spark plug recommendation for a 70 440 TNT

I use Autolite 85.

Personal preference only... My uncle was an Autolite dealer.

IMHO, stay away from the trick plugs with the split straps and the whateverium electrodes. They don't work any better.

Cue the Champion guys...
 
Kmart 624's

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Jeff
 
Just Kidding. :lol:

It was on my desk and I couldn't resist.

I think the 624's are actually for a slant 6, but there are none out there for sale where I can find some kind of reference.

Jeff
 
No, I don't. Those would likely be from before my time.

The one I photoed has a price of 56 cents, and it's probably from the early 1980's.

Jeff
 
I personally use anything that's not made in China, which leaves the Japanese plugs along with Bosch.

Autolite, Champion, and Delco are all made in China now.

I also prefer the zinc plated plugs so that they don't rust and look ugly after a short while.

Jeff
 
It's unlikely that you're not going to get any consensus on this subject.

I also don't know if you would ever notice much or any difference between plug brands with the way your engine would run. I've never noticed anything different from brand to brand.

I have a friend who swears by Autolite, and won't buy anything else for his Chrysler products. He's mister original when it comes to his cars, but won't touch a Champion plug with a 10 foot pole, which is what Chrysler used from the factory.

He puts way more miles on his cars than I do, so it's a point that I don't bother to argue with him.

Jeff
 
If we're discussing "heat range" instead of a brand of plug, I have had good service (in my TNT with 11:1 pistons) Champ RJ12YC. As I understand it, this "modern designed" plug covers the old-school heat ranges from 10 to 13....it's not as sensitive to heat absorption as the old plugs.

The FSM calls for 14Y, which is a little hotter and might cause ping at 33* total timing with modern gas. So any brand in this heat range is fine by me, China or not. YMMV
 
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I also don't know if you would ever notice much or any difference between plug brands with the way your engine would run. I've never noticed anything different from brand to brand.
I totally agree. And as Big John said, these old engines have no use for all the snake-oil whateverium electrodes.
 
Autolite recently redesigned their plugs. At least the 86s. The base is now plated where before it was blued steel.
I will probably go back to using standard heat range NGKs after the engine rebuild. They're nice quality. won't make a difference in performance but I appreciate attention to detail, down to the cardboard tube protecting the tip in the individual spark plug boxes. I still have a couple sets that I bead blasted & filed (but didn't blister pack) from when I first got the car.

Edit: RE: heat range
Autolite 85 is std.
+1 hotter: 86
+2 hotter: 847
 
If we're discussing "heat range" instead of a brand of plug, I have had good service with Champ RJ12YC. As I understand it, this "modern designed" plug covers the old-school heat ranges from 10 to 13....it's not as sensitive to heat absorption as the old plugs.

The FSM calls for 14Y, which is a little hotter and might cause ping at 33* total timing with modern gas. So any brand in this heat range is fine by me, China or not. YMMV

Sounds like Champion has adopted Autolite's philosophy of one heat range fit's all.

Motorcraft and NGK still show a cooler plug for police and the V-code engines.

I always found it odd that the first plug that Champion killed off was the J14Y, which was called for in more engines than any of the other heat ranges.

Jeff
 
I guess it would be the way to go if you had an oil burner that was killing plugs every few thousand miles.

Jeff
 
In OR, Fred Meyer's, aka Kroger, also sold the reconditioned plugs. In the late 60's, they were $1.99 for a set of 8.

Dave
 
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