vg33e swap, which spark plugs should i use?

[Nefarious]

Hey I just need some opinions on which spark plugs and which gaps to use....I have 3.0 intake mani, injectors, distributor, mounted on the 3.3 and using all r50 accessories in my wd21 and been running it for a year with the old plugs but its time to get some new plugs.

 

Would it be best to just get new 3.0 plugs and gap to stock .031 to .035 or should I use the plugs for the 3.3 and gap to the 3.3 litres stock gap of .039 to .044 ?? Which would give me the best performance and efficiency for fuel usage?

Edited January 12, 2013 by Nefarious

[Towncivilian]

EDIT: Never mind, reading comprehension fail and I can't find the delete button on my phone.

Edited January 12, 2013 by Towncivilian

[MY1PATH]

Either way works fine but My preferance is to use NGK V-Power (oem) for the 3.0 and you can actually gap them as far as .040 without any issues.
You are running the 3.0 electrical and the 3.0 coil is actually stronger than the 3.3 coil. In general, all the 90's nissan coils (exept the vg33) were stronger than other brands OEM's.

[Nefarious]

So my best bet is to use the stock V power plugs for the 3.0 but gap closer to the 3.3? Right on, I'll just do that. After this the tune up will be done and I can start tuning. Going to install an eprom socket in class and start tuning my 3.3 swapped pathy with intake/headers/exhaust/egr delete. Maybe get some more ponies and ft lbs Quite possibly more mpg as well if it goes anything like my 240sx did.

[devonianwalk]

EDIT: Never mind, reading comprehension fail and I can't find the delete button on my phone.

 

This could possibly be my favorite post for 2013.

[Nefarious]

Lol ya, only a slight bit of fail there.

[Precise1]

I'd run NGK plugs for the 3.3, V power or the platinum, and gap them for the 3.3 also. That is the motor you are running after all...

The coil shouldn't make any difference and the only thing the ECU might do is advance or retard the timing as it sees fit. The important factors are that you have the right length, heat range and gap for a VG33.

 

B

[Nefarious]

Hm excellent. That sounds reasonable to me, I am on my way to the parts store right now thanks

[silverton]

I'm honestly surprised that the 3.0 and 3.3 don't call for the same plugs.

 

But yes, the factory coils are impressively strong. I think I was able to get something around 40k volts out of the stock coil in my VG powered 200SX.

[Nefarious]

Ok so I put in the VG33E NGK V-power plugs, they are BKR5E-11 gapped to 1.12 mm or .044 inches and got rid of the factory V-power BKR6EY which were gapped to .034 (VG30E plugs).

 

The truck runs WAY nicer. Immediate difference in the way it fires up, idles, has more power, smoother acceleration. I should have done this when I first did the motor swap!!

 

Keep in mind the plugs I took out only have about 10K-15K Kilometers (6k to 12k miles) on them, they were in good shape when they came out so the differences are not just from old plugs.

 

I also noticed the truck has considerably cleaner exhaust now, and less of a smell (no egr, high flow cat). Hoping for a slight fuel mileage improvement now as well.

 

So for anyone who goes the VG33E swap route, definitely run the plugs for the 3.3! The engine runs way better with them! Thanks for the advice precise1.

Edited January 13, 2013 by Nefarious

[Towncivilian]

Doh, I suggested to go with the VG33E plugs in my first reply. Face palm. Should've kept my post but I didn't notice the bit about the different intake, wasn't sure if that would matter.

[Nefarious]

well next time speak up! haha thanks for the opinions everyone

[Precise1]

I'm honestly surprised that the 3.0 and 3.3 don't call for the same plugs.

 

But yes, the factory coils are impressively strong. I think I was able to get something around 40k volts out of the stock coil in my VG powered 200SX.

Agreed, my first Pathy ran for a couple of weeks without a center contact in the dizzy cap, It just arced from the spring to where it was needed. THAT is a strong ignition!

 

Ok so I put in the VG33E NGK V-power plugs, they are BKR5E-11 gapped to 1.12 mm or .044 inches and got rid of the factory V-power BKR6EY which were gapped to .034 (VG30E plugs).

 

The truck runs WAY nicer. Immediate difference in the way it fires up, idles, has more power, smoother acceleration. I should have done this when I first did the motor swap!!

 

Keep in mind the plugs I took out only have about 10K-15K Kilometers (6k to 12k miles) on them, they were in good shape when they came out so the differences are not just from old plugs.

 

I also noticed the truck has considerably cleaner exhaust now, and less of a smell (no egr, high flow cat). Hoping for a slight fuel mileage improvement now as well.

 

So for anyone who goes the VG33E swap route, definitely run the plugs for the 3.3! The engine runs way better with them! Thanks for the advice precise1.

Sweet! I didn't think it would make a that much of a difference, but then you went down one notch in heat and opened up the gap for a longer spark. I'd guess you weren't getting complete combustion, especially in the low compression VG.

