Technical advice on spark plugs (1.4 sport)

Currently reading:
Technical advice on spark plugs (1.4 sport)

durukan

New member
Joined
Nov 24, 2009
Messages
230
Points
46
Location
istanbul
my warranty will expire in 2 weeks so i'm thinking of doing low mileage service myself in every 10.000 km since they charge a lot for labour and they use cheap crappy oil. i'll still get parts like oil filter, air filter from fiat dealer but i'm thinking of using Mobil 1 ESP 0W-40(seems to be the best on market) and i'm going to need your advice on spark plugs. everyone i ask recommend NGK so it'll be the one i buy for sure, but i need to know if any sort of upgrade is possible rather then using the ones shown in ePER. i've heard platinium ones are a bit expensive but very high quality and long lasting, but i don't know if they're 100% compatible with my engine.
 
my warranty will expire in 2 weeks so i'm thinking of doing low mileage service myself in every 10.000 km since they charge a lot for labour and they use cheap crappy oil. i'll still get parts like oil filter, air filter from fiat dealer but i'm thinking of using Mobil 1 ESP 0W-40(seems to be the best on market) and i'm going to need your advice on spark plugs. everyone i ask recommend NGK so it'll be the one i buy for sure, but i need to know if any sort of upgrade is possible rather then using the ones shown in ePER. i've heard platinium ones are a bit expensive but very high quality and long lasting, but i don't know if they're 100% compatible with my engine.

Do you not have a 3rd year dealer warranty ?

Mobile 1 - wrong oil - it is too light. It has to be 5W-40W and of the right specification.
NGK spark plugs - has to be these for the warranty. In the US there are using the NGK Iridium plugs - stll does not satisfy Euro warranty. Standard NGKs are cheap ; the NGK Iridium can be got relatively cheap. The Denso Iridiums are the best. Very unlikely you will notice any difference with Iridiums (but you might with the Denso) - standard NGK make the most sense. Quite a few BMW guys are using Platinium but they give NO performance increase but do last longer & they're pricey. Unsure if you can get them for the 500 - would not recommend them.
Filter - Standard paper is around €20. When it gets dirty performance drops off. Cotton gauze e.g. BMC preferred Fiat renewable. Personally I prefer the Foam filter (ITG) performs better than the rest when it gets dirt on it. Pricey at €60. Again very questionable performance improvement. Needs to be paper for warranty.
https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/268372-spark-plugs-100hp.html?p=2750046
https://www.fiatforum.com/500/263450-my-new-1-4-500-a-6.html?p=2823919
 
Last edited:
I have a spare set Of genuine plugs

Paypal me £10 and I will post them to ya(y)

Edit I see you are overseas so won't be economic to post...

also they are about 15£ per a set(NGK ones, Bosch set is 17£) in Fiat dealer here, so.. :) but thanks for your kind offer anyway.


Do you not have a 3rd year dealer warranty ?

Mobile 1 - wrong oil - it is too light. It has to be 5W-40W and of the right specification.
NGK spark plugs - has to be these for the warranty. In the US there are using the NGK Iridium plugs - stll does not satisfy Euro warranty. Standard NGKs are cheap ; the NGK Iridium can be got relatively cheap. The Denso Iridiums are the best. Very unlikely you will notice any difference with Iridiums (but you might with the Denso) - standard NGK make the most sense. Quite a few BMW guys are using Platinium but they give NO performance increase but do last longer & they're pricey. Unsure if you can get them for the 500 - would not recommend them.
Filter - Standard paper is around €20. When it gets dirty performance drops off. Cotton gauze e.g. BMC preferred Fiat renewable. Personally I prefer the Foam filter (ITG) performs better than the rest when it gets dirt on it. Pricey at €60. Again very questionable performance improvement. Needs to be paper for warranty.



yes, i extended my warranty. i can extend it for the 4th year for around 200£ but i don't think it's worth it, damn car was very reliable so far i don't think something will ever go wrong in next year or so.

as far as i know, in oil grading the number with W next to it is the viscosity of oil in low temperatures which is lower the better(so no problem there) and 40 is the viscosity in higher temperatures which is higher the better, so 5W-40 shouldn't be any better for my climate since 0W-40 will give me the same performance in hot weather and it'll perform better in extreme winter days. also i want to add that istanbul isn't that hot in summer because black sea being so near, it's never too hot to go out. I even go to bed AC off and windows closed since mid august :)

i must say parts are really expensive in UK. i justed checked my invoice of my last service and paper filter is just 3£. also i really don't care about my remaining two weeks of warranty, so foam it is.
 
Last edited:
On an older 1.4 Sport I initially used Mobil 1 0W-40W thinking that I was giving it the best - but I wasn't. The engine was a little tappety. Oil was put in when I got the car in Feb but I had changed it to the proper oil by April. Some of the Abarth boys have used it in the depths of winter and on the esseesse it is upted to 10W-50W. Still 5w-40w is the one and if you are looking to 'cut' costs from the Fiat oil there is a Castrol equivalent.

On the Air filter I originally put in a K&N - I had to 'make it fit' - it was off a different car - one of the bargain items at Halfords - I noticed that the Cotton gauze gives a bit more rasp. The K&N can be bought cheap on ebay around £30 whilst the BMC is around £50-£60. The ITG Foam filter sounds the same as the paper filter.

