Spark Plug Gap on 2700i 3RZ motor

[pietpetoors]

Does anybody know what the spark plug gap must be on my 3RZ motor?

[BenHur]

My neighbour who is engine management and fuel injection specialist says that even though most vehicles manufactures recommend 0.6 to 0.7mm he sets them at about 1.1 when he before he starts dyno's. He rocins most of today’s coils operate at voltages in excess of 20 000 volt and that the original 0.7mm specs is based on old type coils that only operated at about 11 000 volt. The extra spark do cause better combustion but you do wear plugs quicker so you may need to replace plugs every time you service (10 -15 000 kms) in stead of sometimes skipping the plugs' replacement when servicing.

But nowadays you do also get plugs that last very long My Pajero du to the difficulty of changing plugs uses plugs that only needs replacement at about 120 000 kms ( if I remember correctly) and I remember my old BMW's plugs also last a very long time.

CM how often do you BMW guys change plugs?

[pietpetoors]

I were surprised when I serviced our Tazz (platkar) for the first time the other day. It's manual said the plug gap must be 1.1mm. I did not get the Hilux's manual with it, so I guess it would not harm to set it at 1.1mm. I now had it at 0.8mm. Talking of manual, a friendly guy on the site sent me an electronic manual the other day. Perhaps they have it in there.

[BenHur]

[pietpetoors]

OK, find it. The manual says 0.8mm. But I guess experiencing with 1mm or 1.1 mm would do no harm.

[BenHur]

What is the service intervals on those engines? If it is 10 000 Kms the plugs will definataly last running at 1.1 but if it is 15000 kms they may become moeg at around the time of the next service.

With the '88 Golf GTi I had, setting the new the plugs at 1.1mm they were about 1.5mm by the next time I serviced due to the centre pin corroding away. Bear in mind I was a liiittle bit younger then, and I used to drove the living daylights out of it.

[Cookie Monster]

Hi Bennie

At the moment all the new BM`s have Plug changes around about 100 000km However it can change as servicing on BM`s is now what we call CBS ( Condition Based Servicing ) Which takes things like milage, outside temp, time, throttle position distance traveled per trip, load, towing or not and so on . As for spark plug gaps we have been setting gaps to about 1mm since the start of DME ( Digital Motor Electronics) which is E23 7 series in 84 E28 5 series 84 E30 3 series 88. however we do not gap spark plugs anymore as the plaugs all have duel electrodes or pin type on the M3`s and M5`s

A good plug gap is between 1mm and 1.3mm any begger and you can cause electrical overheating and damage to coils esp solid state coils!!!

[pietpetoors]

This bakkie had some NGK dual electrode plugs in when I got it. It had a little hesitation when going from 1000 rpm upwards. I have spoken to Wessel from 4xtech and he suggested that it could be the plugs. So I replaced them with Champions and now the bakkie is Champion, no more hesitation and a little more nippy.

[BenHur]

Hi Bennie

At the moment all the new BM`s have Plug changes around about 100 000km

A colleague of mine recently decided that his 2002 E46 with almost 300 000 kms on the clocks was now too old to worry about taking it to the agents to service it. He found the procedure to reset the computer somewhere on the net and then decided to service it himself When he took out the plugs he saw that the specific model of Bosch plugs that were in the engine were discontinued around 2003 somewhere. It looks looked his 300 000 km car still had the original plugs in.

Bear in mind that he stays un Krugersdorp and works in Pretoria so 90% of the kilos was done on the open road

[Cookie Monster]

Hi Bennie

Thats is some serious milage he must just be very careful that he uses the correct grade of oil if he does not it will not make 25000km and the oil will turn to sludge. We use a full synthetic Castrol TXT you can also use Castrol Edge Sport full synthetic

[BenHur]

Hi Bennie

Thats is some serious milage he must just be very careful that he uses the correct grade of oil if he does not it will not make 25000km and the oil will turn to sludge. We use a full synthetic Castrol TXT you can also use Castrol Edge Sport full synthetic

No it was serviced regularly (normal 25 000 kms at BMW) until that time, it was just that it seems they never replaced the plugs. On my first 318i I also complained about fuel consumption that became bad in between services ( at about 110 000kms) I booked it in and the guy then told me all they did was to replace the plugs which was still in since new. This was still under motor plan.

[Cookie Monster]

I see
Was your E46 318 a 8valve or 16 valve? The red 3 in the photo viewtopic.php?f=26&t=186 is a 8 valve 2000 model i really enjoyed it and have just replaced it with a 2004 320d :roll:

[BenHur]

My first 318 The one i mentioned above was a 2000 model. My second one was a 2003 Face lift with the bigger engine and the one without the butterfly in the throttle body.

[pietpetoors]

This is a Hilux forum, not a Bee Em forum !

[BenHur]

This is a Hilux forum, not a Bee Em forum !

Sorry baas sallie weerie

[Cookie Monster]

Same here

[Cookie Monster]

Maybe I should change my little pic too I will look for something Hilux