NGK Spark Plugs on OMC motors - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: Whaler Performance
  NGK Spark Plugs on OMC motors

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   NGK Spark Plugs on OMC motors

SWarren posted 08-26-2002 08:24 AM ET (US)
I have always run champion plugs on my 115 johnsons. The plug by ngk is a # 3133 which cost 7.00 each. Will the ngk run that much better than the champion? I ran ngk on my yamahas and they were fine, I was just shocked by the big price difference. Does anybody have any pros and cons with the ngk on omc motors?
bdb posted 08-26-2002 09:30 AM ET (US)
I used to think a spark plug was pretty much a spark plug. But no more. My '89 70hp Evinrude just didn't like to idle, and would frequently die when asked to idle. Now this motor has been built since Ole was a kid, and always used the ubiquitous LJ77-- champion plug. I installed new plugs...no improvement...had a dpendable mechanic tune it...no improvement...decarbed...no improvement...spent $7 each for the NGKs...presto-whizzo, problem gone! Idles like it was born to. That was last year. Same plugs are running now, and look great. I believe (after research) that some NGKs, spec'd for these motors, are resistor models, and hence the higher price. Anyway, I'm sold...HUGE difference.
Harpoon Harry, properly gapped
goldstem posted 08-26-2002 09:41 AM ET (US)
I've run a set of the NGKs on my '81 evinrude 140 for a few years now. very nice.
these are the surface gap plugs. The champions weren't awefull but these do seem marginally better.
jimh posted 08-26-2002 10:47 AM ET (US)
A NGK plug with a model descriptor of "3133"? That sounds like someone's catalogue number. The NGK plugs have model numbers that describe all the important aspects of the plug, like BCPR6ES-11
Each letter and number denotes an attribute of the plug. They don't sell them by random numbers!
SWarren posted 08-26-2002 02:03 PM ET (US)
Jim, you are correct it starts with BPH or something like that. It does also have 3133 on the box just champion has QLY78C or 938 on the box.
SWarren posted 08-26-2002 02:22 PM ET (US)
I had heard that NGK were great on foreign engines, but not that great on the domestic engines. I wanted to see what everyone thought because the price is more than double for the ngk, and because they omc manuals suggest champion plugs. I still think I will give the ngk a try and see how they work.
jimh posted 08-26-2002 02:26 PM ET (US)
I think that Mecury is now using NGK plugs as standard equipment on most of their engines, although their strong alliance with Yamaha on some models could be affecting that.
NGK has a good website. Many of the plugs are made in California, although the original NGK company was begun in Japan.
See http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/
hauptjm posted 08-26-2002 03:04 PM ET (US)
NGK BPZ8HS-10's. The only plug I've ever used in my 150 OMC (1995).
SWarren posted 08-26-2002 03:28 PM ET (US)
That is the same plug I need to buy for my motors BPZ8HS-10 or 3133. The least expensive place I found them at was advance auto for 7 dollars. Where do you get yours from?
jimithing posted 08-27-2002 11:06 AM ET (US)
I dont' know where you guys buy your NGK plugs but at the westmarine here in Richmond Virginia they sell for about $2.50-2.60 each. Champions are really ot that much cheaper either. Have bought plugs for my Yam 225, 50 and 40....all are in the same range. Don't think I would pay $7 for any kinda spark plug.
JohnAz posted 08-27-2002 02:32 PM ET (US)
Right on $2.99 in catalouge..west marine
bdb posted 08-27-2002 02:39 PM ET (US)
Yea, most of them are in the $2.50-$3.00 range. But like I said above, the particular applications in question are a "resistor" style. Check any manufacturer and you will find the resistor models offered are much more expensive that standards.
mtbadfish posted 08-27-2002 02:41 PM ET (US)
West Marine has the BPZ8HS-10 as follows:
Ngk Plug-BPZ8HS-10 1965771 3133 $10.99 - I didn't see it listed for anything near $3.
