NGK Iridium Spark Plugs

About NGK Iridium Spark Plugs

When it comes to producing high quality, reliable and state of the art iridium spark plugs, NGK does it best. With over 80 years of experience in spark plug development, research and manufacturing, NGK spark plugs utilise the latest spark plug technology and are built to perform in all Australian road conditions.

Each NGK iridium spark plug is designed to meet and exceed OE requirements and comes with 2 major benefits compared with conventional spark plugs: longer service life and higher ignitability. By using iridium in the center electrode (iridium melts at 2410 degrees C vs. traditional nickel at 1453 degrees C), a finer tip can be achieved which means that a smaller flame is produced, leading to a more complete burn, faster acceleration, better fuel efficiency, improved throttle response and smoother idling.

How do I know if my Iridium Spark Plugs are bad?

Here's how you know when your iridium spark plug needs changing:

Your engine misfires when you accelerate
Fuel efficiency has dropped
Rough idling when the engine is cold
You have trouble getting your engine started
Sluggish acceleration when you step on the pedal

A copper or nickel spark plug will have a much shorter change interval than a platinum or iridium spark plug. If you're still unsure about whether you need to change your spark plug, check your car manufacturer's recommendation.

Are copper spark plugs better than iridium?

Most traditional spark plugs come with a copper core coated in a nickel alloy to protect it from melting. While copper is an excellent conductor and provides the best performance of any type of spark plug, they wear out quickly and need replacing more often, resulting in a rapid drop in performance. The nickel alloy coating is cheap to produce and helps increase the life span of the copper core, but nickel is not a good conductor and has a relatively low melting point, resulting in decreased performance.

Iridium is a more durable and longer lasting metal than copper and has the highest melting point out of all common spark plug materials (iridium, platinum, copper and nickel). Coupled with the excellent engine performance of iridium spark plugs, this makes the iridium spark plug the obvious choice for anyone looking for a long wearing spark plug. The NGK iridium spark plug also features a fine iridium tip in the centre electrode which brings a faster throttle response, increased performance and engine power, smoother starts and idling, less voltage use and better fuel economy.

Although they're a little bit pricier than traditional copper/nickel alloy spark plugs, you can save more money in the long run with a high quality OE NGK iridium spark plug.

Is it worth buying iridium spark plugs?

Yes! There's a reason why more and more vehicle manufacturers are moving towards installing iridium spark plugs right out of the factory.

As more and more vehicles come with increasingly strenuous engine conditions and performance needs, smaller and hardier spark plug centre electrode materials have become a necessity in modern cars. Iridium is the perfect metal for use in the spark plug centre electrode tips due to its hardness, strength, durability, high resistance to heat and excellent conductivity. Pure iridium cannot be used in spark plug electrodes because it will oxidise in higher temperatures; to get around this, iridium is mixed with other metals like platinum to provide anti corrosion, increased hardness, lower emissions and better engine performance. An Iridium tip also allows for a larger spark gap, leading to more efficient combustion.

How often do iridium spark plugs need to be changed?

Each NGK iridium spark plug has an approximate service life of 60,000 km. However, this changes depending on the vehicle you drive; the best thing to do is to talk to your service technician to know exactly when to replace your iridium spark plug.

To learn more about the NGK spark plug range, you can read our buying guide here.