

nope-mx3

I also agree with others, stock NGKs are the way to go... I have tried other brands also came back to the stock NGKs. Plus, you can't beat the cost.

cheers,

Reading this thread I just realised that it's been 150.000 km since I had the plugs changed which might be part of the reason that i dont get the millage that i used to do.
As my car is at the mechanics atm, I called him and had him change them (To NGK)

Thanks.

I've had both Ngk Iridiums and Ngk regulars in my ZE and you know what i noticed NOTHING unless your doing high performance, iridiums are pritty much a waste, also they didnt last as long as the ngk regulars