Many other NGK plugs are in that range though.
jimh posted 08-27-2002 07:18 PM ET (US)
The NGK resistor plugs (the Z designation) are very expensive compared to other brands of resistor plugs. The NGK resistor element is actually an inductor, too, which helps to further suppress radio interference.
soggy bottom boy posted 08-27-2002 08:53 PM ET (US)

At the beginning of the season I changed the NGK plugs that came with a 15hp Yamaha 4 stroke with Champions (Couldn't source the proper NGKs at the time). Have since changed back to NGKs as the 3 season old plugs ran better than the new Champions. Had several Arctic Cat sleds (Kawaski, Suzuki powered mind you) that did the same thing.
Soggy.
whalernut posted 09-01-2002 09:43 PM ET (US)
I have a 1975 85 h.p. Johnson on my `16 Whaler, and I have tried them all. I couldn`t really tell a difference at high speed, but i couldn`t get any of them to idle or troll long before stalling, problem solved. I have tried all of them except Splitfire. The ones my engine likes the most is Denso, made in Japan and only $199 a plug for Non-Resister and last and last and just don`t burn out, I think they are better than NGK at idle and slow speeds and the champion were throwaways, not worth my money, at least not at idle and slow speeds. Jack.
triblet posted 09-02-2002 08:29 AM ET (US)
$199 a plug??? They must be solid platinum,
not just the tips.
Chuck
whalernut posted 09-02-2002 05:16 PM ET (US)
EEEEEk!! Thanks chuck, forgot the decimle point, I meant $1.99 a plug. Jack.
alan posted 09-03-2002 05:08 PM ET (US)
I went to Auto Zone to buy NGK plugs. The clerk said they didn't sell NGK but sold Denso, made by NGK and he said they had the same performance. Go figure. Went to a distributer and bought NGK's just the same.
lhg posted 09-03-2002 05:53 PM ET (US)
All Mercury V-6's, at least from 1989, have come from the factory with NKG plugs.
Just for comparison purposes, I recently installed a new set of Champions in one 200HP engine, and a new set of NGK's in the other. So far, I see no difference in performance, but time will tell, and I'll report back. At Boat US, the Champions were $3.00 each, and the NKG's were $3.50 each.
The Merc specs do call for the NKG's, which up until now I have always used.
Eric posted 09-03-2002 09:18 PM ET (US)
That's a good way to do a trial, different plugs in two engines on the same transom.
To really make it effective, have someone else do the install, so that you don't know which is which (double blind study: neither the observer or the subject know which is the drug and which is the placebo).
That's how you keep the preconceptions of the observer or the subject from influencing the data.
DaveW posted 09-07-2002 05:46 PM ET (US)
Here is a spooky deal, I fould the heck out of the champion plugs in my merc 225 and when I went to replace them they were asking 11.00 per plug. I wasn't convinced about the model number so i called 6 different Merc dealers around the country and got 5 different plug numbers to use. Finally, I called Mercury Marine Tech dept. They were unbelieveably nice and helpful--amazing for a huge corporation. Anyhow, they said that even though they are still specing Champions in the shop manual, they are reccomending NGK's because they have had a lot of trouble with Champions.
jimh posted 09-08-2002 11:38 AM ET (US)
[Administrative post]
JOHN W MAYO posted 09-16-2002 08:46 AM ET (US)
Try your local auto parts store for NGK plugs. I just bought some for my 150 Merc.
AT PEPBOYS $1.99
At Advance $ 2.19
Be sure to carry your plug number...., as they have no idea what plugs a boat motor takes.
lhg posted 09-16-2002 04:01 PM ET (US)
John - thanks for the price tip on NGK plugs.
At the boat stores, they're all around $3.50!
Sal DiMercurio posted 09-16-2002 11:01 PM ET (US)
Before the year 2,000 I ran a 1991 Johnson 150 on my boat, found NGK plugs at the Merc dealer, $1.60 each, my engine loved em.
