1998 S70 T5 Denso Iridium Spark Plugs

[zenmervolt]

If you say something that's wrong (i.e. that it's "taking a chance" to use non-Volvo spark plugs) you should expect to have that idea shot down.

When thinking of longevity and trust in a manufacturer a good mechanic looks at the part and the intended use and then makes the decision. For specialized componants, OEM is generally "best". But for parts like shocks, springs, swaybars, lights, spark plugs, etc it's just foolish to think that OEM is always the highest quality. OEM parts represent a specific set of compromises that the manufacturer decided upon for their goals. They do not always represent the "best" solution from an overall standpoint and an experienced mechanic recognizes this. In many cases OEM parts are the only reliable option (the water pump for my 951 comes to mind, as do things like glass parts), and in many other cases OEM parts are essentially the only parts available (for example, interior trim pieces or switchgear). That doesn't mean that they are the only option, or even the best option for everything.

Regarding the K&N, more flow means less filtration. Period. Whether it's dangerous overall is debatable, but even the very minor danger from the lower filtration level is greater than the danger from using the proper NGK or Bosch plugs. I'm not familiar with the phrase "call me out", but I assume you're asking if it was an attack. It wasn't. It was simply pointing out that using a quality, name brand spark plug of the appropriate type for the car is less dangerous than a very common modification that is generally considered to be of low risk. You're free to disagree that the K&N has less filtration than a standard paper element, but objective tests prove that it doesn't filter nearly as well as a paper filter.

Cheers!

[Sufbug]

Hey guys! Anyone have the recommended gap here on these bad boyssssss


FR7DC BOSCH

OR

BKR6ES on the NGKs

98 v70 turbo LPT

[Sufbug]

.028 for regular daily drivers

.026 for cars that have some performance stuff on em!

Found on the forum, this one right here!

That search thing u guys speak of is kinda cool!

Big Al

[abscate]

I believe the gapmis even given in the user manual

My experience with coppers is that they need regapping every 15k miles. And replace every 30k

[Goupil]

I run Bosch coppers, and they are so cheap I replace them every 15k miles. Gapped at .028 as Sufbug said

[June]

Do not go with platinum, use copper! Using original volvo equipment is not laughable . . . I feel it ensures that the car will run like it was meant to for as longer as possible . . .but if others want to take chances go ahead and try your luck . . .

I totally agree with this! The modern sparkplug is a resistor plug. Volvo must use a non industry standard value as some plugs cause misfires according to many on here and my experience allowing my husband to service my Volvo cars in the past. Mike hated Volvo pricing and once bought every plug the auto part store had for my 1998 V70 T5 and only the AC Delco and Autolite copper plugs worked perfectly as Genuine Volvo replacement at that time for smooth idle, no misfires, and excellent throttle response. A few made the car not drivable, others a clear lack of throttle response, and others caused annoying vibration at idle. That was probably around the year 2000 as I traded the 98 in late 2001 and I'm sure brands have come and gone in the last 20 years.

My current car the 2004 S80 T6 has had nothing but Genuine Volvo service it's whole life and I had the first coil failure at 203K and almost 17 years on the road. Keep in mind my car has always operated in hot Florida and spent most of it's life idling with A/C on hour apon hour in school pick up line waiting on or dropping off my children. The last couple of years idling for hours a couple of times a week at various medical buildings waiting on my elderly parents. Abscate said 130K was the best he had accomplished before the first coil failure. I credit the use of Genuine plugs for the long coil life and at this writing my S80 has 205K and still has all the original oxygen sensors functioning fine as well as the original exhaust system with never a problem with catalyst inefficiency codes. So really how much do you save by using aftermarket parts in the long-term? June

Addendum
The 2004 S80 has coil over plug therefore it has six coils and no plug wires or distributor just like the 960. Abscate was referring to coil over plug failure by 130K. 1998 V70 T5 had one coil and a distributor with plug wires. I am quite sure there are better options aftermarket for such old cars now compared to back in 2000 when they were relatively new and more likely getting Volvo service. Mike is a redneck who has no use for foreign cars including Volvo. Cussed a storm about the V70 as the aftermarket plugs he first put in caused misfires to his disbelief. That car ended up running AC Delco plugs until i traded her in. June

[Cookeh]

In the EU, Volvo plugs for the turbos have been platinum since they rolled off the factory with Champion RC8PYPs.

Since that time Volvo plugs for turbos have always been platinum, and the manufacturer has varied from Champion, to NGK, to Bosch, to NGK again, and now back to Bosch.

Anecdotally, my car has run on plugs from all of these suppliers. I have personally run my car on NGK PFR6Bs, Bosch FR7DPPs, and Volvo branded ones over 48k miles - mpg and performance has been consistent across all of them. I'm still on original coil at 201k miles, and chose to replace leads at 190k as preventative maintenance - but they still met Volvo resistance specs and had no running issues.

The NAs were specified with coppers at the time of manufacture, but even now Volvo branded plugs for the NAs are platinum. There is no advantage to copper anymore, and they are no longer cheaper, either. For reference, I pay £2.05 for Bosch FR7DPPs here in the UK, whilst FR7DC+ is £2.10.

I cannot say if this varies with the US, but my point is there are no issues with platinum plugs, and furthermore any major plug manufacturer that has been cross-referenced with the Volvo plugs will work perfectly fine.

[erikv11]

Agreed, Volvo plugs for P80 cars are all platinum. Copper works great but it is not what rolled out from the factory.

I buy Volvo plugs and run them to 50k or so, FWIW.

[abscate]

I think in the US they came with copper standard

Firing order 1-2-4-5-3
Distributor ignition setting Not adjustable
Spark plugs Bosch FR 7 DC or Champion RC9YC
Spark plug gap 0.028" (0.7 mm)
Turbo-charged models: Champion RC8PYP (or equivalent)
Spark plug gap 0.03" (0.75 mm)
Tightening torque 18.4 ft. lbs. +/- 3.7 ft. lbs. (25 Nm +/- 5 Nm)

My counterpoint to Pt and Ir plugs is that I don’t want my plugs in an Al cylinder had for 4 years 100k miles between being moved

With plugs being an hour job once I include everything, and using my $25 an hour guidance self labor rate, once I take them out I want new ones in there

I regap,at 15k, andthen 30k get my new free set Of Volvo plugs from FCP

On the T5 that’s twice a year for gapping, new set once a year

[Cookeh]

RC8PYP is a double platinum plug. FR7DC and RC9YC are indeed copper. This means that from factory EU and US specs were the same, so it would then be plausible that the change to platinum for NA models in the EU also made its way across the the US.

I still change mine at 30k intervals, but have found they don't need regapping, and there are obviously no concerns about strength of spark or anything similar. Here in the UK platinum plugs are now cheaper than coppers for this application, so there really is no benefit to coppers. I would share your trepidation about leaving any plug in for any length of time, though. Is there a noticeable difference in price between FR7DCs and FR7DPPs in the US?