Since you're not going to have the car on warranty why not go for the Pipercross Cold Air induction kit - I got mine for less than £100. I genuinely think that it is the best £ of fun you can spend.
https://www.fiatforum.com/500/265055-induction-cold-air-feed.html?p=2748797

EDIT: The whole topic of Paper V gauze V foam is a bit controversial. Even this video clip is the same way but here goes...
 
Last edited:
ok, i think i'll go with standard NGK plugs, Castrol edge 5W-40 and i'll probably go for an induction kit with a foam filter.
 
ok, i think i'll go with standard NGK plugs, Castrol edge 5W-40 and i'll probably go for an induction kit with a foam filter.

Good decision.
That bit of 'badgering' worked on the oil.:)
Standard NGK plugs. They are hard to beat. NGK make really good plugs. Supposed to last 18K miles. NGK Iridiums around 60K+. Denso Iridiums less around 40K.
The induction kit. Best is the GSR which is hard if not impossible to get. Pipercross one was based on the LAD Motorsport one. I did toy with the idea of changing the standard foam filter that came with it to a bigger one off ITG directly but it was pricey. Don't bother with the other CAIs like the Focus...
The ceramic wrap around the top of the manifold was worth doing to reduce the heat build up in the engine. Limited success. Costs around €30. Don't wrap the CAT !
 
so i did all that except the CAI because i couldn't find any premade kits that fit, but i'm thinking of ordering. anyways, i also checked my brake pads, rears are in good condition and fronts are probably good for another 10.000 km. but i noticed that the pad in front left is much more worn out compairing to the one on the right. is that normal?
 
so i did all that except the CAI because i couldn't find any premade kits that fit, but i'm thinking of ordering. anyways, i also checked my brake pads, rears are in good condition and fronts are probably good for another 10.000 km. but i noticed that the pad in front left is much more worn out compairing to the one on the right. is that normal?

Here's one on ebay but you would need to double-check that it is this one...
http://www.easier.com/63113-new-pipercross-induction-kit-for-fiat-500-and-panda.html
I got mine from larton developments but Nouva (Nigel in Angel Tuning) will also do one even though it's not advertised. Pipercross will also sell one to you directly.
You could consider upgrading the foam filter that comes with this to a bigger one (at a later date) from ITG filter but you would need to ensure that it's the right size.
If you use a Cotton gauze type filter it will be more throaty but the foam is a little quieter and IMHO easier to live with.
You wouldn't get any increase in bhp (maybe 1 or 2 bhp) but you will get more torque and possibly a little increase in mpg if you not encouraged to hear the induction sound.
 
This post contains affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
i also checked my brake pads, rears are in good condition and fronts are probably good for another 10.000 km. but i noticed that the pad in front left is much more worn out compairing to the one on the right. is that normal?

do you have any opinion on brake pads?

How many miles / kms has your 3 year old car done - get the impression that it might have done 50K miles ?

Are you looking to just replace the front pads or are you prepared to replace all 4 sets ?
On the replacement pads are you looking for good quality replacement ones that would give better 'performance' e.g. less dust or slightly better stopping power ?
Is 'noise' an issue i.e. must they be quiet or would you tolerate a little noise for slightly better performance ?
Do they have to be 'E' rated for the insurance guys or is Greece a little more tolerant on the use of high friction brake pads ?
Is price an issue i.e. do you want 'cheap' quality ones ?
 
How many miles / kms has your 3 year old car done - get the impression that it might have done 50K miles ?

Are you looking to just replace the front pads or are you prepared to replace all 4 sets ?
On the replacement pads are you looking for good quality replacement ones that would give better 'performance' e.g. less dust or slightly better stopping power ?
Is 'noise' an issue i.e. must they be quiet or would you tolerate a little noise for slightly better performance ?
Do they have to be 'E' rated for the insurance guys or is Greece a little more tolerant on the use of high friction brake pads ?
Is price an issue i.e. do you want 'cheap' quality ones ?

I only did 30.000 km in 3 years :) it still have the factory fitted pads. i really don't hear any noise what so ever and since i don't race i'm thinking of replacing them with standard EBC ones. but as i mentioned before factory fitted pads(front/rear) are good for another 10.000 km, so i'm not thinking of replacing them any soon. my question is: is it OK that front left pad is much more worn out then right front pad?
 
I only did 30.000 km in 3 years :) it still have the factory fitted pads. i really don't hear any noise what so ever and since i don't race i'm thinking of replacing them with standard EBC ones. but as i mentioned before factory fitted pads(front/rear) are good for another 10.000 km, so i'm not thinking of replacing them any soon. my question is: is it OK that front left pad is much more worn out then right front pad?


If there is uneven brake pad wear it would need to be looked at. A google search produces a number of hits including this one from the FF...

The calipers are floating single piston type so one pad always contacts before the other. Gentle braking most of the time will cause uneven wear. If the sliding bushes in the caliper are tight or sloppy, the pad wear will be more uneven. Its also possible for the pads to jam in the caliper so they move only at one end. Make sure the pad ends and contact points in the caliper are "greased" with anti seize paste
 
Back
Top