i told my bro to get me some NGK laser platinums but he mistakenly got me NGK laser iriduims.....should I go and change the plugs or these iridiums would do fine?

 

yeah they are fine. just gap them properly.

 

okay thanks......its says gap 0.44 on the box.

 

.44 is kinda a little much. proper gapping is .039"-.043"/ 1.0mm-1.1mm

 

Do not gap iridiums. This will weaken them and can cause a failure.

 

if you have the proper tool, then it wont. dont use the coin gapper, use the wire one.

 

Fwiw, this can be a partially common misconception as people don't necessarily understand what is prone to break if gapped incorrectly. Next time you have an old plug, try and break off that electrode - it takes a lot of bending to actually get it to break. Since the electrode can be burnt off, many people (who never check their plugs and only replace when a problem develops) see a missing electrode and assume it broke, not that it could have been burned off.

That said, when gapping the electrode, you always run the risk of snapping or weakening the connection to the base of the plug if you adjust it too much, so try and move it as little as possible. If you can't get it right straight away and have to bend it back, you should just return it for a new plug.

Also, iridium/ platinum plugs have small, delicate center electrodes that will snap off if you use a coin gapper. That is why you need a wire gapper.

Iridium electrode - notice small, delicate tip - you need a wire gapper:



Copper electrode - notice wide, durable tip - you can use a coin gapper:



Aim for ~.40 gap with a new plug to get more useful life from the plug.