Noz

If you're in no rush, they can be bought for £12.51 but you've got to wait for it to arrive from China. They're all Chinese, mind. Think my last converter was about £3. Saying that, even £30 for Consult capabilities is nothing at all. It will allow you to monitor to your heart's content until the end of time :D

Let me know which one you bought and I'll see if I've got the drivers

I've bought 3 cheap ones and all have been spot on as long as you install the correct driver. The discs are generic jobbies that cover 3 different types of cable. They all take a beating and I have used them for years for both consult cables and also for my wideband data logging (my laptop only has one serial port).

Consult port above your right knee when you're sat in the driver's seat. Consult "cable" plugs into this. Cheap versions are serial, more expensive are USB. I use serial versions as I have a beast of a modern laptop with ports for everything, and I've been through a couple of the USB varieties, the ones I had weren't very well made. Your ECU communicates with the software on your laptop via the Consult port, just like OBDII vehicles through the OBD port.

That's easy. If a sensor is showing a value under a certain condition that doesn't correspond with the published figures, you know that sensor (and/or circuit) requires investigating. The free softwares are simple plug 'n' play, it's not really possible to misinterpret anything IMO.

You need a Consult cable and a laptop. Cheapest cables are serial but can be used fine with a RS-232 to USB converter cable. Free software options include Conzult & ECUtalk. I use NIStune for any diagnostic issues & logging, it's not just for tuning :D I take it you've checked to see if there are any fault code stored by the ECU?

The easiest way to sort this out is to hook up some decent monitoring software and take a log when the issues are happening.

:lol::lol:

I'm betting it's a 300ZX Twin Turbo! :D

Head gasket issues across adjacent bores being 1&3, 3&5 or 2&4, 4&6.

Dead simple, same as any other car. Just a bit of a pain getting to cylinders 5 & 6. Warm the engine, pull the fuel pump fuse, remove all plugs. Turn over several times with the throttle open until the gauge settles. I usually take readings when the engine is cold to see how everything is sealing before thermal expansion. Published figures are taken from a warm engine. The minimum is 128psi, factory is 171 psi, no more than 14psi difference between cylinders. If one cyl is low, drop some oil down the bore and retake. If compression increases, it's usually worn rings. If the result is the same, issue is in the head or head gasket. 2 adjacent cylinders low can point to the head gasket. All cylinders low can be a incorrect timing (eg a tooth out) or an engine that badly needs a rebuild. Generally-speaking, if you've got all 6 cylinders at 150+psi, you're looking at a healthy engine.

S200s for fast spool and top-end power combined. They're meant to be very robust, too. I've had S200s & S300s but I've always sold them before I had a chance to use them. I seem to end up with massive Mitsubishi turbos that take aeons to get going! Holsets, BW/Schwitzer are very popular on 4 cylinders & big single conversions. They're really good value, designed for 2.5+ bar and perform well. I bet twin Holset HX35s would do very well, too.

Just my asthmatic Automatic turbos, some HKS air filters, backboxes, manual boost controller & 394bhp/410lbft! Maximum injector duty was 94% according to the log I posted, they're not maxed out and the average is less than that. It's my daily so it has to be super safe and nice to drive, been at least 382bhp since January with many a trip up the strip: Nice and reliable! :yes: It's impossible to max the 370cc injectors out as the turbos simply don't flow enough air with the current set-up (on my car). Maybe when I remove the cats... It will actually be a bit less than than 94% as it's not entirely accurate, and a simple adjustable FPR would give some more headroom, but that's waaaay off-topic. It's not just me though, a fair few people have hit over 400bhp on stock injectors/turbos/intercoolers (manual ones, at least). With his hybrid turbos, uprated intercoolers & 555s, there'd be something very wrong to only achieve 380bhp IMO, he can hit that easily without spending a penny more! Has anyone looked into the Holset or Borg Warner range? I guarantee twin BW S200s would be an utterly mind-blowing experience :thumbup1:

For the prices to increase again, numbers need to be greatly reduced first or they need to be reinvented and not seen as wildly expensive to run and impossible to repair. Back in 2005 I bought my 85k mile S13 for £550 with plenty of tax & MOT. Since the drifting scene made heroes out of them, they're worth a great deal more. Zeds used to be drifting heroes before drifting was cool! The MK4 Supra, Z32, GTO, RX7 FD & NSX are the Big Dogs from 90's Jap Land. If we make a collective effort, surely we can get the 300ZX up there with the Supra at least!

If it has been chipped, it's always a good idea to find out what tune the chip has been programmed with.

Couldn't make it, too much work :(

That one's new to me, classic!

