Dock side chat, fact or fiction??

[Starboardlean]

Was beached near the landing having good time with the family and lots of other folks I didnt know,that what boating is about. Was floating around and complimented aguy on his boat with a big gray Mariner Racing motor. Got into converstaion about maintaince and repair. My old Johnyrude(85899c) was my winter spring project. I told the fellas I had purchased motor cheap,then replaced foot oil, tilt tube and bushings,water pump and impeller,fuel pump,all fuel lines,cleaned rebuilt carbs, installed 2 new coils, 4 new plugs, and one new powerpack. I was instantly advised that powerpacks should be replaced as a group, not individually. I was also advised that my NGKs were fine,but I needed to run Champions. I consulted the NGK chart and got the proper plugs for my motor. Your thoughts?

 

[jakedaawg]

Run chamoions. In a high performnce, tuned , motor, we would replace only the packs that were bad. Ours were all set on kill no rev limiter. On everyday boats i wouldnt think twice abiut swithing out one pack only.

 

[Faztbullet]

Mercury is the only mfg that advises switchboxes(pack) be replaced in pairs due to the bia's circuit......

 

[F_R]

Was beached near the landing having good time with the family and lots of other folks I didnt know,that what boating is about. Was floating around and complimented aguy on his boat with a big gray Mariner Racing motor. Got into converstaion about maintaince and repair. My old Johnyrude(85899c) was my winter spring project. I told the fellas I had purchased motor cheap,then replaced foot oil, tilt tube and bushings,water pump and impeller,fuel pump,all fuel lines,cleaned rebuilt carbs, installed 2 new coils, 4 new plugs, and one new powerpack. I was instantly advised that powerpacks should be replaced as a group, not individually. I was also advised that my NGKs were fine,but I needed to run Champions. I consulted the NGK chart and got the proper plugs for my motor. Your thoughts?

Everybody has their own opinions on spark plugs and aren't going to change their mind no matter what. As for my opinion, it doesn't matter what brand if they are the correct plugs for the motor. And therein is the problem. Brand Y may not make an exact equal to brand M, so they will sell you a substitute that might work. And it might destroy the motor too. BW, don't think it doesn't happen with the "correct" brand name also. Champion is notorious for selling you whatever fits the hole.

 

[spoilsofwar]

Probably the first instance I've ever seen in my years of a champion spark plug being considered as something superior to an NGK...

As for the power packs, I can't comment.

 

[Tim Frank]

I don't see where anyone is discussing any brands as being "superior" to another. Maybe enlighten us.
What I saw were the comments that an OEM plug may not have an exact cross match to another brand....despite what the "other brand " claims is a cross match.
That certainly matches well with my experience...

NGK is an amazing company that sells nothing but quality stuff...not limited in the least to spark plugs.
But if you take a look at an extended "cross match" list and see that NGK "believes" that a specific NGK plug can match to a dozen or more Champion plugs, you have to scratch your head at least a little.

Most in here simply advise to follow the OEM suggested recs for plugs....which in this case is Champion.

 

[spoilsofwar]

I don't see where anyone is discussing any brands as being "superior" to another. Maybe enlighten us.

You're right; don't know if I misread or the post was edited before I replied (doesn't seem so based on the time stamps). Most likely cause is the Rolling Rocks I've been drinking mislead me.

Ultimately, I agree though; OEM spec tends to be best. I wandered from this based on the recommendations of a well respected iBoats member who suggested only copper plugs should be in my 4.3 block, rather then the Iridium plugs that came factory. The season I put them in (the copper plugs), I had run-on issues upon shutdown and fuel dilution in my end of season oil analysis which was probably directly related. Swapped back to the factory supplied iridium plugs this year, and problem instantly gone, nothing else changed. Lesson learned.

 

[Vic.S]

Was beached near the landing having good time with the family and lots of other folks I didnt know,that what boating is about. Was floating around and complimented aguy on his boat with a big gray Mariner Racing motor. Got into converstaion about maintaince and repair. My old Johnyrude(85899c) was my winter spring project. I told the fellas I had purchased motor cheap,then replaced foot oil, tilt tube and bushings,water pump and impeller,fuel pump,all fuel lines,cleaned rebuilt carbs, installed 2 new coils, 4 new plugs, and one new powerpack. I was instantly advised that powerpacks should be replaced as a group, not individually. I was also advised that my NGKs were fine,but I needed to run Champions. I consulted the NGK chart and got the proper plugs for my motor. Your thoughts?

The currently recommended plugs are Champion L77JC4 or QL77JC4 The latter are ( inductively) suppressed, the former are not suppressed .

You dont not say what NGK plugs you are using. Resistor plugs eg BR7HS-10 are often quoted as equivalent but they are not suitable. Unsuppressed plugs, eg B7HS-10, are OK and BZ7HS-10 are equivalent to QL77JC4 and OK.
Do not run resistor plugs!

My choice would be QL77JC4 , or BZ7HS-10 if you prefer NGK.

 

[jakedaawg]

Vic.S Well said, i think many do not understand the difference between a suppresor plug and a resistor plug.

 

[Starboardlean]

i just got an eight pack Champion ql77jc4 off ebay for 21 bucks. 4 for the engine now, and 4 in the glove box beside the sparkplug wrench

 

[tomynoks]

Send me a link for an 8 pack for $21... I can't find that deal!!!