# Spark plugs for TTRS?



## mageus (Sep 1, 2004)

My car is non-chipped, no misfires at 30K miles. There's mixed info in the forums, and I thought I'd consolidate spark plug info in one place. 

- OEM 
$15-20 
- NGK Iridium (R7437-8) 
colder, higher heat range than stock 
$35-40 
- Denso iridium (IK20, IK24) 


- Are there more than one model of NGK used on the TTRS? 

- Any thoughts on the Denso? 

- The manual says change at 30K. Should they be changed earlier? (obviously if there is serious carbon deposit) 

- What is the recommended gap for each type of plug? I know they come pre-gapped, but one should check them on arrival.


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## cipsony (Mar 26, 2013)

You should go with the OEM ones unless you are racing the car. 
Colder plugs are better for racing and not for all weather street driving.


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## mageus (Sep 1, 2004)

cipsony said:


> You should go with the OEM ones unless you are racing the car.


 The car has become my weekend / track car. Well, it was always the track car, but it was also used for commuting previously.


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## cipsony (Mar 26, 2013)

mageus said:


> The car has become my weekend / track car. Well, it was always the track car, but it was also used for commuting previously.


 Then maybe one step colder --> keep in mind that TT RS already have one step colder sparks than 2.0 tfsi (if i remember correctly).


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## Black BeauTTy (Jun 11, 2011)

Never heard that before.


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## mageus (Sep 1, 2004)

Black BeauTTy said:


> Never heard that before.


 Never heard what before? 

BB, are you running the NGK plugs? If so, are they the R7437-8?


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## jaybyme (Aug 29, 2012)

I've used both NGK Iridium R7437-8 and R7438-8's,both work well, but I currently use the 37's as they just look similar to the oem plugs. 
Not sure why you would want to change the plugs if your car is standard though ?


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## mageus (Sep 1, 2004)

jaybyme said:


> Not sure why you would want to change the plugs if your car is standard though ?


 There was a post earlier about bad carbon deposits, which got me concerned. I figure the frequent track use can't have helped. I'm past 30K miles, so they need replacing anyways. 

What's the difference between the R7437-8 and R7438-8?


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## jaybyme (Aug 29, 2012)

has a different electrode


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## mageus (Sep 1, 2004)

Thanx for ally'alls input. Ordering the NGK R7437-8. Now to find a good vendor . . .


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## Quisp (Mar 18, 2012)

My plugs had some pretty bad deposits at 13000 miles.


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## Williamttrs (Mar 29, 2013)

I remember being told once that badly fouled plugs indicates too rich a A/F mixture. But I still don't know what a fouled plug looks like. If you drive a car for 2 miles and pull the plugs, they will be black right? So what are the signs of something not good?


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## jaybyme (Aug 29, 2012)

Hard driving and giving the car a good thrashing now and then helps. 
My car is above 150 mph virtually everyday of it's life,mind you that's only just over 4000 rpm,so it's best when pushing hard in 5th 
The insulator on the picture I posted is pretty clean,and that was with stage 1 tuning


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## mageus (Sep 1, 2004)

I bought the NGK (R7437-8).

What gap are people running? Also, are you ECS tuned/no-tune?


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## cipsony (Mar 26, 2013)

mageus said:


> I bought the NGK (R7437-8).
> 
> What gap are people running? Also, are you ECS tuned/no-tune?


You should leave the gap as it is.


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## Black BeauTTy (Jun 11, 2011)

mageus said:


> Never heard what before?
> 
> BB, are you running the NGK plugs? If so, are they the R7437-8?


I never heard that the OEM plugs in the RS are already a colder plug. Yes, I am running the NGK race plugs.


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## Black BeauTTy (Jun 11, 2011)

I gapped them at 0.25. Just be careful about it. I am running GIAC stage 2 BTW.


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## hightechrdn (Dec 9, 2011)

Black BeauTTy said:


> I gapped them at 0.25. Just be careful about it. I am running GIAC stage 2 BTW.


Does GIAC recommend switching to the NGK race plugs?

I recently had my ECU tuned to stage 2 by United Motorsports and will be installing new OEM plugs and coils tomorrow. I paid about $15/plug for OEM from ECS Tuning. More than double that for the NGK plugs seemed a little ridiculous. I don't mind spending $$$ on my car when it is needed, but the NGK plugs seem like they are way overpriced/overkill for a stock turbo/street fuel/stage 2 car.

It also didn't help that I couldn't get the NGK plugs in time for my trip to SoWo in a couple of days. If I would have found the NGK plugs in stock (Amazon had 4), then I probably would have said F it and spent the $200


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## Black BeauTTy (Jun 11, 2011)

I hear you, the price is just nuts on those plugs. It was suggested by them during development of the tune based on past experience with the 2.5T in Europe. I haven't switched back to the OEM plugs since the final stage 2 was released but I'd bet they'd be just fine. I spent the money already on the NGK's so why not use them. When they crap out, I'll put the OEM plugs back in and find out for sure.


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## joneze93tsi (Aug 8, 2008)

I went through 2 sets of oem and the NGK's on the APR tune trying to fix all the problems.
At the end of the day, with the UM tune, it ultimately didn't matter of course. On the NGK's which run much colder, on cold (20-30 degree) days the car hated life on cold starts and were so carbon fouled it was insane.

I am thinking of switching the NGK's back in for summer for whatever bit of knock resistance they can offer during the heat.


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## carl44 (Nov 23, 2012)

i called NGK and talked to one of their engineers . He said the R7437-8 was a pure racing plug and not recommended for street use. he also said there was no resistor in the plug and it would cause radio interference. True or False? carl


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## joneze93tsi (Aug 8, 2008)

carl44 said:


> i called NGK and talked to one of their engineers . He said the R7437-8 was a pure racing plug and not recommended for street use. he also said there was no resistor in the plug and it would cause radio interference. True or False? carl



R7437-8 are a resistor plug.


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## carl44 (Nov 23, 2012)

joneze93tsi said:


> R7437-8 are a resistor plug.


Makes sence with the R as a prefex .is the - 7 hotter? Wich one is the closest to stock for heat range? So much for calling the manufacture for accurate information .carl


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## carl44 (Nov 23, 2012)

carl44 said:


> Makes sence with the R as a prefex .is the - 7 hotter? Wich one is the closest to stock for heat range? So much for calling the manufacture for accurate information .carl


http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/docs/RacingSpecs2010.pdf


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## cipsony (Mar 26, 2013)

-8 is heat range "8"
-7 is "hotter" and better for a street car (-8 being for track).

I was saying that TT RS is "already one step colder" --> I think (not 100% sure) that some 2.0 tsi / tfsi come with heat range 6 while the TT RS comes with heat range 7.

Anyway, for extremely hot climates I would try 8 but for climates where temps go to 5 grd C I would stick with OEM figure 7 (except racing situations).


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## jaybyme (Aug 29, 2012)

I'm using the 8 without any problems,and they have a pretty good colour.
Mind you,my car does get pushed hard daily on the Autobahns,which will make a difference.


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## cipsony (Mar 26, 2013)

jaybyme said:


> I'm using the 8 without any problems,and they have a pretty good colour.
> Mind you,my car does get pushed hard daily on the Autobahns,which will make a difference.


German autobahns are like tracks: 200Km/h is cruising speed for many vans  so you would be fine even with heat range 9 probably. I guess the only problem you have is the fuel consumption.


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## carl44 (Nov 23, 2012)

NGK does not make a R7437-7 they only make 8,9,10 at least that's what they told me and its not listed on their PDF. Carl


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## hightechrdn (Dec 9, 2011)

Went with OEM spark plugs and coils... Completely eliminated a very repeatable misfire between 3k-4k RPM's with a new UM Stage 2 tune. Drove the car to SoWo, pushed it pretty hard through the mountains and no issues with misfires. Now I only get a (nice) pop of some shifts, just as I let off the gas.

For this tune at least, the OEM plugs are enough so far with aggressive street driving. The Autobahn is completely different scenario of course.


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## mageus (Sep 1, 2004)

Replaced with NGK R7437-8. The stock were plugs gapped from 0.65-0.8mm (.026-.031"). Here's what they look like:


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## carl44 (Nov 23, 2012)

they look great, good heat range .carl


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## carl44 (Nov 23, 2012)

http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/tech_support/spark_plugs/faqs/faqread.asp


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