Relax buddy, it's just an internet discussion. I am always searching for more knowledge regarding engines & tuning. Iridium/Platinum race plugs for extreme tuning due to higher strength? Fair enough, as long as they dissipate heat at elevated temperatures as well as copper plugs. If so, I agree with Ir, but not Pt, they're hardly one and the same. If copper plugs have performance that is "not noticeably less" (or, as I've read it elsewhere: "better") for track days for a certain period, then why not for road use, too? OK, approximately how long are Cu plugs better/equal to than Pt/Ir until erosion plays its part? I thought Ir plugs were "better" simply because of erosion resistance, meaning a suitably strong spark is created for ~60k miles, satisfying manufacturer & consumer demand for longer service intervals. I have not conveniently avoided any point. The inherent design & material properties of Ir/Pt plugs themselves can be THE CAUSE OF PRE-IGNITION in, as you put it, "extreme tuning" conditions because they simply don't dissipate the heat quickly enough once they reach elevated temperatures. The electrode itself becomes so hot as to ignite the mixture before the timed spark event. This is my main point, I'm not talking about plug damage, so what is the confusion? This IS the point, which stemmed from your own statement regarding the irrelevance of material properties of spark plugs*. Is this wrong? Is A. Graham Bell wrong? Am I wrong? If I am, and thin wire plugs cannot become a source of pre-ignition, then so be it. I have nothing to gain from this discussion, I simply aim to tune cars as safely as possible. I am not willing to experiment with pre-ignition, I can only go on what people like A. Graham Bell recommend. You haven't explained why this is wrong yet, and it's the only point I'm making, and has everything to do with pre-ignition, material choice & thermal conductivity :blink: In answer to your question regarding physical damage of spark plugs, which has nothing to do with the point I'm making: In the last decade or so, I have only killed 3 plugs. 2x BCPR7ES in my CA18DET running someone else's map to test, and a platinum grade 6 plug in my Forester. In the case of the Pt plug, it was the thin centre electrode that disappeared after a high boost run, resulting in a misfire on that cylinder. The melted NGKs happened many years ago, I can't remember which specific part failed, but I'm 95% sure it was the ground electrode which melted away. I am not anti-iridium/platinum plugs for the sake of arguing. I ran a set of grade 8 NGK iridiums in my 4dr R32 GTR at 532bhp and they were absolutely perfect: i.e. They sparked, job done. Also, a shorter non-OEM plug could also promote pre-ignition due to carbon build-up, which means anything other than PRF6B-11B. Swings & roundabouts. It was your statement in response to my post: that is simply a fallacy, and one you later rescinded. Sort of.... It is very, very wrong though. Heh, sorry. They do not have the same conduction property (thermal conductivity) in all scenarios as they are different materials, you can't get away from this. In cases of "extreme tuning" (and lesser tuning, too), my research has lead me to believe that thin-wire low conductivity plugs should be avoided. That's all, no worries if I am wrong and proven so. I'll have a greater choice of plugs to use :) We've not drifted from the OP's topic IMO: He is running a "70+bhp EPROM & filter" spec. With that information, and not having analysed the fueling & timing maps or the amount of boost being used, damn right I would suggest a copper plug, definitely not the stock grade 6 platinum plug and will stand by my first succinct post based on the info given: Cheers.

What does he say? Edit: Found it: $50 for a set of 6 on his website... Good price. Goes against recommendations from people not interested in selling plugs that deal with high boost applications though.

It wasn't intended as a "cheap shot" in the slightest, it is simply a fact. Apologies for any offence. I simply cannot fathom how you can recommend an iridium plug over a copper plug in anything other than a stock vehicle where access to spark plugs is an issue. Cu plugs are much better at conducting heat, as I stated ages ago, whereas you insisted that doesn't matter, and all that is important is the published heat range. Indeed, Cu are better for the first few miles, and for a fair bit longer than that. At the point where the Cu plugs degrade enough to match the performance of Pt/Ir plugs, you swap them out. Hence Cu plugs end up being more expensive in the long run. They're not really opinions, they are fact based on two different viewpoints: Yours being a spark plug dealer, mine being someone that tunes & maps cars. Pt/Ir plugs are great for longevity, you know full well these were originally designed in order to meet regulations regarding emissions, the longevity of catalytic converters and manufaturer's desires for long service intervals & lower voltage requirements with the onset of COP technology. Platinum plugs came first, and all the manufacturers & dealers were extolling the virtues of those at the time... What results exactly? Spark plugs don't make horsepower regardless of the material, any gains are due to a previous issue that has been rectified. Pt/Ir are great for longevity, they require less voltage, what else exactly that can be quantified? I am genuinely interested, I will never use them other than in a stock vehicle where plugs are a pain to get at, but knowledge is power, nonetheless No, this is really very, very wrong. The difference between detonation & pre-ignition is one of the most important subjects in this discussion, and indeed when talking about combustion events in general. Platinum & Iridium plugs can become a source of pre-ignition where cylinder temps are higher, this is incredibly important when working with modified cars. I can't find one piece of evidence disputing this or a respected engine builder/tuner recommending the use of fine-wire long-life spark plugs in this scenario. Is this incorrect?

They're about £2 each, cheapest on eBay for 6 is £11.14 delivered (BKR7E). I've not run these myself in a VG, just BCPR7ES & BCR8ES.