I don't think NGK makes a plug for my 2000 - 200 FICHT, I order them from NAPA for $4.80 each, compared to $10.00 each from the OMC Bombardier dealer.
Sal
scarlson posted 09-25-2002 06:53 PM ET (US)
Thought I would add my 2 cents worth. Ordered three NGK "BZ7HS-10's" for my 1986 Evinrude 70 will pick up tomorrow and go out on Lake Erie over the weekend. Have used the Champions since I bought it and have never been happy at troll speed and have had the stall problem in nuetral/shifting to reverse. Will let you know the results. Paid $4.39 per plug plus tax at Advance Auto Parts. If these %$@# work and solve the problem I would gladly spend $20 per plug just to not hit the dam dock!
Sal DiMercurio posted 09-26-2002 12:23 AM ET (US)
Carlson, i think you need to decarbon your engine.
Have you ever done, or had it done ?
Needs to be de-carboned every 50 hours.
You will not believe how well your engine will run at idle & wot.
You must change or clean the plugs after each de-carbing.
Sal
scarlson posted 09-26-2002 09:16 PM ET (US)
Sal,
have run every decarb agent known to man through that puppy (if you have another let me know). I'm trying the NGK's as a last resort, to getting rid of the engine. At all speeds other than idle it runs great. But not being able to dock and trailer is becomig one big pain, to say the least.
Sal DiMercurio posted 09-26-2002 11:03 PM ET (US)
Bet it's a carb adjustment.
Sal
dauntlass 18 posted 09-27-2002 08:42 AM ET (US)
My model year 2000 Optimax 200hp came from Mercury with Champion plugs installed in it.I spent the first summer pulling and cleaning plugs three or four times in app. sixty hours use.The engine gets run most of the time in the 3600rpm range. Plugs would foul.Mercury replaced plugs with NGK "PZFR5F11" under warranty in spring of 2002.I have no problems with idle or low speed operation now.Also no plug fouling all summer.My wife and I will also idle along for an hour or more in creeks and small rivers of Chesapeake Bay we enter bay and open throttle to cruise speed not a skip or miss from engine now.NGK works for me. Other than high cost 20.00 dollars from Mercury for "PZFR" series plugs I use them in my power mowers etc.
Salmon Tub posted 09-27-2002 03:20 PM ET (US)
The P in BPZ8HS-10 Means Platinum , hence the premium in the price. I use BR8HS-10's in my nissan 90 and they go for 2.99 plus tax at west marine.
hauptjm posted 09-27-2002 04:08 PM ET (US)
Sorry Salmon, the P stands for Projected Insulator.
hauptjm posted 09-27-2002 04:24 PM ET (US)
To further clarify, the P has to be the starting letter to indicate Platinum. See the link below from NGK:
http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/techinfo/spark_plugs/partnumberkey.pdf
Salmon Tub posted 09-27-2002 04:44 PM ET (US)
My bad, I went to the NGK site after my post and saw that as well. Good catch.
scarlson posted 10-01-2002 08:18 PM ET (US)
Here's my story, sad but true (the old classic about a girl named Sue...)
Swapped out the old Champions for NGK. Did a compression test all in line and carrying above spec. tore out the fuel line on that MT and ran above deck (have the rear casting deck)so I can run up top. My buddy tested the spark and getting all of the firepower (voltage) I need. Last Sunday went back out and only getting 15-20% power at WOT making about 7 knots according to GPS. Seven miles out slow going, switched fishing positons, same speed. Go back in seven miles, same speed. 200 yards from harbor lights, jumps back up to full speed runs like a striped a** ape. Question did all of the decarbon, fuel cleaner finally kick in? or is there a possibility of an intermittent electrical problem?
This is driving me nuts (some say I've been there for years) but It's perch season and I want my old whaler performance back, as it is very short season in Ohio. It's a 70 hp Evinrude 1984. What am I missing (note no cap letters as it makes Jim mad)
scarlson posted 10-01-2002 08:24 PM ET (US)
ooops!
motor 1986. Have a 1984 trailer, 1985 hull, 1986 motor, am old and get the years confused. Jim put a spellchecker on this site, Please!

