APR Iridium Pro Spark Plugs are Here!

[Arin@APR]

APR Iridium Pro Spark Plugs are Here!



APR Iridium Pro Spark Plugs are the excellent upgrade for tuned engines. Our spark plugs are made from Iridium, which is one of the strongest materials you can use in this type of application. They run cooler, resist preignition, last longer than other materials with higher melting points, and even require less voltage to produce a strong spark. The electrode is harder and stronger than other materials, can dissipate heat more easily, is better protected from melting, cracking, and other limitations found with standard plugs. These plugs were designed for use on tuned and higher output vehicles that benefit from a plug cooler than the factory heat range. They are great for high boost, high cylinder pressure, high cylinder temperatures, and high power situations, and they pair nicely with a set of APR ignition coils, where applicable.

Features and Specs

• Iridium alloy electrode tip
• Heat range 9 spark plug (Similar: Bosch 3, Brisk 10, Denso 27, and NGK 9)
• 152% higher melting point than silver, 125% higher than copper, and 38% higher than platinum.
• Stronger than copper and platinum
• Designed for high performance / tuned vehicle applications
• Non-projected insulator design (Z1003100)
• Projected insulator design (Z1003101)
• Lower required supplied voltage
• Cooler operating temperature than stock plugs
• Optimized electrode design for hard to ignite fuels, such as ethanol
• Resists preignition better than stock plugs
• Perfect for upgraded APR vehicles
• An excellent match for APR ignition coils
• Thread reach: 26.5mm (Z1003100)
• Thread reach: 26.5mm (Z1003101)
• Thread diameter: 14mm
• Hexagon: 16mm
• Seat Type: Gasket
• Install Torque: 25 Nm
• Made in the EU

Product Pages:

[b]EA888.3 / EA824 / EA855.1 / EA855.2 / EA824
Z1003100 - 26.5mm x 14mm x 16mm - HR 9


EA113 / EA888.1 / EA888.2 / EA837
Z1003101 - 19.0mm x 14mm x 16mm - HR 9



Check product page application guides and notes before ordering. Always check gap and sizes before installing.

[Botbasher]

So Arin... what makes them worth 2x the already excellent, and well documented, offerings out there in the world?

Any data to back up the claims?

Cheers,

KS

[Arin@APR]

These plugs are comparable to iridium race spec plugs from NGK, brisk, and denso. The price is very good. It's about half what people pay for the NGK plug. It's less than the denso plug by quite a bit.

[Alabama]

So Arin... what makes them worth 2x the already excellent, and well documented, offerings out there in the world? Any data to back up the claims?

The standard NGK plug is heat range 8 and costs about $23 each at ECS Tuning, so close in price. The NGK website lists a number of possible advantages for using a heat range 9 plug in modified cars, such as: "When using an ethanol blend fuel with high ethanol content in high-performance applications, a colder heat range may be necessary. The spark timing can be advanced further because ethanol blend fuel has a higher resistance to knock (higher octane). Due to the decreased knock, there will be less audible “warning” from knock before the spark plug overheats and pre-ignites." As you write, let's see some comparison data!

[Arin@APR]

FWIW, I wouldn't compare this to the standard OEM plug. Even NGK makes upgraded plugs. The one that we used on this platform and others with the same plug design is quite expensive and hard to get. It's around $50 a plug.

[Botbasher]

FWIW, I wouldn't compare this to the standard OEM plug. Even NGK makes upgraded plugs. ...

So no data?

KS

[MattyMarkey]

So no data?

KS

What data do you need/want? What data have you seen from NGK or Brisk, that are in fact comparable in price?


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[Alabama]

FWIW, I wouldn't compare this to the standard OEM plug. Even NGK makes upgraded plugs. The one that we used on this platform and others with the same plug design is quite expensive and hard to get. It's around $50 a plug.

Got it. The NGK website fitment guide only offers the OEM style plug for a 2014 S6. However, another website for racing plugs (not for Audi 2014 S6) prices them at $53 each. So apparently this APR product is special in that it is certified to meet specification for the C7/C7.5 cars and may not even be available from NGK.

[Alabama]

What data do you need/want? What data have you seen from NGK or Brisk, that are in fact comparable in price?

My fantasy is that someone like qcrazy does the sort of testing for plugs that was done for pumps. Run competing plugs under varying conditions and log engine parameters. Do any important parameters show a significant difference? Maybe allow more options for custom tuning?

[MattyMarkey]

My fantasy is that someone like qcrazy does the sort of testing for plugs that was done for pumps. Run competing plugs under varying conditions and log engine parameters. Do any important parameters show a significant difference? Maybe allow more options for custom tuning?

I can see why some people would want to see that data, for science sake. Brisk has done comparison testing vs NGK, since they want to stand out against the competition.