Yeah, I've measured the BCR8ES, and they don't seem to conform to their own designation, I'm guessing they never have! What you say about the use of alloys is very true, but it's well known fact that a thick Cu-alloy tip conducts the heat much quicker than a thin Ir-alloy tip. Ah, you're a spark plug dealer, do you not think you're incredibly biased...? Iridium does not do an all round better job than a copper plug for the reasons mentioned in the previous post unless you're only considering longevity. Sure, they require less voltage and produce a "better" spark due to the dimensions of the electrode, but has it been proven that you get higher power & frugality from a Ir plug? I know nothing about Denso plugs, NGK only for me :blushing: BPR8ES & BCR8ES, same heat range, one projected, one normal. Detonation is spontaneous combustion of the mixture, but I'm not talking about detonation, I'm talking about pre-ignition. Ir plugs can become a source for this themselves, whereas Cu plugs don't. This is the reason why Ir plugs will never be "better" than Cu plugs other than for longevity's sake, until someone can prove that fitting Ir plugs gives you xbhp more. Which they don't to any significant degree right? You can be close to the det threshold for several reasons: component issues/failure, intake temps, poor fuel, during tuning (depending on method and ability), but again, I'm talking about pre-ignition. Manufacturers & dealers are interested in revenue, nothing more, nothing less. Ir plugs provide greater revenue than Cu plugs. I'm coming from a different point of view altogether: The overall set-up of an engine with regards to safety & performance, hence I don't use Ir or Pt plugs for the facts I have stated, having read countless books about tuning, engine design and mapping. If the trade-off was worth it, I would use them and recommend them, they would work out cheaper overall for me. But the fact they simply don't transfer heat as quickly as copper plugs when cylinder temps are elevated (when making power over stock) trumps any benefit that could be gained from "A Better Spark". Forced Induction Performance Tuning by A. Graham Bell slams the use of Pt/Ir thin wire plugs, and the author had no vested interest in spark plugs as far as I'm aware!

BCPR7ES work fine with the VG COP system, the ceramic section is identical, there is a couple mm difference in the middle seat section IIRC (I've not got any to hand). Here is a rundown of the relevant nomenclature: 'B' = 14mm thread diameter 'K' denotes a 5/8" hex diameter and ISO thread taper. 'C' denotes a 5/8" hex diameter and thread to Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS). 'P' simply denotes a projected insulator (again, 1.5mm); R= Resistor-type; hence BKR7 (ISO) = BCPR7 (JIS). 'E': ONLY when this is the final symbol does it denote a V-shaped electrode (which is 2.5mm diamter, but not specified) with a 1.5mm insulator projection, in place of the 'P' symbol. (Note: BKR7E doesn't have a symbol specifying the thread reach, which is approx. 19mm(3/4") ) 'E' when followed by 1 or more symbols denotes a thread reach of 19mm (3/4") 'S' denotes a 2.5mm centre electrode diameter The lengths of the ceramic sections are identical for BKR7E, BCR8ES, BCPR7ES and the BPR8ES which have a 13/16 hex diameter (perfect for Evos & Saabs, no use for most). The symbols aren't always directly comparable across the range of NGK plugs. This is very far from actual fact. Material properties & simple physics dictate that Cu has a much higher thermal conductivity than Ir (421Wm-1K-1 against 147Wm-1K-1). 0.4mm Ir tips retain heat a great deal more than 2mm Cu tips, which is a potential engine killer due to pre-ignition & brittle fracture of the plug material from overheating. Ir plugs are used as OEM components due to the amazing wear resistance & hardness of the material (370HV as opposed to 50HV!!). 40k+ mile capabilites without serious erosion which maintains performance between increasingly long service intervals. Great for lazy people, no place in a performance engine. A thick electrode with Cu composition conducts the heat away from the tip much faster than an Ir tip, Cu electrodes are malleable which won't break off if detonation becomes an issue, much greater heat range etc etc. Oh.... Platinums are just utterly pointless :blink: Not saying you can't run Ir/Pt plugs quite happily, but I fail to see any benefit whatsoever to them, other than that they are actually cheaper in the long run than Cu plugs.

I run copper core BCR8ES in my Zed, and have run these plugs in all kinds of different cars. Some may think running grade 8 plugs is overkill, and they'll foul up under normal driving, but that's definitely not been the case. They're not the ideal plug for the Zed due to the design of the cylinder head (they have a shorter thread and non-projected tip), but the equivalent grade 8 projected plugs are NGK R7435-8 at £30 each. If you're running decent boost, I would fit some projected copper plugs, eg. BCPR7ES. I'd be wary of running grade 6 plugs in anything other than a completely stock car. I generally don't run iridiums in modified cars, either. Thick copper tips dissipate heat whereas the fine iridium tips retain heat, which in turn can promote pre-ignition and/or damage the ceramic insulators. Downside is, you need to change them more often for peak performance, a bit of a pain with the Zed. They're good for 10000 miles, although I change mine after half that at the most.

I might be able to pop along to this