Spark Plug Database - Colder Than Stock ( Stage 1&2 )

[Haltech]

This is a compiled database for spark plugs who's heat range is 1 and 2 stages colder than stock. Please add your plugs and we will update this thread.

Mazdaspeed Forums Spark Plug Index Database

Gap size - 0.26 - 0.32 | Preferred gap is between 0.26 to 0.28

Type and Specs on DISI 2.3l Spark Plugs: 14mm; 5/8 hex; 25mm reach; projected tip; resistor plug

Heat Range Conversion Chart

 
HKS 25 30 35 40 45 50 52.5 55
DENSO 16 20 22 24 27 31 32 34
NGK 5 6 7 8 9 10 10.5 11 

Spark Plug Manf & Part Numbers

• Denso Iridium
• itv-20 - Stock heat range
• itv-22 - 1 stage colder heat range
• itv-24 - 2 stage colder heat range
• itv-27 - 3.5 stage colder heat range

• HKS
• 50003-M35LF *Mazda MZR Engine* ; Mazda 3, Mazda 6, MX-5 '06 7 $22.97ea. - 1 Stage Colder Heat Range
• 50003-M40LF *Mazda MZR Engine* ; Mazda 3, Mazda 6, MX-5 '06 8 $22.97ea. - 2 Stage Colder Heat Range

• NGK IX Iridium
• NGK LTR7IX-11 (6510) - 1 Stage Colder Heat Range
• NGK ILTR6A-8G (3787) - Stock Heat Range

• Torque Master Spark Plugs
• SVTP8BR Stock Heat Range
• SVTP7YR 1 Stage Colder Heat Range

• Autolite Iridium
• Autolite Iridiums XP5364 - Stock Heatrange
• Autolite Iridiums XP5263 - 1 Step Colder

NGK Copper Plugs

LZTR4A-11 (5306)
LZTR5A-13 (4306)
BKR7E

[whoosh@Realtune]

HKS has plugs available for the MS3/MS6 as well
I actaully have a set of the heat range 7 (1 step colder)

from the HKS-USA site:
50003-M35LF *Mazda MZR Engine* ; Mazda 3, Mazda 6, MX-5 '06 7 $22.97ea.

50003-M40LF *Mazda MZR Engine* ; Mazda 3, Mazda 6, MX-5 '06 8 $22.97ea.

BTW, I've also been running the NGK 6510's gapped @ .32 for almost a year now and they are great

[Haltech]

Thanks very much Whoosh!

[speedster 3]

so what would the best spark plugs be for just having TBE, CAI, and BOV?

[phailerider]

what are the ngks supposed to be gapped at stock... anybody know?

[Laloosh]

stock they come at something stupid like 42

[phailerider]

i dont think the ones on my car were ever gapped. ken just told me it isnt necessary unless the car doesnt run right...lol we'll see.

[Speedy3]

What is the torque setting for spark plugs?

[Haltech]

Twist in until it stops by hand using the extension of the ratchet.. than one 1/4 inch turn to secure. Be sure to use a dab of anti seize on the threads and a dab of di-electric grease on the top of the plug where the coil connects to.

[bioevolve]

Here is a good spark plug reading link. Someone rip the info from there and sticky it! Well for non-iridium types, but you kinda get the idea.

Spark Plugs

[Phantom]

I am guessing the .30 to .32 gapping is in mm?

[ms6acton]

i kno nothing about gap and what not, what plug would u guys reccommend just to make the motor run better? no mods yet

[ptperformance]

Originally Posted by ms6acton i kno nothing about gap and what not, what plug would u guys reccommend just to make the motor run better? no mods yet

Start at .038 and work your way down from there. We have found that on stock gap (.042) the NGK's seem to work very well with stock boosted applications. If you turn up the boost your going to want to knock that gap down a little bit. We have ran them as high as .038 at 21 psi on the stock turbo. I have yet to have blow out problems with the one range colder plugs.

[ptperformance]

Originally Posted by Phantom I am guessing the .30 to .32 gapping is in mm?

No, it should be .032 in inches.

[zoom-zoomhatch]

Has anyone tried just running a plain ole copper plug?

[Haltech]

Originally Posted by zoom-zoomhatch Has anyone tried just running a plain ole copper plug?

No one has sourced a copper plug compatible with these COPs yet.

[Monstar]

I just wanted to Throw this out there. I thew in a set of NGK 5610s last night and found that the stock plugs in my car (fomoco) were gapped at .030!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Started the ngks at .038. I wondered what the deal was. I think stock was supposed to be around 40-42???? The car was only touched by mazda before I got it at 30k miles, its around 44k now. Input?????
It smoothed it out alot, still getting flames out the back between shifts though sometimes....

[phillyb]

Originally Posted by Monstar I just wanted to Throw this out there. I thew in a set of NGK 5610s last night and found that the stock plugs in my car (fomoco) were gapped at .030!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Started the ngks at .038. I wondered what the deal was. I think stock was supposed to be around 40-42???? The car was only touched by mazda before I got it at 30k miles, its around 44k now. Input????? It smoothed it out alot, still getting flames out the back between shifts though sometimes....

did you read anything in the first post?

[Dash08]

Should I switch to step colder plugs? What's the advantage?
How often should I be swapping plugs?
10,500 on the odometer.

[Monkey_3]

so...any advantages?

[jmhinkle]

I personally think it would be useful to post the gap issues with some plugs. For example, both the stock heat range Denso and one step colder NGK are both factory gapped at ~.045. That isn't correct for our motor and requires a funky bend on the ground electrode. They work, but are not ideal. Denso 1 and 2 step colder are the proper gap.

[djrivera]

What is the advantage to using +1 +2 step colder plugs?

[straydoginc]

I am looking at buying some plugs. Ditto on the "What are the pros for getting a +1 +2 plug set?"

[phillyb]

my understanding is as follows: good for more extensive mods.
and they will also help keep knock at bay

[jlocurto]

does anyone know the part number for the denso itv 22's trying to get them at an advanced auto parts near my house and theyre retarded and cant find it by "itv 22" they need a part number

[ToledoSpeed3]

Originally Posted by jlocurto does anyone know the part number for the denso itv 22's trying to get them at an advanced auto parts near my house and theyre retarded and cant find it by "itv 22" they need a part number

5340

[Nitr0EngiE]

I have repeated issues with colder plugs, I fry then in like 2k miles. the arm over electrode looks glazed white like ceramic and i get misfire trouble codes. this happened with Densso itv 22 and 24 and the NGKs, So i am gonna go back to stock plugs ! fuck this bs.

I may consider trying itv 20 stock heat and see if they hold up. its happening more often ive got the maf tuned to about 12-12.5 A/F

I wanted to ask can anyone explain why i am having plug issues .... they come out looking like the car runs lean even before I made air/fuel higher. and we all know the car runs rich.

[2007speed3]

^ thats a strange issue, i am running the denso 2 step colder and the only issie i have after 8k miles is a rough idle sometimes.

Are they gapped correctly?

[atomic_rice]

Originally Posted by Nitr0EngiE I have repeated issues with colder plugs, I fry then in like 2k miles. the arm over electrode looks glazed white like ceramic and i get misfire trouble codes. this happened with Densso itv 22 and 24 and the NGKs, So i am gonna go back to stock plugs ! fuck this bs. I may consider trying itv 20 stock heat and see if they hold up. its happening more often ive got the maf tuned to about 12-12.5 A/F I wanted to ask can anyone explain why i am having plug issues .... they come out looking like the car runs lean even before I made air/fuel higher. and we all know the car runs rich.

im having the same issue. I've gone through 2 sets of ITV22s, getting misfire codes in different cylinders. I've changed the coil packs around, so i know its not the problem. Im thinking of goin back to stock as well. and yes i've checked the gap multiple times.

on the good side, i can get my TMIC off in 5 mins flat now cause i've had to change my plugs so many dang times.

[DCLXVI]

the ITV22s come gapped at .32 i thought, and i just spoke to cobb and they said to gap to .28 if you have the AP. is prefered gap what people who have the AP are running? or is that for stock ECU in which case the ITV22s come ready.

[Nitr0EngiE]

Originally Posted by DCLXVI the ITV22s come gapped at .32 i thought, and i just spoke to cobb and they said to gap to .28 if you have the AP. is prefered gap what people who have the AP are running? or is that for stock ECU in which case the ITV22s come ready.

the only reason cobb says that is for increased Boost im told .28 is better. but on my car i cant get past like 16 psi no matter what i set it to in SB, our turbos blow ass.

And i had a coil go bad on my half mile from my house i limped(ran off 3 cyl, car shook really bad barely accelerated.) to mazda fully bolted with fmic and they replaced ignition coil. Dashhawk said misfire cyl 1 i changed 4 plugs still same thing, i swap coil from 1 to 2 and the error switched from 1 to 2. Coil is bad. And earlier same day i had cyl 4 misfiring, i replaced plug and it went away and it only misfired under boost 10 psi or more, this is getting annoying !

i think this colder plug bull shit is just an excuse for people who cant tune out knock or something, people with stock plugs have no issues at all. i ordered 4 stock plugs at a rediculous 15 ea. mazda dont even stock coil nor plugs because theyve never seen any go bad they said ! parts made me pre pay for plugs because they are special order, not stocked.

my friend has stock plugs cpe tbe and cpe cai and he dynoed more power then me ...... with stock intercooler. And i have everything. so wtf ? he got 272 i got 265, then they sprayed our intercoolers with NOS and i got 281 he got 285. My intercooler made the difference here.

[camdensms6]

Glad ive read this thread, Ive been asking this ? for some time now.

[TongMan]

Someone confirm these are the correct plugs for the mazdaspeed3:

4 DENSO IRIDIUM Power Spark Plugs ITV22 5340 - Chevy:eBay Motors (item 270389179968 end time Nov-07-09 1106 PST)

[bioevolve]

YES, ITV22 are the correct ones.

[TongMan]

Thanks. I will be ordering a set.

[curtspeed6]

what have you guys found to be the most reliable aftermarket plugs, it seems to me that these colder ones arnt lasting as long.

[shpankey]

Originally Posted by Nitr0EngiE I have repeated issues with colder plugs, I fry then in like 2k miles. the arm over electrode looks glazed white like ceramic and i get misfire trouble codes. this happened with Densso itv 22 and 24 and the NGKs, So i am gonna go back to stock plugs ! fuck this bs.

Ditto. Having same issue. ITV22s gapped at .30 and already fouling w/ less than 2k on them.

[shpankey]

Originally Posted by Speedy3 What is the torque setting for spark plugs?

For aluminum heads I always use 13 ft lbs.

Btw... my stock, from the factory plugs (09 MS3) were at .28 gap. From the factory. I checked them all w/ feeler guages. All 4 were at .28 perfectly.

[shpankey]

Sorry for the multiple post. It's in just 1 thread now. Thanks phillyb, apologies.

[phillyb]

mhmm...my understanding of ngks is that we use 6510 for 1 step colder. not that part number.