Best spark plug and tap for stock tune?

jpy1980 · 09-27-2019, 11:24 PM

my car is approaching 50k miles and I want to be proactive and change the plugs and coil packs. I drive the car hard, at tracks and canyons, so not sure if that matters. I also may get a tune down the line but not now.

Should I just get the two step colder plugs now? I keep hearing good things about the ngk 97506 plugs. Or just stick with oem?

Also, what two should I run?

Thanks!

wangboy925 · 09-29-2019, 08:39 PM

Go with OEM, when you start tuning you may want to look at other plugs gapped to what your tuner recommends.

NYG · 09-30-2019, 10:30 AM

If you're stock, keep the sparks OE

tom @ eas · 09-30-2019, 12:10 PM

To mirror what everyone else has already said, keep the OEM plugs if not tuned.

jpy1980 · 10-04-2019, 01:55 AM

What gap is recommended for the stock plugs?

wangboy925 · 10-08-2019, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpy1980

What gap is recommended for the stock plugs?

0.028". I just did my spark plugs. See my recent posts on the subject matter.

m20e3087 · 10-09-2019, 05:24 PM

if stock OE is the way to go.

rborane · 01-15-2020, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wangboy925

0.028". I just did my spark plugs. See my recent posts on the subject matter.

Do the stock OEM plugs come pre-gapped?

jpy1980 · 01-15-2020, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rborane

Do the stock OEM plugs come pre-gapped?

I heard that they do come pregapped, but its always good practice to check anyways.

Blancofire · 10-04-2020, 11:47 AM

If you tune the car, the NGK iridium plugs were awesome gapped between .018-.022, do the coils at the same time when you have everything already apart to save the effort. Bavarian Motorsport makes a great coil pack

GarlicBread · 10-04-2020, 05:54 PM

Any harm using the ngk plugs if stock over oe?

Blancofire · 10-06-2020, 10:49 AM

Stick with OEM if the car is stock

Nick7700 · 10-10-2020, 10:38 AM

Does the coils need to be replaced as well when replacing the OEM plugs? I'm planning on doing me plugs, can I still reuse the coils?

GarlicBread · 10-12-2020, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick7700

Does the coils need to be replaced as well when replacing the OEM plugs? I'm planning on doing me plugs, can I still reuse the coils?

Spark plugs are every 3 oil changes or 30k miles. Coils don't have to be changed on that schedule

tom @ eas · 10-12-2020, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick7700

Does the coils need to be replaced as well when replacing the OEM plugs? I'm planning on doing me plugs, can I still reuse the coils?

We like to change them @ 60K, especially if going to a Stage 2 tune shortly. Ignition system takes a beating on higher boost levels.

rowdydaoudy · 10-13-2020, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

We like to change them @ 60K, especially if going to a Stage 2 tune shortly. Ignition system takes a beating on higher boost levels.

About to change my oil and plugs. I plan to tune and catless DP within the next 6 mos or so. Is it okay to run the NGK iridium pre-tune? Also, any particular coils I should change to? Just hit 70k miles.

tom @ eas · 10-13-2020, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rowdydaoudy

About to change my oil and plugs. I plan to tune and catless DP within the next 6 mos or so. Is it okay to run the NGK iridium pre-tune? Also, any particular coils I should change to? Just hit 70k miles.

Sure you can. Also, stick with OEM coils on replacement.

chetman7 · 10-13-2020, 07:08 PM

When I had my plugs changed with oem. The new ones were pregapped to 0.32.
Yet my original plugs were 0.28

cort43202 · 10-29-2020, 08:45 AM

I just changed my plugs this weekend with the NGK 97506. I found differing values for gapping. They were 0.028 out of the box, my OEM were 0.030 when I pulled them. Since most of the info I found online showed gaps smaller than 0.028, I gapped them to 0.025. My car is stock. I also replaced the air filters and pulled the carbon ones.

Once I was done, I got a drivetrain malfunction, maximum power not available, drive moderately.

Ordered an OBD adapter to get more info. Hoping to figure it out this weekend.

Big disappointment to do all that work, start it up and see that.

Schuko · 10-29-2020, 08:52 AM

I used OEM from the dealer for my stock 83. Big bucks too!

TopJimmy · 10-31-2020, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cort43202

I just changed my plugs this weekend with the NGK 97506. I found differing values for gapping. They were 0.028 out of the box, my OEM were 0.030 when I pulled them. Since most of the info I found online showed gaps smaller than 0.028, I gapped them to 0.025. My car is stock. I also replaced the air filters and pulled the carbon ones.

Once I was done, I got a drivetrain malfunction, maximum power not available, drive moderately.

Ordered an OBD adapter to get more info. Hoping to figure it out this weekend.

Big disappointment to do all that work, start it up and see that.

I had the same error happen with a set of F8S flex. One was cracked. Pull plugs and check for a darkened ceramic. Also re-check gap. After I gapped and installed first time the firing heat closed up the gaps a little more. I had to re-gap and use one spare plug.

cort43202 · 11-01-2020, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopJimmy

I had the same error happen with a set of F8S flex. One was cracked. Pull plugs and check for a darkened ceramic. Also re-check gap. After I gapped and installed first time the firing heat closed up the gaps a little more. I had to re-gap and use one spare plug.