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: NGK Spark Plugs on OMC motors
SWarren	posted 08-26-2002 08:24 AM ET (US) I have always run champion plugs on my 115 johnsons. The plug by ngk is a # 3133 which cost 7.00 each. Will the ngk run that much better than the champion? I ran ngk on my yamahas and they were fine, I was just shocked by the big price difference. Does anybody have any pros and cons with the ngk on omc motors?
bdb	posted 08-26-2002 09:30 AM ET (US) I used to think a spark plug was pretty much a spark plug. But no more. My '89 70hp Evinrude just didn't like to idle, and would frequently die when asked to idle. Now this motor has been built since Ole was a kid, and always used the ubiquitous LJ77-- champion plug. I installed new plugs...no improvement...had a dpendable mechanic tune it...no improvement...decarbed...no improvement...spent $7 each for the NGKs...presto-whizzo, problem gone! Idles like it was born to. That was last year. Same plugs are running now, and look great. I believe (after research) that some NGKs, spec'd for these motors, are resistor models, and hence the higher price. Anyway, I'm sold...HUGE difference. Harpoon Harry, properly gapped
goldstem	posted 08-26-2002 09:41 AM ET (US) I've run a set of the NGKs on my '81 evinrude 140 for a few years now. very nice. these are the surface gap plugs. The champions weren't awefull but these do seem marginally better.
jimh	posted 08-26-2002 10:47 AM ET (US) A NGK plug with a model descriptor of "3133"? That sounds like someone's catalogue number. The NGK plugs have model numbers that describe all the important aspects of the plug, like BCPR6ES-11 Each letter and number denotes an attribute of the plug. They don't sell them by random numbers!
SWarren	posted 08-26-2002 02:03 PM ET (US) Jim, you are correct it starts with BPH or something like that. It does also have 3133 on the box just champion has QLY78C or 938 on the box.
SWarren	posted 08-26-2002 02:22 PM ET (US) I had heard that NGK were great on foreign engines, but not that great on the domestic engines. I wanted to see what everyone thought because the price is more than double for the ngk, and because they omc manuals suggest champion plugs. I still think I will give the ngk a try and see how they work.
jimh	posted 08-26-2002 02:26 PM ET (US) I think that Mecury is now using NGK plugs as standard equipment on most of their engines, although their strong alliance with Yamaha on some models could be affecting that. NGK has a good website. Many of the plugs are made in California, although the original NGK company was begun in Japan. See http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/
hauptjm	posted 08-26-2002 03:04 PM ET (US) NGK BPZ8HS-10's. The only plug I've ever used in my 150 OMC (1995).
SWarren	posted 08-26-2002 03:28 PM ET (US) That is the same plug I need to buy for my motors BPZ8HS-10 or 3133. The least expensive place I found them at was advance auto for 7 dollars. Where do you get yours from?
jimithing	posted 08-27-2002 11:06 AM ET (US) I dont' know where you guys buy your NGK plugs but at the westmarine here in Richmond Virginia they sell for about $2.50-2.60 each. Champions are really ot that much cheaper either. Have bought plugs for my Yam 225, 50 and 40....all are in the same range. Don't think I would pay $7 for any kinda spark plug.
JohnAz	posted 08-27-2002 02:32 PM ET (US) Right on $2.99 in catalouge..west marine
bdb	posted 08-27-2002 02:39 PM ET (US) Yea, most of them are in the $2.50-$3.00 range. But like I said above, the particular applications in question are a "resistor" style. Check any manufacturer and you will find the resistor models offered are much more expensive that standards.
mtbadfish	posted 08-27-2002 02:41 PM ET (US) West Marine has the BPZ8HS-10 as follows: Ngk Plug-BPZ8HS-10 1965771 3133 $10.99 - I didn't see it listed for anything near $3. Many other NGK plugs are in that range though.
