Hey guys, I was going to get some Iridium spark plugs for my 92 325i, but I've got a question first. I read that the stock plugs are gapped at .032, but the Iridium plugs I found that are supposedly for my car are gapped at .044, can they still work with a different gap?

ok then, nobody knows anything about spark plugs?

I know that you are not going to gain anything from them. Except more space in your walet.

I've read many posts to the contrary. I need a tune-up anyway, I was just going to get a different kind of plug than the stock ones.

you got the wrong plugs. the NGK Iridium part 6418 is what you need and it is gapped correctly. If you have Denso Iridiums, they need to be re-gapped to 0.032. If you have NGKs, you probably have the one that ends in -11 right? If your ignition system is in tip top condition, the slightly larger gap isn't much of an issue. for older cars where the ignition system might not be at it's best, the larger gap can be big enough to make sparking difficult and lead to occassional (or frequent) misfires.

you also missed out on the spark plug sale at Kragen.. The NGK iridiums were being sold at $1.99 each.

Oh, and by the way, the Iridium plugs have been shown to last longer than Platinum ones and allow for a smaller electrode size which enhances the spark plugs ability to spark. A lot of modern cars are now coming from the factory with Iridium plugs. It's a good choice if you want plugs that will last. If you change your spark plugs frequently, well, then you might has well spend less and get lesser quality spark plugs. (unless you got the Kragen deal for $1.99 iridium plugs)

Sweet finally someone who knows something! Many thanks, bro. Sad to hear about the sale, though, since I am a genuine cheap ass I love sales!!

BTW it's the densos I'm looking at

found the NGKs for cheaper

BTW it's the densos I'm looking at


I was running denso iridiums in my m3.. it ran really good with them.. good choice.

BTW it's the densos I'm looking at

found the NGKs for cheaper

If you have Denso Iridiums, then you might want to consider re-gapping them. However, the Denso have an even smaller tip (0.4mm I think) so that helps compensate for the larger gap, so you might be ok as is. If you re-new your ignition system, i'm almost certain you'll be just fine with the larger factory gap.

I also prefer Denso Iridiums. They are much higher quality than NGK from visual inspection at least. The NGK tip is 0.6mm and it looks like it is zinc coated. The Densos are stainless steel, laser welded. But the deal at Kragen was so good, I picked up 34 of the NGK iridiums! :D

additionally, japanese tuners have been widening the gap on their spark plugs for performance gains in F/I cars. I don't quite understand the details, but supposedly, the larger gap burns better for F/I tuned cars. However, by widening the gap, you have to compensate by boosting up your ignition system to ensure a good spark across the larger gap.