I ran the codes using Bimmerlink and got multiple codes. Cylinder 4 misfire, cylinder 4 burning time too short, cylinder 4 injection is switched off.

I then switched plugs between cylinder 4 and 1 and got the same error codes.

I then kept the plugs in the same position and switched the coil packs and now have all three error codes on cylinder 1 and 4. So it got worse.

I wasn't having any issues before, just thought I'd change them out since the car is 5 years old and approaching 30K miles.

Anyone have any ideas?

09-27-2019, 11:24 PM	#1
jpy1980 Lieutenant Colonel 1582 Rep 1,976 Posts Drives: 2015 BMW M3 -Smurfy Blue Vinyl Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (3)	Best spark plug and tap for stock tune? my car is approaching 50k miles and I want to be proactive and change the plugs and coil packs. I drive the car hard, at tracks and canyons, so not sure if that matters. I also may get a tune down the line but not now. Should I just get the two step colder plugs now? I keep hearing good things about the ngk 97506 plugs. Or just stick with oem? Also, what two should I run? Thanks!
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09-29-2019, 08:39 PM	#2
wangboy925 Enlisted Member 14 Rep 34 Posts Drives: 2016 M4 CP Coupe Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Boynton Beach, FL iTrader: (0)	Go with OEM, when you start tuning you may want to look at other plugs gapped to what your tuner recommends.
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09-30-2019, 10:30 AM	#3
NYG Brigadier General 10580 Rep 3,643 Posts Drives: Corvette Z06 Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Brooklyn, NY iTrader: (0)	If you're stock, keep the sparks OE
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09-30-2019, 12:10 PM	#4
tom @ eas BimmerPost Supporting Vendor 8108 Rep 18,798 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Anaheim, CA iTrader: (19) Garage List 2018 BMW i3s [0.00] 2010 BMW M3 [6.50] 2015 BMW M4 [5.25]	To mirror what everyone else has already said, keep the OEM plugs if not tuned. __________________ Tom G. \| european auto source (eas) email: tom@europeanautosource.com · web: https://europeanautosource.com· tel 866.669.0705 · ca: 714.369.8524 x22 GET DAILY UPDATES ON OUR BLOG · FACEBOOK · YOUTUBE · FLICKR · INSTAGRAM
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10-04-2019, 01:55 AM	#5
jpy1980 Lieutenant Colonel 1582 Rep 1,976 Posts Drives: 2015 BMW M3 -Smurfy Blue Vinyl Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (3)	What gap is recommended for the stock plugs?
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10-09-2019, 05:24 PM	#7
m20e3087 Major 1144 Rep 1,407 Posts Drives: G87 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2019 BMW M2C [0.00]	if stock OE is the way to go.
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10-04-2020, 11:47 AM	#10
Blancofire Private 56 Rep 66 Posts Drives: 2015 M4 Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Deerfield Beach, FL iTrader: (0)	If you tune the car, the NGK iridium plugs were awesome gapped between .018-.022, do the coils at the same time when you have everything already apart to save the effort. Bavarian Motorsport makes a great coil pack
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10-04-2020, 05:54 PM	#11
GarlicBread Brigadier General 165 Rep 560 Posts Drives: 17' M4 ZCP Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: New England iTrader: (1)	Any harm using the ngk plugs if stock over oe?
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10-06-2020, 10:49 AM	#12
Blancofire Private 56 Rep 66 Posts Drives: 2015 M4 Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Deerfield Beach, FL iTrader: (0)	Stick with OEM if the car is stock
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10-10-2020, 10:38 AM	#13
Nick7700 First Lieutenant 88 Rep 339 Posts Drives: 2017 M4 F83 Atlantis Metallic Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: MA. iTrader: (8)	Does the coils need to be replaced as well when replacing the OEM plugs? I'm planning on doing me plugs, can I still reuse the coils? __________________ 2008 Toyota Tundra Super Charged Nautical Blue / Red Rock 2017 BMW M4 Vert. Atlantis Metallic / Silverstone 2019 BMW X5 50i Mineral White / Tartufo - Sold 2024 BMW X6 M60i Isle of Man Green / Ivory White
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10-13-2020, 07:08 PM	#18
chetman7 Lieutenant 129 Rep 536 Posts Drives: F80 m3 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	When I had my plugs changed with oem. The new ones were pregapped to 0.32. Yet my original plugs were 0.28
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10-29-2020, 08:45 AM	#19
cort43202 New Member 2 Rep 6 Posts Drives: 2015 M4 Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Cincinnati, OH iTrader: (0)	Stock with NGK I just changed my plugs this weekend with the NGK 97506. I found differing values for gapping. They were 0.028 out of the box, my OEM were 0.030 when I pulled them. Since most of the info I found online showed gaps smaller than 0.028, I gapped them to 0.025. My car is stock. I also replaced the air filters and pulled the carbon ones. Once I was done, I got a drivetrain malfunction, maximum power not available, drive moderately. Ordered an OBD adapter to get more info. Hoping to figure it out this weekend. Big disappointment to do all that work, start it up and see that.
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10-29-2020, 08:52 AM	#20
Schuko New Member 3 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 2015 F83 Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: MA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2015 BMW M4 [0.00]	I used OEM from the dealer for my stock 83. Big bucks too!
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