You will def see performance gains over OEM plugs, or plugs that have a bit of mileage on them. I would say most people choose to switch based on the specs Arin posted already, because it’s the quality of the plug and its materials that matter most.

People in ours cars that are modified, have seen failure in NGK plugs, but not in Brisk, because of the materials being used. You’ll also need to change your Brisk plugs sooner than NGK, because of the materials used.

Just my 2 cents


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[S6Ralph_Maldo]

https://ngksparkplugs.com/en/product...um-spark-plugs

Ruthenium Spark Plugs

Use NGK 95125 LFER7BHX Ruthenium HX gapped to 0.20 if you're modified and on E85. These Ruthenium sparkplugs are heat range 7 vs Stock NGK 91006 SILFER8C7ES heat range 8. They're about $12 a piece ( https://www.ngk.com/ngk-95125-lfer7b...henium-hx-plug ) or about $100 in some places if you can manage to get your hands on the 4 pack. Been running these on my Stage 4 S6 running E55 and 50/50 water-meth for almost a year and don't have spark blowout or misfires anymore compared to the other plugs I was on.

[MattyMarkey]

https://ngksparkplugs.com/en/product...um-spark-plugs

Ruthenium Spark Plugs

Use NGK 95125 LFER7BHX Ruthenium HX gapped to 0.20 if you're modified and on E85. These Ruthenium sparkplugs are heat range 7 vs Stock NGK 91006 SILFER8C7ES heat range 8. They're about $12 a piece ( https://www.ngk.com/ngk-95125-lfer7b...henium-hx-plug ) or about $100 in some places if you can manage to get your hands on the 4 pack. Been running these on my Stage 4 S6 running E55 and 50/50 water-meth for almost a year and don't have spark blowout or misfires anymore compared to the other plugs I was on.

Probably should choose a different post to share what type of plugs you suggest others to use… unless you have specific comparison information of APR’s newly released plugs vs these NGK’s


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[Botbasher]

Probably should choose a different post to share what type of plugs you suggest others to use… unless you have specific comparison information of APR’s newly released plugs vs these NGK’s

Maybe APR should be supplying the comparison data since they are the ones making the claims.

Cheers,

KS

[MattyMarkey]

Maybe APR should be supplying the comparison data since they are the ones making the claims.

Cheers,

KS

The only comparison data/information needed is already supplied… but please enlighten us what you’re looking for, since you’re so keen on passive aggressively asking for it.


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[Botbasher]

... since you’re so keen on passive aggressively asking for it.

Sorry... my knee pads wore out years ago and I haven't purchased new ones!

Some of us are a little skeptical when it comes to marketing fluff. Always makes me think of Tommy Boy:

Tommy: Let's think about this for a sec, Ted, why do they put a guarantee on a box? Hmm, very interesting.
Ted: I'm listening.
Tommy: Here's how I see it. A guy puts a guarantee on the box 'cause he wants you to feel all warm and toasty inside.
Ted: Yeah, makes a man feel good.
Tommy: 'Course it does. Ya think if you leave that box under your pillow at night, the Guarantee Fairy might come by and leave a quarter.
Ted: What's your point?
Tommy: The point is, how do you know the Guarantee Fairy isn't a crazy glue sniffer? "Building model airplanes" says the little fairy, but we're not buying it. Next thing you know, there's money missing off the dresser and your daughter's knocked up, I seen it a hundred times.
Ted: But why do they put a guarantee on the box then?
Tommy: Because they know all they sold ya was a guaranteed piece of sh*t. That's all it is. Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time. But for right now, for your sake, for your daughter's sake, ya might wanna think about buying a quality item from me.
Ted: Hmm. Okay, I'll buy from you.
Tommy: Well I... What?

Not telling anyone to not buy a product... just asking for some reasonable support of the claims (i.e. cooler, lower, optimized...), made in the OP based on claimed values and competative testing. After all... does anyone think these are some newly created product? These are made for APR by a 3rd party that likely makes them for others under a different label(s), so my thought is that they should be comparable to other products which may have undergone testing with published results.

Cheers,

KS

[Arin@APR]

OP based on claimed values and competitive testing.

Where?

[Alabama]

Where?

Let me try asking my question a different way. Some of the APR ECU upgrade pages make specific recommendations about spark plugs (e.g., 2.0T EA888 Gen 3 IS20). The page for the 2014 S6 ECU upgrade does not make a specific recommendation for spark plug. I'm pretty sure there is another AZ thread where someone claimed APR recommends the OEM plug for their S6 ECU tune. If that's true, will APR offer a modified tune for the APR spark plug, or is that not necessary?

[Arin@APR]

It's not necessary to make tune adjustments from what we're currently offering.

