[Campuscop2003]

Just installed a K&N filter and got a slight boost in pep, however I still think the 1.8 is a freaking dog. Any ideas that I can do to get a couple more HP without voiding my warranty? Higher performance plugs, or anything along those lines? Thanks

 

[iKermit]

Impossible without voiding it, you can get it Tuned, and you can go back to stock whenever you go to the dealer.

But you can get the Injen intake, trifecta tune, free up the exhaust, and erm, thats it without dropping TOO much money in it. I know how you feel, i feel my 1.8L is a dog too, the intake greatly improved it, and now i am awaiting my tune which should arrive next week.

 

[XtremeRevolution]

Just installed a K&N filter and got a slight boost in pep, however I still think the 1.8 is a freaking dog. Any ideas that I can do to get a couple more HP without voiding my warranty? Higher performance plugs, or anything along those lines? Thanks

Check your spark plug gap. We've recently discovered that they're under-gapped from the factory by a huge margin.

Yours should be set to .028, although you'd be perfectly fine going up to .035. Another guy here (coinneach) did that (move up to .035) and said his car is a whole new animal now. That's still too small of a gap to create any problems with spark blowout or otherwise.

 

[Beaker]

Higher performance spark plugs. That's funny.

 

[Calintz]

Get a tune and do what Xtreme stated above. As of right now my car is running the way I want to just a enough pep to make me smile when I drive it. I don't have the tune yet but with my Injen SRI with a Custom Filter and a full catback exhaust my car became more peppy than usually not by a lot but just enough for me to enjoy my ride. I'm sure with the tune it will become a lot better although I'm not building a race car but I would like to feel that punch when I accelerate.

 

[Campuscop2003]

Higher performance spark plugs. That's funny.

Just throwing out ideas, no matter how stupid. I may be a moron, but grasping at straws here. ExtremeRevolution mentioned the spark plug gap. Maybe if I am going to pull the plugs to gap them I will throw in some high dollar Iridiums in. I dont know.

 

[coinneach]

Higher performance spark plugs. That's funny.

Bosch OCTO PLATINUM!!!!!

 

[XtremeRevolution]

Just throwing out ideas, no matter how stupid. I may be a moron, but grasping at straws here. ExtremeRevolution mentioned the spark plug gap. Maybe if I am going to pull the plugs to gap them I will throw in some high dollar Iridiums in. I dont know.

Don't take it too hard, we aren't meaning to be rude, lol. It's just that spark plugs make little to no difference at all. They are iridium from the factory, so leave them be and just gap them to .035 as recommended. You may find that it's all you need to enjoy the car more. If you do this, please report back with your results and to let us know what your gap originally was.

 

[Calintz]

Check your spark plug gap. We've recently discovered that they're under-gapped from the factory by a huge margin.

Yours should be set to .028, although you'd be perfectly fine going up to .035. Another guy here (coinneach) did that (move up to .035) and said his car is a whole new animal now. That's still too small of a gap to create any problems with spark blowout or otherwise.

Hey Xtreme about the gap of our spark plugs do u mean the gap between the spark plug and the motor (connector) in order words our plugs are not tighten enough as they should be? or u mean something else. Dumb question I know but I want to make sure.

 

[Campuscop2003]

Don't take it too hard, we aren't meaning to be rude, lol. It's just that spark plugs make little to no difference at all. They are iridium from the factory, so leave them be and just gap them to .035 as recommended. You may find that it's all you need to enjoy the car more. If you do this, please report back with your results and to let us know what your gap originally was.

Ok cool, didn't know they are iridium from the factory. I will gap them this weekend and report back.

 

[iKermit]

Don't take it too hard, we aren't meaning to be rude, lol. It's just that spark plugs make little to no difference at all. They are iridium from the factory, so leave them be and just gap them to .035 as recommended. You may find that it's all you need to enjoy the car more. If you do this, please report back with your results and to let us know what your gap originally was.

But in Need For Speed they made a difference worked my ass off for one.

 

[XtremeRevolution]

Hey Xtreme about the gap of our spark plugs do u mean the gap between the spark plug and the motor (connector) in order words our plugs are not tighten enough as they should be? or u mean something else. Dumb question I know but I want to make sure.

You'll want to do some research or have someone else do this if you aren't too familiar with it. There are many tutorials on this on youtube. Illustrated in the following picture is the gap I'm referring to:

That gap is too small from the factory, and needs to be increased. I'd recommend .035 for both the LS and 1.4L Turbo until I can test .040 on the Turbo motor for spark blowout or any negative side effects. That will take me another 2 tanks of gas before I can comfortably recommend it though.

Use feeler gauges or a correct spark plug gapping tool, NOT one of those gapping discs they sell for a buck or two at an auto store. Something like this:

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/PROTO-Spark-Plug-Gap-Set-Holder-Bender-3R009?gclid=CLHXtbb4868CFQjf4Aodp1N6VQ&cm_mmc=PPC:GooglePLA-_-Hand Tools-_-Measuring and Layout Tools-_-3R009&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=3R009&ef_id=1axOuCqamkEAAAVj:20120509192949:s


You'll need a 5/8" spark plug socket and a T40 Torx bit.

 

[coinneach]

Hey Xtreme about the gap of our spark plugs do u mean the gap between the spark plug and the motor (connector) in order words our plugs are not tighten enough as they should be? or u mean something else. Dumb question I know but I want to make sure.

He's talking about the gap between electrodes at the bottom of the plug. You'll have the very fine pointy bit in the middle and the larger bar that extends down from the plug body and curves over the pointy bit; the space between these is the gap.

 

[Beaker]

Just throwing out ideas, no matter how stupid. I may be a moron, but grasping at straws here. ExtremeRevolution mentioned the spark plug gap. Maybe if I am going to pull the plugs to gap them I will throw in some high dollar Iridiums in. I dont know.

Iridium plugs vs. copper or platinum plugs are just going to last longer. That is all.

 

[Calintz]

Oh ok thanks for the response guys I'll get to this soon.

 

[XtremeRevolution]

Oh ok thanks for the response guys I'll get to this soon.

Sounds good. Remember, if you break the plug tip (which you shouldn't if you're careful and using a tool other than one of those discs), don't just put it back in the car; buy a replacement.

 

[Calintz]

Sounds good. Remember, if you break the plug tip (which you shouldn't if you're careful and using a tool other than one of those discs), don't just put it back in the car; buy a replacement.

Got it will do. I'll post up my observation on gaping my spark plugs. Thanks for the help.

 

[iCruze2]

So just the 1.8L have a problem with spark plug gaps, or both engines...?

 

[XtremeRevolution]

So just the 1.8L have a problem with spark plug gaps, or both engines...?

Both of them do. So far, every single person who has checked their gap on this board found it to be under spec.

 

[iCruze2]

Both of them do. So far, every single person who has checked their gap on this board found it to be under spec.

Well I better check mine this weekend too! What did you set yours to?