AC Delco Rapid-Fire anyone know..?

[alamantia]

Do all the new rapid fire plugs only come in platnium?


One day many many moons ago my father gave me a box of 8 rapid fire spark plugs for my 91 RS camaro with that wonderful, 305(E) motor. I remember them not being platnium and I also remember putting them in and thinking the car idled smoother and it ran hotter, whatever. I would imagine because of the shape of the electrode (with those little ribs on it) the combustion chamber was getting a greater spark thus igniting more fuel...? I dunno, in the words of Forrest Gump "Im not a very smart man" anyway, After a few thousand miles it started ideling like usual and it diodnt run as hot, upon removing the rapid-fires it soon became evident that i burnt off the funny shaped "ribs" on the electrodes which were prolly giving them the ability to make that nice fat spark. Never the less i never used them again knowing that the primary reason they made power and idled better was those "ribs" and they just burn off. However, after filling up my Tahoe last night at $75 a tank I gots to thinking that I should tune ol bessy up in efforts to make her run a lil better and maybe save some gas... or not... so I'm gunna go to Autozone (my favorite of favopritest places in the world, not only for their top shelp parts but there expert know how) and gets me an O2 sensor, plugs cap and rotor. Now Im wondering, if the Rapidfire #1 plug, which replaces my CR43TS plug will come in platinum or not, if it comes in platinum i will indeed purchase that jammy, but how would I know for sure, does it say on that lil blue box? Anyone know for sure?

[Tru2Chevy]

I would guess that if they are Platinum tipped, they will charge more money and it will be listed on the box.

- Justin

[GP99GT]

what year is your tahoe?

edit: nevermind

41-803 is the AC part number for the stock replacement CR43TS, but in platinum.

CR43TS is the copper OEM style.

1 is the Rapidfire number.

ACDelco’s RAPIDFIRE Platinum Spark Plugs fit engines that require conventional or platinum plugs, offering quicker throttle response, smoother idle, greater corrosion protection, and greater longevity when compared to conventional spark plugs.
Available for most vehicle makes and models, and several marine applications, the RAPIDFIRE Platinum Spark Plug design features:

• Ribless insulator that improves the plug-to-boot seal
• Tapered and columned center wire electrode with a platinum pad that reduces the firing diameter and helps improve the firing efficiency by concentrating and directing energy needed to fire the plug with less voltage
• One-piece integral suppressor seal that helps reduce radio frequency interference, meters spark plug energy to help provide long electrode life, and seals against compression leakage
• Gapped to the engine’s original vehicle manufacturer’s specifications
• Thirty-day, money-back guarantee and three-year limited warranty
  
  http://www.acdelco.com/parts/sparkplugs/

[alamantia]

Thanks matt

[JL8Jeff]

I used to run the old non-platinum Rapidfires in my old supercharged 93 Pace Car and they were a great plug. They changed to platinum a while ago and I've never used them since. Why they keep thinking they're making things better when they aren't is beyond me. They want bling to sell to the kids I guess.

[alamantia]

well, I thought the whole point of the rapid fire was the star shaped electrode which produced a fatter spark. Once the elcetrode burnt down it defeted the purpose of the plug. If its plattinum the star shape will last much longer, no?

[JL8Jeff]

The platinum rapidfire isn't star shaped though. It's the same platinum tip as any other plug so there's nothing special about it. I had a Jacobs ignition box and supercharger on the LT1 so I didn't want to use platinum. NGK seems to be the only non platinum plug worth using.