[Arin@APR]

Arin even cleared the air that theirs are no better since they don't require them for their tunes and using them requires no changes to their tune. Nuff said.

Not requiring a tune change from the tune we already offer doesn't mean there's no benefit to the spark plugs we offer.

[Alabama]

Not requiring a tune change from the tune we already offer doesn't mean there's no benefit to the spark plugs we offer.

Thanks for your reply; I'm obviously ignorant of how a "tune" works. I imagine the "maps" people reference allow a range of responses depending on a range of inputs from a variety of sensors. So, a part may have improved performance (i.e., new plugs) but still fall within the range of possible inputs on the existing map. Keep coming up with new parts for the C7/C7.5!

[S6Ralph_Maldo]

Probably should choose a different post to share what type of plugs you suggest others to use… unless you have specific comparison information of APR’s newly released plugs vs these NGK’s
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I suppose you may have a point, data from NGK to follow:
Retrieved from- https://ngksparkplugs.com/en/product...um-spark-plugs

HIGH IGNITABILITY FOR BETTER COLD STARTS.
**Ruthenium HX provides more complete fuel burn than other precious metal spark plugs, resulting in quicker throttle response, smoother idle and better cold starts.**(NGK quoted)

MORE STABLE UNDER PRESSURE.
**Standard combustion tests look for a spark plug’s ability to maintain stable performance during combustion and engine operation. When compared to conventional spark plugs, Ruthenium HX remains more stable with less dispersion.**(NGK quoted)

BETTER DURABILITY AT HIGH TEMPERATURES.
**Ruthenium performs better at high temperatures in various driving conditions compared to the leading precious metal spark plugs.**(NGK quoted)

Simply based on the types of metals being compared here, NGK Ruthenium and APR Iridium, it would seem that NGK has done their own testing to ensure that their Ruthenium sparks plugs perform better and more reliable when compared to Iridium spark plugs. I am simply laying out some information that may be helpful to some people, this is afterall, a forum where people can discuss and share ideas. Below more technical comparison information can be found. OEM Spark plug has been included for reference

Audi SparkPlug Compare Info.PNG

APR Iridium Pro Spark Plugs Z1003100 Current Price $24.95
SILFER8C7ES NGK 91006 Iridium OEM 06K905601M Current Price: $13.32
LFER7BHX NGK 95125 Ruthenium Current Price: $12.35

The NGK spark plug tech information can be found using the NGK spark plug part finder by clicking on the "CARS, TRUCKS, SUV" navigaton and then inputting the 5 digit code in the 'XREF' tab or inputting the complete part number in the 'Part Number' tab. https://ngksparkplugs.com/en/part-finder

[Alabama]

Simply based on the types of metals being compared here, NGK Ruthenium and APR Iridium, it would seem that NGK has done their own testing to ensure that their Ruthenium sparks plugs perform better and more reliable when compared to Iridium spark plugs.

Apparently Ruthenium is an exclusive to NGK, so I would be concerned as to what is marketing versus what is reality. One important difference independent of the material is that the NGK Ruthenium plug is heat range 7, while the APR plug is heat range 9. MotorTrend lists ten factors to consider related to heat range (Denso also lists several important differences). Specifically for high output turbo cars, a colder plug (i.e., higher number heat range) is recommended. My takeaway would be that, independent of material, a base C7/C7.5 may do fine with a heat range 7 plug (OEM is heat range 8), but a Stage 3 car may benefit from the heat range 9 plug. What do the more expert folk think?

[Arin@APR]

My recommendation for a higher output car, even just a stage 1 tune, would be a plug colder than stock. It's cheap insurance, especially if you drive hard for long periods of time.

[Botbasher]

Apparently Ruthenium is an exclusive to NGK, so I would be concerned as to what is marketing versus what is reality. One important difference independent of the material is that the NGK Ruthenium plug is heat range 7, while the APR plug is heat range 9. MotorTrend lists ten factors to consider related to heat range (Denso also lists several important differences). Specifically for high output turbo cars, a colder plug (i.e., higher number heat range) is recommended. My takeaway would be that, independent of material, a base C7/C7.5 may do fine with a heat range 7 plug (OEM is heat range 8), but a Stage 3 car may benefit from the heat range 9 plug. What do the more expert folk think?

Remember... all heat ranges are not the same.



Cheers,

KS

[Arin@APR]

Remember... all heat ranges are not the same.

Heat range 9 spark plug (Similar: Bosch 3, Brisk 10, Denso 27, and NGK 9)

[Stubek]

Please keep this thread about APR Sparkplugs and comparison of APR to other brands.

[S6Ralph_Maldo]

And you are correct that ruthenium plug is hotter, good catch.