jimh	posted 08-27-2002 07:18 PM ET (US) The NGK resistor plugs (the Z designation) are very expensive compared to other brands of resistor plugs. The NGK resistor element is actually an inductor, too, which helps to further suppress radio interference.
soggy bottom boy	posted 08-27-2002 08:53 PM ET (US) At the beginning of the season I changed the NGK plugs that came with a 15hp Yamaha 4 stroke with Champions (Couldn't source the proper NGKs at the time). Have since changed back to NGKs as the 3 season old plugs ran better than the new Champions. Had several Arctic Cat sleds (Kawaski, Suzuki powered mind you) that did the same thing. Soggy.
whalernut	posted 09-01-2002 09:43 PM ET (US) I have a 1975 85 h.p. Johnson on my `16 Whaler, and I have tried them all. I couldn`t really tell a difference at high speed, but i couldn`t get any of them to idle or troll long before stalling, problem solved. I have tried all of them except Splitfire. The ones my engine likes the most is Denso, made in Japan and only $199 a plug for Non-Resister and last and last and just don`t burn out, I think they are better than NGK at idle and slow speeds and the champion were throwaways, not worth my money, at least not at idle and slow speeds. Jack.
triblet	posted 09-02-2002 08:29 AM ET (US) $199 a plug??? They must be solid platinum, not just the tips. Chuck
whalernut	posted 09-02-2002 05:16 PM ET (US) EEEEEk!! Thanks chuck, forgot the decimle point, I meant $1.99 a plug. Jack.
alan	posted 09-03-2002 05:08 PM ET (US) I went to Auto Zone to buy NGK plugs. The clerk said they didn't sell NGK but sold Denso, made by NGK and he said they had the same performance. Go figure. Went to a distributer and bought NGK's just the same.
lhg	posted 09-03-2002 05:53 PM ET (US) All Mercury V-6's, at least from 1989, have come from the factory with NKG plugs. Just for comparison purposes, I recently installed a new set of Champions in one 200HP engine, and a new set of NGK's in the other. So far, I see no difference in performance, but time will tell, and I'll report back. At Boat US, the Champions were $3.00 each, and the NKG's were $3.50 each. The Merc specs do call for the NKG's, which up until now I have always used.
Eric	posted 09-03-2002 09:18 PM ET (US) That's a good way to do a trial, different plugs in two engines on the same transom. To really make it effective, have someone else do the install, so that you don't know which is which (double blind study: neither the observer or the subject know which is the drug and which is the placebo). That's how you keep the preconceptions of the observer or the subject from influencing the data.
DaveW	posted 09-07-2002 05:46 PM ET (US) Here is a spooky deal, I fould the heck out of the champion plugs in my merc 225 and when I went to replace them they were asking 11.00 per plug. I wasn't convinced about the model number so i called 6 different Merc dealers around the country and got 5 different plug numbers to use. Finally, I called Mercury Marine Tech dept. They were unbelieveably nice and helpful--amazing for a huge corporation. Anyhow, they said that even though they are still specing Champions in the shop manual, they are reccomending NGK's because they have had a lot of trouble with Champions.
jimh	posted 09-08-2002 11:38 AM ET (US) [Administrative post]
JOHN W MAYO	posted 09-16-2002 08:46 AM ET (US) Try your local auto parts store for NGK plugs. I just bought some for my 150 Merc. AT PEPBOYS $1.99 At Advance $ 2.19 Be sure to carry your plug number...., as they have no idea what plugs a boat motor takes.
lhg	posted 09-16-2002 04:01 PM ET (US) John - thanks for the price tip on NGK plugs. At the boat stores, they're all around $3.50!
