Spark plugs for a Merc outboard

[airshot]

My 1992 Merc 40 hp classic outboard came with NGK BUHW-2 spark plugs. They are no longer made, but Quicksilver ( mercury) makes a replacement plug # 97182Q... Many part stores advertise these plugs but when I order they send me Champion plugs as a replacement, even after adding a note ( no substitutions). Always been told to not use champion plugs in a Mercury engine. What are others opinions,
Never been a champion fan except on older OMC motors...what about other Merc owners ?

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, Champion spark plugs were used for decades in merc OBs. If memory serves, the BUHW-2 was equivalent to Champ L-78V, which was used in my '73 Merc 850. The 70's and early 80's Il6 motors usually used Champ L-76V.

 

[airshot]

Gee, Champion spark plugs were used for decades in merc OBs. If memory serves, the BUHW-2 was equivalent to Champ L-78V, which was used in my '73 Merc 850. The 70's and early 80's Il6 motors usually used Champ L-76V.

That was back when Champion made top quality spark plugs. Sometime in the 80's their quality went downhill, especially in their plugs for two stroke engines. Most of my experience was in smaller under 90 up motors and mainly under 10 hp. When I worked at a mom and pop marine repair store back in my youth, was always told Champion for OMC and anything but champion for Mercury. Probably an old wives tale, but that was my training. Was working as a supplier to Champion when they had issues, lots of poor plugs being made, then they started making them overseas. Quality went to the basement and so on. As the Proper NGK plug is no longer made and the quicksilver replacement can be hard to find, just wondering if the Champion equivalent was working well in Merc outboards ?

 

[Chris1956]

AC also made a line of spark plugs equivalent to L78V. My '76 Merc 1500 came with those from the factory. V440 something was the number on that one. Not sure that helps.

What does Merc recommend? You can still get BUHW-2, but they are pricy

 

[airshot]

AC also made a line of spark plugs equivalent to L78V. My '76 Merc 1500 came with those from the factory. V440 something was the number on that one. Not sure that helps.

What does Merc recommend? You can still get BUHW-2, but they are pricy

Way beyond pricey.....25-30 bucks each and they are just old stock. Up until recently I have had no issue getting the Quicksilver 97182Q plugs which are the same as the. BUHW-2, even made by NGK for Quicksilver. Part stores are advertising the Quicksilver plugs, even showing pics of them, but they end up sending Champions even when ask to not substitute. Claiming that is all there is. Just curious if any others are using the Champions and are they successful ??

 

[Chris1956]

I found some BUHW spark plugs at some local (NJ) advance auto stores for $5 ea. Not all stores have them so they look like leftover stock.
You could investigate that route.

The BUHW-2 are nearly impossible to find for any low price.

 

[cyclops222]

Pick a heat range 1 step hotter or cooler. No damage to engine. I run 1 range hotter all the time.

Edit
Looks like a India company, Niterra is controlling the NGK website. Oh well
Love greedy companies.

 

[racerone]

Does a sparkplug know if it is installed in a black motor or a white motor?

 

[airshot]

Does a sparkplug know if it is installed in a black motor or a white motor?

They might....back in my younger days, we often used Champion plugs as they were cheaper and readily available. We always carried extras because they often fouled out. When using NGK or AC Delco, we could run for a month or more before fouling a plug. Just the opposite for the OMC motors, champion would run all summer but other brands fouled quickly. And yes, we always used the mfgrs cross reference to be sure we had equivalent plugs.

 

[racerone]

Sparkplugs are just a " dummy " device that provide a gap for voltage to jump.-----And transfer heat away to the block.

 

[cyclops222]

Call or go to NGK technical support for a correct substitute.

 

[airshot]

After checking with few various parts supply houses including Quicksilver themselves, it appears the Champion plugs are the " replacement" plugs for the NGK BUHW-2 and the Quicksilver 97282Q, spark plugs. Tried cross referencing a couple other makes, but everything comes back to Champion unless you want foreign made plugs. Guess I will try a set and see how they work....actually have no other choice.

 

[flyingscott]

Champions are fine

 

[Davetowz]

NGK 2422 BUH is replacement part number for BUHW. I use in my 35hp. No issue.

 

[airshot]

NGK 2422 BUH is replacement part number for BUHW. I use in my 35hp. No issue.

Great....but is the BUHW, the same as a BUHW-2 ?

 

[Mc Tool]

I thought the suffix number was a reference to the gap as supplied. 2 = 2mm gap .
Just looking at the ngk plug ref chart .

 

[airshot]

I thought the suffix number was a reference to the gap as supplied. 2 = 2mm gap .
Just looking at the ngk plug ref chart .

I looked these up, the -2 means a larger gap for higher output spark but also requires a bigger charge to the plug.

 

[Mc Tool]

I think that part of the reason modern lean burn engines have megga coils is that as well as throwing inch long sparks they also have a longer spark duration...or are capable of multiple sparks per firing ,depending on the controller.
Have a look at top fuel drag car engine ignitions and plug life

 

[jimmbo]

My 84 Merc inline 6 came with NGKs and when I traded it in 1998, with about 700hrs on it, it still had the Factory Plugs in it. Those Surface Gap Plugs were Great

 

[cyclops222]

Good engines have no problems.
Unless the owner likes to IMPROVE the engine.