Just out of curiosity, do you run manifolds or headers? If the power of a WD21 is a 10 what number would you rate the VG33 at?

 

You are welcome, glad I could help.

 

B

[Nefarious]

Yes I run headers with the vg33e, obx stainless mandrel bent tig welded 2" exits, got them on eBay for 100$ shipped to canada on eBay.

 

When I pulled my vg30 it had a cracked stock manifold and a really bad exhaust setup the p.o. made. When I swapped in the vg33 I also installed the headers and made a custom 2.5" exhaust. So the power difference was huge. When it still had stock tires, and the vg30 is a 10, the vg33 with headers and exhaust would be a 16. It was significant. Now I'm running 33x12.5 tires it brought the power closer to stock but with much taller effective gear ratio.

 

Even with my large tires and 15x10 steel wheels which are over 40 lbs each in just metal weight it still has more power than it did stock with 28.8 tires. This is an auto truck too and it definitely doesn't lack power. My highway rpms at cruise sit at about 1750-1800 rpm at 65 mph with the TC locked in OD and rarely has to drop a gear for hills. The difference is even bigger now with these new plugs!

 

This is all on the factory ecu/tune. I think with a tune and larger maf and injectors I can get even more power out of it. I think I may be next in the M30 ecu club! I really want consult AND tune-ability! As well as the monster maf and better o2.

I have a bag of chip sockets, all I need are eeproms and a chip burner, I can steal the wideband from my 240sx for a bit to get a tune setup.

Edited January 13, 2013 by Nefarious

[MY1PATH]

So your one heat range hotter and the -11 means it has a 1.1mm longer ground strap for a larger gap.
There is no letter after the E so you are using a standard flat tip.

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp147/goldstar1/ngk_sparkplug_symbol_key.gif

Edited January 13, 2013 by MY1PATH

[AndyC]

I'm definitely subscribing to this thread, I'm very curious to how the tune comes out. We had a member with a vg33 xterra that ran headers, true dual exhaust no cats, it was a nightmare. MAF size and scaling are going to be key.

[Nefarious]

I plan to use the n60 maf (found in maxima and m30), m30 (or possibly maxima) ecu, and a combination of consult and eeprom tuning. Right now my maf and the factory tune are by far the biggest restrictions on the motor right now as well as the stock tiny little 180cc injectors, also looking into larger injector options, I have 4 good 260cc 240sx injectors I may try to fit as I would only need to find 2 more and an extra 80cc per injector would be more than enough flow for an n/a tune. I will definitely keep updated with the progress.

 

I think I read somewhere that the maximas consult is not as functional and more limited than the m30. I def want to be able to Rom dump so a full consult is necessary. I'll have to do some more research. From what I found the maxima and m30 maf are the same n60 p/n though so they are interchangeable. Not sure if maxima uses the titania o2 or not..

Edited January 13, 2013 by Nefarious

[Precise1]

Yes I run headers with the vg33e, obx stainless mandrel bent tig welded 2" exits, got them on eBay for 100$ shipped to canada on eBay.

 

When I pulled my vg30 it had a cracked stock manifold and a really bad exhaust setup the p.o. made. When I swapped in the vg33 I also installed the headers and made a custom 2.5" exhaust. So the power difference was huge. When it still had stock tires, and the vg30 is a 10, the vg33 with headers and exhaust would be a 16. It was significant. Now I'm running 33x12.5 tires it brought the power closer to stock but with much taller effective gear ratio.

 

Even with my large tires and 15x10 steel wheels which are over 40 lbs each in just metal weight it still has more power than it did stock with 28.8 tires. This is an auto truck too and it definitely doesn't lack power. My highway rpms at cruise sit at about 1750-1800 rpm at 65 mph with the TC locked in OD and rarely has to drop a gear for hills. The difference is even bigger now with these new plugs!

 

This is all on the factory ecu/tune. I think with a tune and larger maf and injectors I can get even more power out of it. I think I may be next in the M30 ecu club! I really want consult AND tune-ability! As well as the monster maf and better o2.

I have a bag of chip sockets, all I need are eeproms and a chip burner, I can steal the wideband from my 240sx for a bit to get a tune setup.

Ok, thanks, good to know, ithat tells me it's worth it. Ideally, I would like to swap in a VG33 but the stock motor only has 110k on it so it's hard to pull it for no reason. I'd run my headers and custom exhaust also, perhaps swap in VG30 cams, but everything stock other than that.

 

So your one heat range hotter and the -11 means it has a 1.1mm longer ground strap for a larger gap.

There is no letter after the E so you are using a standard flat tip.

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp147/goldstar1/ngk_sparkplug_symbol_key.gif

Yes, you are right, I'm not sure why I got that backwards. The smaller the number, the hotter the plug. Thanks for the correction.

 

B

[silverton]

The too small of a gap is probably what you're noticing, so there was not complete combustion, even if that's what the 3.0 called for, a .44 gap is best with our coils, if you regapped (not recommended) the old plugs to .44 I'm sure it would run just as nice as it is now.