Sal DiMercurio	posted 09-16-2002 11:01 PM ET (US) Before the year 2,000 I ran a 1991 Johnson 150 on my boat, found NGK plugs at the Merc dealer, $1.60 each, my engine loved em. I don't think NGK makes a plug for my 2000 - 200 FICHT, I order them from NAPA for $4.80 each, compared to $10.00 each from the OMC Bombardier dealer. Sal
scarlson	posted 09-25-2002 06:53 PM ET (US) Thought I would add my 2 cents worth. Ordered three NGK "BZ7HS-10's" for my 1986 Evinrude 70 will pick up tomorrow and go out on Lake Erie over the weekend. Have used the Champions since I bought it and have never been happy at troll speed and have had the stall problem in nuetral/shifting to reverse. Will let you know the results. Paid $4.39 per plug plus tax at Advance Auto Parts. If these %$@# work and solve the problem I would gladly spend $20 per plug just to not hit the dam dock!
Sal DiMercurio	posted 09-26-2002 12:23 AM ET (US) Carlson, i think you need to decarbon your engine. Have you ever done, or had it done ? Needs to be de-carboned every 50 hours. You will not believe how well your engine will run at idle & wot. You must change or clean the plugs after each de-carbing. Sal
scarlson	posted 09-26-2002 09:16 PM ET (US) Sal, have run every decarb agent known to man through that puppy (if you have another let me know). I'm trying the NGK's as a last resort, to getting rid of the engine. At all speeds other than idle it runs great. But not being able to dock and trailer is becomig one big pain, to say the least.
Sal DiMercurio	posted 09-26-2002 11:03 PM ET (US) Bet it's a carb adjustment. Sal
dauntlass 18	posted 09-27-2002 08:42 AM ET (US) My model year 2000 Optimax 200hp came from Mercury with Champion plugs installed in it.I spent the first summer pulling and cleaning plugs three or four times in app. sixty hours use.The engine gets run most of the time in the 3600rpm range. Plugs would foul.Mercury replaced plugs with NGK "PZFR5F11" under warranty in spring of 2002.I have no problems with idle or low speed operation now.Also no plug fouling all summer.My wife and I will also idle along for an hour or more in creeks and small rivers of Chesapeake Bay we enter bay and open throttle to cruise speed not a skip or miss from engine now.NGK works for me. Other than high cost 20.00 dollars from Mercury for "PZFR" series plugs I use them in my power mowers etc.
Salmon Tub	posted 09-27-2002 03:20 PM ET (US) The P in BPZ8HS-10 Means Platinum , hence the premium in the price. I use BR8HS-10's in my nissan 90 and they go for 2.99 plus tax at west marine.
hauptjm	posted 09-27-2002 04:08 PM ET (US) Sorry Salmon, the P stands for Projected Insulator.
hauptjm	posted 09-27-2002 04:24 PM ET (US) To further clarify, the P has to be the starting letter to indicate Platinum. See the link below from NGK: http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/techinfo/spark_plugs/partnumberkey.pdf
Salmon Tub	posted 09-27-2002 04:44 PM ET (US) My bad, I went to the NGK site after my post and saw that as well. Good catch.
scarlson	posted 10-01-2002 08:18 PM ET (US) Here's my story, sad but true (the old classic about a girl named Sue...) Swapped out the old Champions for NGK. Did a compression test all in line and carrying above spec. tore out the fuel line on that MT and ran above deck (have the rear casting deck)so I can run up top. My buddy tested the spark and getting all of the firepower (voltage) I need. Last Sunday went back out and only getting 15-20% power at WOT making about 7 knots according to GPS. Seven miles out slow going, switched fishing positons, same speed. Go back in seven miles, same speed. 200 yards from harbor lights, jumps back up to full speed runs like a striped a** ape. Question did all of the decarbon, fuel cleaner finally kick in? or is there a possibility of an intermittent electrical problem? This is driving me nuts (some say I've been there for years) but It's perch season and I want my old whaler performance back, as it is very short season in Ohio. It's a 70 hp Evinrude 1984. What am I missing (note no cap letters as it makes Jim mad)
scarlson	posted 10-01-2002 08:24 PM ET (US) ooops! motor 1986. Have a 1984 trailer, 1985 hull, 1986 motor, am old and get the years confused. Jim put a spellchecker on this site, Please!