Spark Plug Dilemma 99 s70 T5M
 

So I'm trying to put in new spark plugs as an attempt to keep my car maintenance up to date and I'm running into different answers as far as spark plugs go.

The car is a stock 99 S70 T5M

- The dealer says Platinum Volvo plugs - 69 dollars
- The forums say cheap copper plugs gapped at 0.26-0.28 - $3 to $4 each
- Some say go NGK or Denso Platinum plugs gapped at 0.26 to 0.28 - different price range


I hear it's better to use copper on my car from some people and some say it's better to go with the Volvo dealer plugs which are platinum.
My sources are my mechanic, forums and the volvo dealership.

Can anyone help from personal experience, economically I would of course like to go for the cheaper option but I need to know what's really necessary for my car.


thanks in advance.

Long live the brick

I suggest you go to FCP or iPd and do the search for your car and order the OEM plugs. I only use the ones with Volvo stamped on them and both FCP and IPd sells them.

thanks for the advice.

Too bad autopartsway which is the online parts site in canada doesn't have the volvo plugs as FCP and ipd do. With the shipping cost it makes more sense to just buy them here at the dealer for $69.

Unless someone knows of a better way.

OEM Volvo plugs, gapped at .28

ya, sticking to original volvo plugs

this car better last me !! :confused:

Are you doing work yourself?

yes sir to the extent that I can. y?

They get expensive if you don't.

To All: I have a simular problem with my plugs, the plugs in my car 2000 S70 turbo has NGK BKR6EKV8 dule electrodes, replacement are BKR 6ES, BKR6E or BKR6EGP the engine is B5244T.I'm not sure whick plugs I should use.

Thank You
Zander

I know, that's why I am on this site trying to learn about this car and its problems and the tools I need. If I had my own proper tools I would do everything myself but even the tools are not cheap sometimes.

Is it worth it to try to clean up old plugs with something? sandpaper etc ?
Or that would be pointless?



@ zander, I have come to the conclusion that using original Volvo plugs is the best way to go.

Unless they only have a few thousand miles on them I wouldn't try and clean them. Sandpaper bad, blasting with a fine media better but still not very good..

Reusing old parts is false economy. In fact, I would replace all you can when you do the plugs. All the parts on your car are getting old, everything you replace now is something you don't have to take apart AGAIN a few months down the road. While you are under the hood look around, old vacuum hoses, overflow tank, and so on. I bet that you just a visual check turns something else up! Remember to use anti seize cmpd on the plugs.

use NGK, better quality than Volvo branded plugs, which are (in some years) re-badged NGKs anyway.

don't bother with the gap, they are gapped correctly right out of the box, of course if the box was dropped, the gap would be closed completely which is an obvious observation. (extremely rare to find this.)

BOSCH SUCK period.

Champion plugs good in domestic vehicles only.

Autolites for FORDs (Found On Road Dead)

Cheers

Pej The plugs in my car are BKR6Ek multi ground plug and according to the NGK web site, the plujs are not listed for my car.

Can never go wrong with Bosch in European cars. When all else fails, consult your owner's manual. You'd be surprised at the wealth of technical info contained in it.

so no sanding, and yes I will use anti seize compound, read all about that too.

Just got my plugs today. Actual volvo plugs. How come they're made in germany? I could swear they're Bosch and just relabelled. But not sure.



@ Zander : what i'm saying is use actual volvo plugs from your volvo dealer, or somewhere else that sells them. unless I'm understanding you wrong you are looking at NGK plugs again. My volvo mechanic told me that NGKs create too much heat for my car, but you don't notice until your engine reaches higher mileages what has been done to it because of the plugs.


@ lifesgoodhere : how come the plugs are made in germany if would be NGK?

my manual doesn't really say much about the plugs

I have found BMWs with less than 200 miles with NGKs from the factory (I was changing them out to NGK the guy was building a purpose built track car)

All manufactures throw out a bid every year to see who will mass produce a certain plug for a certain production run. who ever has the lowest bid wins and the plugs are relabeled by the willing company to the manufacture for production.

I have seen turbochargers on these cars made from Japan, Germany, China, Mexico....

you can tell the difference by the porcliean design and the shape. Oh and if you cross numbers the number is almost never a what you think it should be.

BOSCH suck period. About a dozen times a month someone comes in with a miss fire issue across all cylinders. The plugs were replaced less than 5000 miles ago the customer always says. Put in some NGKs and no more miss fires, customer never comes back.

NGK plugs no not make engines run hotter, thats only if you changed the heat range. Im not going to get into all that because I have confused soo many people trying to explain it. Just GOOGLE it.

feeling the difference
 

Guys, after all I did change the plugs, I put in Volvo ones. No anti seize compound as per my mechanic's advice, due to grounding issues. I just used engine oil on the threads.
Also changed the fuel filter, it looks like it hadn't been changed since the car was born.

And I have to say what a noticeable difference! My mileage has improved and my car feels more responsive, I didn't know plugs would make such a difference or maybe the fuel filter change helped a bit too?! Now I don't want to stop taking care of this superb vehicle.:cool: