Interesting to see some debate here!

Odd though, to see people opposing eachother. I sort of feel like car maintenance is like personal hygiene. You can definitely not do enough...and to a certain extent you can do too much. But really it all comes down to the individual.

You brush twice a day. You floss once a day. You see a dentist every 6 months.

Me, personally, I see a dentist annually. I don't get much buildup, and I am lucky like that. Perfect checkups at that. Once I went for 6 years without a cleaning. I have little buildup and no cavities or fillings or anything in my mouth.

Someone else in my family, unfortunately, with all the brushing and flossing there is too much buildup to keep up with. And every time at the dentist there is an issue of some sorts. They've upped it to 4 times a year to stay on top of it.


The amount of maintenance you need is really entirely up to you, your feelings on the matter, and the conditions you put your car through. The point of my coming up with a new plan is to cater to those who are among the averages. The extended intervals are probably just fine for those who drive extended range daily. But for me, I drive about 15-18k a year, and when I do I drive with enthusiasm. And I really feel like the factory intervals were simply not covering it!

 

i don't drive much at all. since i've got my TL in midjune2010, i've only put 5k on it just shy of 8 months. i plan on doing the plugs @ 50k, i'm at 40 now.

thx for the write up heeltoe.

 

Im with you, extended interval maintenance IMHO is for cheap people trying to save a buck... and unfortunately you will get what you pay for or in this case the lack there of...

 

I agree that the interval is a somewhat individual decision. I'm more than curious though why you feel it's necessary to repeatedly call everyone cheap that doesn't agree with you? Very annoying and makes you look bad imho.

 

Please...tell me again what you've shown anyone in this thread, other than the fact you're extremely annoying and seem to enjoy belittling people who'd rather not spend their money on things they don't need.

In fact, if you'd be so inclined, and can find the time with your weekly oil/transmission fluid changes, maybe you could send me some new plugs for my car? Then I can show you pictures of how good my original ones look at 68k, and then later I can tell you how my car runs no better with new plugs.

 

Encouraging people to do their own maintenace to save money, and do it more regularly in hopes of prolonging the life of the car, as well as agreeing to the Original Posters theory is -"belittling"?

Do me a favor dont change anything on your car......

 

So I take it you won't be sending me new plugs?

 

I have mine on order, its 9:38pm do you know where your fresh spark plugs are at?

Dude really, I am just a very blunt person, I speak or in this case type whats on my mind... sorry if you took offense, but then again if thats the case move to another country where there is no First Amendment Right.

 

Dang...and I was convincing myself that I didn't need to change my plugs...I think I will end up doing this...and clean my k&n drop in...it's been a while.

J.

Also, Marcus...
What is the part number on these plugs?!?! Are they for the 3G TL also?!?!? If so, 9 bucks each is a great deal.

J.

 

 

NGK IZFR6K-11

They're $9.99 @ the local AdvanceAuto.

I agree that 100K is too long to go between changes but the fact that they operate for that long is appealing to most people. I wish that there was a copper plug for the 3.2 especially being FI.

 

there is a one step colder copper plug, even NGK too (at least for the J32A2), and they even come in a honda box too (but you have to go to a different form of vehicle/motors though )

 

You are right for the most part. You can say what you want here on AcuraZine so long as it does not break the rules for posting. Please stop implying that folks that do not religiously maintain their cars are cheap. That's a pretty poor assumption.

 

I'm actually running 3 steps colder......nothing in copper with a resistor. I've looked at everyone and can't come up with anything in a 14mm, 19mm reach, 5/8 socket, gasket seat, resistor, with a heat range of 8 (NGK).

 

what gap...

 

also would iridium work instead of copper (figuring you at least want to stay away from platinum)

 

I'm gapped at .024

The plugs I am running now are iridium. I say I prefer copper because it is a better conductor than iridium and I plan on checking/changing the plugs often so I don't need the benefits of iridium.

Unfortunately, the industry is obviously will support the masses and most love the 100K between changes so it looks like copper isn't as available. And with racing plugs I haven't found one with a resistor that meets our specs.

 

6 years without a cleaning Your a lucky man!!
My teeth would look like a set of wheels that haven't been cleaned in 6 years

 

Well, I was going to wait and change my plugs when I did the TB change later this week. But after reading this thread, curiosity got the better of me and I went ahead and pulled my old plugs after 106,570 miles. My engine was running great prior to pulling the plugs, getting 31 mpg highway on winter gas.

Here's a picture of the old plugs. They look pretty damn good for 106,570 miles!



The new plugs are in and I can't tell a bit of difference. I seriously doubt my gas mileage will improve over what it was at already. I have a couple of 150 mile road trips this weekend, so we'll see.

Based on my experience, I see absolutely no reason for early change out of the NKG iridiums.

K&N:

I've been running a K&N on my TL for over 100K miles and I like it. My throttle body is as clean now as the day I bought the car. I saw an increase in 1-2 mpg after switching to the K&N and continue to enjoy mileage above OEM EPA estimates, even at 100K+ miles. Does that PROVE than a K&N improves gas mileage? Absolutely not.

With a K&N, it's really a personal decision. Try if you want and see if you like it, but don't let anyone tell you that it's been proven to:

1. Damage engines
2. Improve gas mileage
3. Increase horsepower

There is no empirical data anywhere in the world that proves any of the above.

 

Those look great nfnsquared. I'm sure they'd have gone another 20k with no adverse performance. It still won't stop the hysteria on the early change out, nor will it keep people from running out and blowing 100 bucks, but to each his own I guess.

 

Funny, I've posted the government study that shows that decreasing inlet restriction can not increase mpg and that increasing restriction (plugged filter) will not lower mpg. It's 100% impossible for a K&N to increase mpg in a fuel injected car. Going by this theory, giving it more throttle will increase mpg too since you're greatly reducing inlet restricion. People will imagine whatever they want to justify a purchase. Case closed on the imaginary mpg increase, it does not exist, but it's disturbing that people can imagine things like that.

A K&N will keep small birds, sticks, and boulders out of your engine. It will keep it alive for a while. I'm sure 100,000 is no problem. But it's not going to be at it's best.

I HAVE to run a K&N on the turbo car because there's nothing else that has the airflow I require. Over the past 17 years I've seen compressor wheel abrasion from less than clean air entering the turbo. While the intercooler plumbing and throttle body are super clean, the extra dirt shows up as cylinder wear and it shows up in used oil analysis as silicone. This is repeatable and the high silicone in oil after K&N installation is consistent in all but the cleanest (wettest) climates. Where I come from, dirt in the oil is never a good thing. But hey, if you get that 0hp and imaginary 2-3mpg from it, it must be worth it.

Someone tell Acura they're wasting money on the 3 stage factory filtration.

 

$100? I run $2 copper plugs lol. No issues as long as they're changed around 40,000 miles.

 

No need to spend $100. You can buy them anytime on ebay for $58 shipped or do what I did and wait for a $20 off coupon from Advance Auto (get on their e-mail list) and get them for $48.60 shipped.

 

Hmmm...now I'm thinkin...I normally get those discount coupons...maybe I should wait!

Thanks for the info fellas...
and although I wouldn't question IHC because he knows much...I personally run the K&N...I have not seen an increase in MPG...it sounds nice when I punch it (and no intake res) and is easy to clean...1 time cost etc..
That was why I went for it.

 

Nothing wrong with that if you like it for the sound and the cost savings. And your engine will not die a quick death with it as some like to pretend I say. But I have to point out some of the mis-info regarding not only K&Ns but filtration in general.

 

Welcome back guys. It's like you never left.
If you want to use a K&N Filter and change your plugs every 10k, have at it. If you never want to change anything, be my guest.

Looks like most here will not even have their TL's @ 200k so who really cares?

 

I never asked you before but do they have resistors?

 

Hi Mike! You're right, most TLs are gone before they even hit 100K so you could run a screen over the throttle body and get away with it in some areas. The only thing I've thought of differently is the majority of the posters on here now are second hand owners so we may see more high mileage TLs. You know how dusty Bakersfield is, that's one big reason I won't run a K&N. I tried one in the TL just for a month and I hated letting off the throttle every time I went through a dirt cloud.

Yep. I've never tested the theory on a TL but on my other car non resistor plugs caused "weird" things in the electronic systems. It was one of those things I heard would happen but I had to see for myself.

 

I don't see how anyone could say you don't base your information on knowledge rather than opinion.

I appreciate the feedback, trust me. I considered taking it out...but I'm hoping that by being diligent with cleaning and reoiling it, I will still be preserving the life of the engine.

PS...what does one DO when banned from a website one visits every day? lol...ignore that, totally rhetorical.

 

To tell you the truth, it was very nice. I didn't realize how stressful this was for me. It went from fun to feeling like a job at some point in the last few years and I didn't even realize it. I'm planning to seriously cut back on the acurazine hours. I realized that I'm not very good at talking on message boards and that I really want to go racing again while I was banned. I'll probably dedicate most of the time I used to spend on here on getting back in the game.

 

Well, to be honest...if that's the case...

a) that is awesome because you'll spend more time doing something you love.
b) all of us just got punished because you were banned and we'll be losing a HUGE vault of automotive information.

But, as they say...and I mean this, we have to do EVERYTHING in moderation...food, sex, drinking...AZ...black ops...tinkering...As I get older I'm learning how to better balance it all.

J.

 

^ This 100% Balance.

For me this is entertainment and some education. I enjoy the various points of view. I think most of the second and third purchasers of the TL will only keep them for a few years. At any rate saying something two or three times should be enough. They get it or don't.

Now, one more time, balance in all things.

 

more so on mass air flow sensored cars does it have a more dramatic effect, with coating the sensor over time (it takes a couple of cleanings to really get it dirty)
and it CAN eventually burn the sensor up, i have seen it before on a toyota tacoma (which normally never have issues with them)(but something like a nissan though, i would be very hesitant too though, they have had many issues with them going out [and you are looking at something like $500 because it is a "whole" housing type, compared to say the toyota one, which just screws into the side of the intake pipe

theoretically it will not increase or decrease mileage cause the ECU will m maintain steiometic though all rpm range
but what happens when the motor has to overcome and additional restictins, which is going to cause addtional to be use; such as plugged sir filtert that will not even let the car idle

 

You mean with oil? Yeah, that will happen if one over oils the filter. It doesn't take much oil and I'd guess that 50% of K&N users probably put too much oil on the filter. You need to be careful. It's much easier now that the oil is in an aerosol can.

 

I'm on my phone so I'll get into details later. Think about the throttle body, its the ultimate restriction yet the more it restricts air the less power and the better mpg.

 

Well, when I "read the book", it doesn't say that at all. I've attached a copy of a page from "the book". It says the spark plug/timing belt interval is reduced to 60K miles only if regularly driven in temps over 110F or below -20F. This might apply if you drive year round in Death Valley or in far northern Canada. The average Joe driving in North America won't even come close to meeting those conditions There is absolutely nothing said about short trips or "commute traffic".

As you can see, it's not in fine print....

 

Actually if you read the FSM as above, that caution is only for the timing belt, not the plugs.

 

You, sir, are correct. No reduced service interval exists for spark plugs. Pardon my error.

 

No error and finally we agree, thanks!

 

That's the truth. Moderation is the key, I wish I would have learned that years ago. Thanks for the kind words. I enjoy helping people and I'm sure it won't stop completely. With more real life racing and less internet, I won't care about the insignificant people's personalities on here and focus on the technical side. It bothers me somewhat the direction this board takes from time to time with the mis info but I'm not a moderator and there's always Inaccurate, Opel, and several others to set it straight.

Turbonut.... I'm not sure if I clarified earlier but when I posted that changing the plugs early resulted in a difference I was only taking about cold idle. No difference in performance other than the first 30 seconds. I know that's a big chunk of info to leave out.