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2006 Optimax 225 Pro XS - Spark Plug - Best Price?

xsv spd

xsv spd

Member
I'm getting ready for spring start up and have been pricing out the NGK IZFR6J spark plugs. The motor has 100 hours now and I am going to change them as it is recommended.

My local dealer wants $21.84 per plug. Certainly one member must know a source where I can order these plugs for a reasonable price?

Thanks!
 
I can't speak for those particular plugs but Auto Zone is far and aaway the cheapest place to get plugs for my OMC.
 
We just put plugs in my sons rebuilt opti 225. The motor called for NGK ZFR5G. Advance auto did not stock them at $12+, but did have the Autolite versions at $7. We put them in and it started and ran fine.

Chuck
 
ngk always

I ALWAYS USE AND SALE NGK PLUGS.IN MY OPINION, THE BEST PLUGS OUT.I STOCK AT LEAST 200 OR MORE NGK PLUGS IN MY SHOP. IN A PINCH I WOULD USE DENSO.NGK NEVER FOUL UNLESS THEY ARE OLD AS DIRT. I WOULD PAY A LITTLE MORE TO A LOCAL SHOP THAN SAVING A FEW BUCKS.EBAY,AND OTHER SITES AND FRANCHISES ARE WHATS KILLING US NON FRANCHISE SHOPS AND THE LITTLE MEN WHO CAN ALWAYS ANSWER A TECH QUESTION FOR FREE.
 
CHAIN REACTION said:
I ALWAYS USE AND SALE NGK PLUGS.IN MY OPINION, THE BEST PLUGS OUT.I STOCK AT LEAST 200 OR MORE NGK PLUGS IN MY SHOP. IN A PINCH I WOULD USE DENSO.NGK NEVER FOUL UNLESS THEY ARE OLD AS DIRT. I WOULD PAY A LITTLE MORE TO A LOCAL SHOP THAN SAVING A FEW BUCKS.EBAY,AND OTHER SITES AND FRANCHISES ARE WHATS KILLING US NON FRANCHISE SHOPS AND THE LITTLE MEN WHO CAN ALWAYS ANSWER A TECH QUESTION FOR FREE.
Click to expand...

I understand and agree. In this instance my local Mercury dealer wants $150 incl taxes vs $82 shipped. I support my local dealer as long as the prices are reasonably close to other purchasing avenues. My dealer gets plenty of business from me between the boat and snowmobile.

NGK only also. Thanks for the help!
 
im with ya,i could see paying $102 vs $82 and have plugs right then,but $150 is out of hand. i work with all my customers on all parts because i was once the customer instead of the owner.
 
I would never use anything but the recommended NGK plug in ANY OptiMax. Its just not worth the risk. The direct injection system on an OptiMax is engineered to work specifically with the NGK plug. An Opti fires a stratified charge of fuel directly into the combustion chamber, combining fuel from the fuel injectors and compressed air from the direct injectors to get the air/fuel mixture into the combustion chamber after the intake and exhaust ports are closed. This is why Opti's have the "cup" on the crown of the piston. For the health of your Opti, run the recommended NGK and make sure it is gapped correctly. It will run stronger and idle better with the NGK's. Nothing against Autolite, I run them in my tow vehicle, bur for Opti's, i won't install anything but the NGK's.

Jeff
 
NGK all the way! Next question: Has anyone ever dowloaded a service manual? If so is there any particular site that is better?

I want to have it handy anyway for future maintenance but also am curious about indexing and need to know how big a lunch I should pack when I start the job. Interesting what the internet says about indexing! I found one site that said I have to index the Optimax plugs...:shakehead:
 
After we run the Autolites we will let you know how they perform. All of the iridium plugs have a copper core. NGK has it listed on their web site.
Anyway, love the debates and opinions.
 
boats.net

I USE WWW.BOATS.NET SEVERAL TIMES A DAY.IF A CUSTOMER DONT KNOW THEIR MOTOR INFO ON MERCS AND MERC CRUISE, YOU CAN ENTER THEIR S/N NUMBER AND IT WILL SHOW PARTS DIAGRAMS,PART NUMBERS,AND OTHER INFO FOR THE S/N NUMBER YOU ENTER.YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND AND OEM MERC SERVICE MANUAL YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.
 
Here is picture of the sticker on my 2000 225 Optimax. It calls for champion spark plugs, do you think I should run the champions or NGK's?

D87B6DB8_zpsec42a4bd.jpg
 
BBC is an excellent resource for Opti questions

I would encourage every Opti owner to spend some time there browsing through the threads.

Here is a link to the aforementioned Don Weed's current recommendations for Opti oil, battery, plugs, fuel treatment...as updated December 2012.

http://www.bbcboards.net/mercury-3-...-additive-recommendations-updated-2-13-a.html

As stated earlier, Don is a Merc Master Tech and works on a lot of 3.0L DFI outboards. If I'm reading this correctly, his plug recommendation for your 2000 225 Opti is NGK IZFR5G gapped @ .032"-.033".

My guess is that with changing emission standards, fuel quality, ethanol content,...Mercury is forced to regularly revisit the issue of recommended plugs and the like for these engines.
 
Thanks for the tech data! My 2006 225 Pro XS = NGK IZFR6J gapped @ .032 and no indexing needed as I expected.

The whole job looks like a 3 to 4 beer timeframe. There's a lot of "stuff" in the way before getting to the plugs! I got the plugs through Amazon and now am just waiting for the snow to melt before I get too excited. Saturday we put the last 200 miles on our sleds for the season...I'm almost in boating mode.
 
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