3.3TT Spark plugs without tune

[T-Mo94]

It's time for me to do my plugs at 42k miles. My question is would it be alright if I went ahead and got the HKS plugs (plan on getting a tune eventually)? Or would the gap they come with not work for the stock tune?

 

[MerlintheMad]

You've been lurking for a spell! (since before I even joined, but only just barely) Welcome into the open!
I can't answer your question. But I do like to say hello.

 

[T-Mo94]

yeeeaaaa I’ve been around awhile and seen lots haha. Never really had much of a reason to post since most of my questions get answered some where but this one I just couldn’t find.

 

[Silverghost]

It's time for me to do my plugs at 42k miles. My question is would it be alright if I went ahead and got the HKS plugs (plan on getting a tune eventually)? Or would the gap they come with not work for the stock tune?

I have a stock 3.3 and asked my dealer to re-gap my original plugs to 0.025".
They did that, charged me, and I have had no problems since the re-gap.
I am sure you could supply your own plugs and get them to install them.
My car runs just fine - like before the re-gap.
Go for it.

 

[ZyroXZ2]

I would wait until you get the tune to do the plugs (or just before). Since the HKS ones are all colder heat range, putting them in without a tune would just lead to earlier build-up of carbon deposits on a stock tune.

Check the condition of your stockers at worst, and maybe gap them down to .027" or something if they look a little aged.

 

[T-Mo94]

I would wait until you get the tune to do the plugs (or just before). Since the HKS ones are all colder heat range, putting them in without a tune would just lead to earlier build-up of carbon deposits on a stock tune.

Check the condition of your stockers at worst, and maybe gap them down to .027" or something if they look a little aged.

That's what I'm thinking. Or go no lower than 1-step colder. As far as actually doing the plugs I don't really got a choice haha. Less than 100 miles shy of 42K and that's the change interval in the manual.

 

[StingerGTT]

waist of money till you get the tune in my opinion I mean unless you plan of getting your tune very soon that is.

 

[Pnasty]

spark plugs aren't that expensive. If you're set on changing them now and not waiting to tune then just go with the same plugs and upgrade once youre ready to tune imo

 

[NICK_KHAR]

Youll have zero problems running HKS plugs even on stock tune. Weve had a myriad of customers with issues on stock plugs on stock car. Switch to HKS solved all their issues.

Youll have no problem. and youll be set for upgrades down the line.
If you have zero plans of modding. Regapped oem plugs may serve you better / cheaper

HKS M45iL Spark Plugs

 

[M'Kehyah]

Plug change interval is a conservative engineering estimate based on substandard fuels and worst case driving (all traffic and no highway driving which cokes up a plug eventually).

If the car starts and idles fine now - and you plan to tune in the next 10K KMs - just wait and tune at that point. If performance suffers before the tune - then buy OEM and regap closer. But a heat range colder to support tune is not dramatic and any carbon will burn off once tuned and some "spirited" driving

 

[white03]

This is the same position I'm in - never plan to add a tune, but wondering if plugs can add some value to stock configuration? Well basically stock, I have got a K&N CAI and axleback exhaust.

Nick - don't the HKS M45iL plugs come pre-gapped? If so will that gap work correctly on stock setup?

 

[Drudge]

wondering if plugs can add some value to stock configuration?

Always wondered that as well. Getting mixed results so far

 

[Toddasaurus]

I've been running brand new, regapped stock plugs (also trimmed the ground electrode) for quite some time now. I run midpipes and catback exhaust, plus an intake. JB4 map 2 for quite some time, and lately I've been running Map 5.

The only downside to stock plugs are the lack of heat range availability.

There have been reports of bad OEM plugs, and I have no doubt they have caused problems, but keep in mind that most plugs suffer from quality control issues every now and again. There have been tons of reports of bad Denso plugs as well. HKS, on the other hand, seem to have excellent QC.

Not many plugs out there, other than the colder heat ranges, offer any significant improvement over the OEM plug. It's rare to have a plug able to fire with such a large gap, reliably, in a boosted engine. HKS, in my opinion, are pretty dang good, but still lack the projected tip of OEM NGK's.

Once my plugs wear out i will either try out a different variant of NGK's that closely resemble the OEM plug, albeit one step colder heat range, or a set of Brisk silver plugs (the ones designed for boosted engines, not the open gap ones).