bosh platinum spark plugs

Johnson110

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Dec 31, 2003
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I replaced the spark plugs in my jeep today with bosh platinum plugs, the 4.0 has 147K on the engine, are these plugs better than the standard autolite plus that i had in there? the auto lites had 16K on them and seem to be missing when takeing off from a cold start. the jeep would hesitate from time to time, i ran a lot of injection cleaner thru the old plugs, they had a lot of white build up on them! anybody use the bosh plugs before? thanks for response
 

Boomyal

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Aug 16, 2003
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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

Just tossed a set from my son's 4 cyl ohc. The plugs looked ok but I had to use ether to start it. Even then it ran crappy till it warmed up. I've had proplems with them before. I put a set in my 4 cylinder toyota van. My mileage really sucks. I have to remove the passenger seat to replace them but they are coming out asap.
 

crazy charlie

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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

What temp is the motor running at???? Does the temp ever spike when sitting at a red light???Charlie
 

qaztwo

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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

I have a little 4 cyl I run them in for about 5 years and 90,000. Once a year I pull them out to make sure there still there and so far no problems. Everytime I pull them out I'm amazed at how clean they are.
 

LubeDude

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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

Different engines react differently to them as well as any other plug. My 4 cyl Toyota 4X4 that I used to have ran great with them. On the otherhand I put a set in my 4X4 93 Ranger 4 liter and it didnt like them at all.
 

mikecjn

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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

I had the same issue as LubeDude did. My Toyota ran fine with them but both my Fords had problems. My 93 Taurus ran rough with them. My 98 Taurus (3.0l 6cyl) started missing and after pulling the Bosch plugs that I had replaced a month prior I found that I had lost the real thin electrode on one of them.<br />I guess it just depends on the vehicle.
 

fireship1

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Aug 26, 2003
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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

Hello all, I tried a set in my Ford Ranger 2.3 four banger. After about a year I developed a slight misfire and pulled the plugs to take a look. On two plugs the small center electrode was burned back into the ceramic insulator. I have read that these plugs are not recommended in Ford ignition systems that employ waste spark technology. Most ford systems are of that type today. When one plug is firing on it's compression stroke it's companion (coil packs are grouped into pairs) the other plug is firing during its exhaust stroke. Motorcraft or Autolite DOUBLE platinum plugs are all that is recommended on these types of engine. This will keep you from having the misfire blues. My take is this, I tried them, wouldn't recommend them and would advise people to stick to what the manufacture of your engine recommends you install. Just my .02 cents worth of info! ;)
 

CalicoKid

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May 27, 2002
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1,599
Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

I tried them in my VW VR6 and it ran really bad. The car just struggled. My VW witch doctor told me to only use the factory plugs in my motor so I switched back and she runs sweet again.
 

Bondo

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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

I know this Isn't the question, <br />But,<br />Basically, I use ACs for GM products......<br />Autolites for Ford products......<br />NKGs for Japanese products....<br />Bosch for European products......<br /><br />And, I Can't Remember the last Sparkplug Issue I Ever Had...........
 

JasonJ

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Aug 20, 2001
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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

I have ran Bosch Platinums in every vehicle I have ever owned with no problems. I have never had any performance issues, or performance deviations from stock plugs. I have never known anyone who has had any problems with the plugs. I can't help but wonder what other factors came into play for those who had such terrible results from something as simple as a spark plug. My better halfs Grand Cherokee had never had its plugs changed, ever. The electrodes were worn to the insulator, must have been three times the gap, they were nasty. The vehicle ran just fine. I put new plugs in and it ran the same. Just make me wonder....
 

