Best Plugs out there for street perf use? Champion- NGK Iridium IX?

[rally]

Looking for opinions on the best performance street spark plug on the market. I heard Champion spark plugs were the best for street because least resistance? How about NGK Iridium IX spark plugs? I read good things about these plugs. Thanks guys, all opinions are appreciated. I know the late great Big Joe Sherman liked NGK plugs.

[Bazman]

I use Brisk iridium, they perform well even under boost and last a long time. Before them I used exclusively NGK. They're a good plug. Nobody down under talks about Champion and NGK in the same breath.... but to be fair, I'm sure the more expensive top line Champion plugs are good these days, they'd have to be to compete. I'd default to NGK

[wjnielsen]

Going back to when I did driveability work on a pretty much daily basis as an auto mechanic (which was last in 2003 - where has the time gone?), I liked NGK plugs for pretty much anything; platinum for factory FI cars and their plain old projected tip plugs for older carb'd cars.

Good build quality, never seemed to have problems with them.

Talking with a guy from a driveability/diagnostic troubleshooting service (one where journeyman techs go when they couldn't figure the problem out, NOT THE JACKALOPES ON THE NPR SHOW!!!) one time, he was sold on them, too.

Run them in H-D engines now. Seem to work good.

Anything changed in the last fifteen years? IDK, but wanna' see what guys 'in the trenches' have to say...

[engineguyBill]

I have used Champion plugs for several decades with very good results. Champion did have some quality issues back in the 1980's but it seems like they have identified and corrected the problem (s). At one time Champion hired Smokey Yunick as their high performance spokesman and he gave very entertaining seminars at the trade shows. (Lots of cool stories and x-rated language). I believe the quality problems began when the family-owned business, Champion Spark Plugs, which had been located in Toledo, OH forever, was sold to Federal-Mogul and the bean-counters began cutting costs.

[digger]

I've used champion plugs in my lawn mower for decades. Hope this helps

[Schurkey]

Champion did have some quality issues back in the 1980's but it seems like they have identified and corrected the problem (s). At one time Champion hired Smokey Yunick as their high performance spokesman and he gave very entertaining seminars at the trade shows. (Lots of cool stories and x-rated language). I believe the quality problems began when the family-owned business, Champion Spark Plugs, which had been located in Toledo, OH forever, was sold to Federal-Mogul and the bean-counters began cutting costs.

Interesting. I quit using Champion plugs about then, because of two separate problems.
1. They had soft, fast-wearing electrodes.
2. They had the most-brittle, easiest-to-crack porcelain in the industry.

I thought they were jucking funk.

But since I haven't bought one in thirty-something years, I suppose they could have cleaned up their act and maybe they're making good stuff now.







(I doubt it. But it is possible.)

[Geoff2]

Digger, is it a high performance lawn mower.....LOL.

[benno318]

yeah, champions are not exactly a big "name" plug here in australia. i can recall as a young fella, my uncle used to use them in his workshop (cause they were cheap and so was he) i was helping him change a set in his NA fairlane 6 cyl and one broke off undoing it, broke right where the hex meets the thread. we had a quick attempt at removing it before admitting defeat and removing the head to get it out...

i personally use NGK with success, both street and race cars.
i also have access to autolite plugs cheaply, and i often use these for the likes of first starts, cam run in, hotter plugs for race cars loading onto trailers etc. have also used their race plugs and would say them and the NGK are equal but these do cost me more than the equivalent NGK.

must say im not a fan of iridium and platinum for race stuff, never ever seen any gains on track or dyno, just more $$ and may be negative for high compression, octane limited engines, again just my thoughts.

[midnightbluS10]

I have used Champion plugs for several decades with very good results. Champion did have some quality issues back in the 1980's but it seems like they have identified and corrected the problem (s). At one time Champion hired Smokey Yunick as their high performance spokesman and he gave very entertaining seminars at the trade shows. (Lots of cool stories and x-rated language). I believe the quality problems began when the family-owned business, Champion Spark Plugs, which had been located in Toledo, OH forever, was sold to Federal-Mogul and the bean-counters began cutting costs.

That happened around 1998 when FM purchased Cooper Automotive. The acquisition included Champion Spark Plugs as part of that division of Cooper. That's also when FM purchased Moog from Cooper.

[Momus]

Genuine NGK set the standard in my opinion as well. Nippon Denso are also good. I believe NGK have meaningfull heat range differentiation.

[quickd100]

My .$.02, I used Champions in everything for years with good results. Then a number of years ago one of my motors developed a miss. Pulled the plugs and everything looked fine with them. I decided to check the gaps before reinstalling. I picked one up and as I turned it right side up the electrode dropped down to the ground strap.
I'd heard about some quality issues with them and when to NGK's and never looked back. Then 2 years ago I stopped at the store to get a set for my turbo 318 and they were out of the plug I wanted but had a set of Champions. Being in a hurry I grabbed them. A couple days later the 318 developed a miss. I pulled the plugs and one had broke the porcelain off clean a 1/4" up and it would slide up and down on the electrode.
That was Champions last chance with me.

[steve316]

Have used ngk & autolite with good success. I don't think you can go wrong ngk.

[Alaskaracer]

I run both Autolite Racing and NGK racing plugs in my stuff. I prefer the NGK when I'm tuning, they are much easier to read than the Autolites. Once engine is happy, I switch to the Autolite because they seem to last a little longer in my junk. They do have a harder electrode and don't erode as fast. Electrode is black though, and cut back, which makes reading the timing a little harder than the NGK. There isn't enough money on this planet to force me to put champion in ANYTHING I own, even my weed whackers and lawn mower. They all have NGK or ND in them now.....Bosch also makes a good plug but not common and harder to find. I understand Brisk plugs are very good but they also come with a substantial price tag. Since there isn't really any performance difference, I see no reason to pay $12+ each for a plug if I'm not getting anything more from it.....

[rally]

My .$.02, I used Champions in everything for years with good results. Then a number of years ago one of my motors developed a miss. Pulled the plugs and everything looked fine with them. I decided to check the gaps before reinstalling. I picked one up and as I turned it right side up the electrode dropped down to the ground strap.
I'd heard about some quality issues with them and when to NGK's and never looked back. Then 2 years ago I stopped at the store to get a set for my turbo 318 and they were out of the plug I wanted but had a set of Champions. Being in a hurry I grabbed them. A couple days later the 318 developed a miss. I pulled the plugs and one had broke the porcelain off clean a 1/4" up and it would slide up and down on the electrode.
That was Champions last chance with me.

Yes the more i hear about Champion having issues, i will not be buying them. NGK seems to be the ticket.

[GRTfast]

Always been a NGK guy. MX bikes, shifterkarts, boats, various cars (regular and performance). Never been let down.