Boomyal

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Aug 16, 2003
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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

Originally posted by JasonJ:<br />Just make me wonder....
Me too, JasonJ. I've had problems in a ford 390, a ford 302, a pontiac 2.0 liter OHC, and more subtle but suspected problems in my Toyota 4 cyl Van.
 

aspeck

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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

Never liked them myself. I hold about the same views as Bondo - keep them OEM and you can't go wrong.
 

lakelivin

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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

Anyone with updates on experience with the Bosch Double Platinum plugs?<br /><br />And if any of the previous posters to this thread look at this, will you let us know what year the vehicle you tried them in was?<br /><br />I was talking to the clerk at an Auto Zone last night about plugs for my '99 Ford Ranger. He seemed pretty knowledgable, and thought the hotter firing Bosche Double Platinums would be good for an 'older' vehicle (years, not technology wise). But he noted that he could see where they might cause problems on vehicles with older technnology (forget exactly which components he mentioned, there were several).<br /><br />Please provide your results if you've tried them since this original post, and previous posters, please add the date of the vehicle you tried them on. That might have some correlation to whether they worked well or not.<br /><br />Thanks!
 

lakelivin

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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

n/m, found the answer. For those intrested, below is an excerpt from a thread on a Ford Truck forum. Link to full thread is below.<br />____________________________________________<br />"...I will now attempt to debunk for you the myths and legends surrounding Bosch Platinum spark plugs: Bosch acknowledges a problem with using their Bosch Platinum spark plugs in engines with ignition systems that employ 1 coil for each pair of spark plugs (also known as a "waste spark ignition system"). <br /><br />In cars with conventional (1 coil, distributor/rotor) ignition systems .....there is no problem..... <br /><br />The problem that Bosch has acknowledged when using their Platinum plugs in engines with waste spark ignition systems stems from the tendency of electrode metal to get transferred depending upon the polarity (direction of current flow) of the spark. In waste spark ignition systems, 1/2 of the plugs always see reverse polarity sparks. <br /><br />Given the very narrow platinum center electrode of the Bosch Platinums, performance will be degraded more significantly when reverse polarity sparks will cause material to be transferred from the large ground/outer electrode onto the narrow platinum center electrode's exposed end surface. <br />In cars with conventional (1 coil) ignition systems, every spark is of the same polarity, for which the Bosch Platinums are optimized, leaving them to deliver their designed-in advantages, which include:<br /><br />- reaching self-cleaning temperature faster ("than any other plug") <br /><br />- maintaining the spark gap and low firing voltage requirement throughout their service life..."<br />________________________________________________<br /><br /> http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=144279 <br /><br /> http://www.ford-trucks.com/lc/lc.ph...comcast.net/RangerPictureGallery/DIS_EDIS.htm
 

KRS

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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

cool! hope others have updates
 

Boomyal

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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

Lakelivin, you neglect, in your first post, to state that you were speaking about DOUBLE platinum plugs. Everything I stated were about the standard single plug. I have a friend who swears by the double platinums.
 

jimr

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Mar 21, 2004
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723
Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

RUN WHAT IT CAME WITH and you won't have any problems. there is no magic bullet. run motorcraft in ford ac in gm and champion in mopar.
 

lakelivin

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Re: bosh platinum spark plugs

Originally posted by Boomyal:<br /> Lakelivin, you neglect, in your first post, to state that you were speaking about DOUBLE platinum plugs. Everything I stated were about the standard single plug. I have a friend who swears by the double platinums.
???? Do u mean my second post? From my first post: <br />"Anyone with updates on experience with the Bosch Double Platinum plugs?"<br />and <br />"He seemed pretty knowledgable, and thought the hotter firing Bosche Double Platinums would be good..."<br /><br />Bottom line is that I've seen several online posts where individuals have reported problems even with the Bosch Double Platinums in their Fords with EDIS systems. Don't know if it's related to how thin the center electrode is, how low it's set into the ceramic insulator or what, but I'm gonna return the Bosch Double Platinums for some Autolite Double Platinum plugs.<br /><br />I've discovered that Honeywell Corps. Autolite Division makes both Autolite and Motorcraft plugs. Most (but not all) Motorcraft plugs are manufactured by Autolite, and in most cases sounds like the two are probably identical.
 
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