Buying spark plugs in Europe for the RX-7
 

Hello everybody.
I live in Portugal, and my car is a 1987 Mazda RX-7 FC S4 N/A, 100% standard (i.e. no modifications) that was imported from the USA in 1992.

I need to change the spark plugs in my car, because the ones that are there, are not the correct ones.
I started by asking on the local auto stores, but all of them say they don't have spark plugs for my car.
So I decided to check the FSM (so I could search for the spark plugs on my own), and it says:
Trailing: NGK SD11A
Leading: NGK SD10A

I've searched for those plugs in many places, but the only one place I could find them was on eBay, and there were only 2 sellers in the USA who were selling them already used... :(
The NGK website (www.ngk.com) says: "Spark Plug Discontinued with No Replacement".

So I ended up searching the NGK website, by using the Search by "Vehicle Type" menu and the results were:
Leading: BUR7EQ
Trailing: BUR9EQ

So once again I searched, and I was able to find on eBay some sellers in the UK who were selling the BUR9EQ spark plugs. I bought 2 of those and they are already here with me. (so, half the work done, great! :icon_tup: )

But, the BUR7EQ ones seem to be quite hard to get. :( In Europe, I've yet to find someone who sells them. I've found some NGK suppliers in the UK and in Germany, but they only have the BUR9EQ ones, they don't have the BUR7EQ's...
The only 2 chances I have found so far, is to buy them through eBay or through the NGK website, but the problem is that they are shipped from the USA, and the problem(s) with things that are shipped from the USA are:
-> they take almost 2 months to get here... :(
-> shipping costs are a tad high... :(
-> when the package reaches the customs, they charge me taxes... :( :( :( :icon_tdow :icon_tdow

So I ended up reading some threads here on the forum, about the RX-7 FC spark plugs, and I've seen some ideas, like for instance:
-> to use the same BUR9EQ all round (for both trailing and leading)
-> to use the B7EM (1-how adequate are these for my car???)
-> to use BUR8EQP (NGK website says: "Spark Plug Discontinued with No Replacement") and I don't want to mix regular spark plugs with platinum spark plugs, so: no.
-> BR8EQ-14, only available from the USA... :(

So, in the middle of all this, I think the best option is to buy another pair of BUR9EQ spark plugs, but I'm not sure if I should do that, because as far as I understood, the number between the letters on the spark plug model, indicates the temperature index at what the spark plug will work (the higher the number, the colder it will be) and that may make my car's idle not so good as if it was working with the BUR7EQ ones. Am I right, or am I wrong? 2-Should I buy another pair of BUR9EQ and run the whole engine with those all round?

I just need to add, that while I was searching for the remaining spark plugs, I was emailing one German NGK supplier, and they suggested the BR10ET spark plugs for my car. I've found them for sale on eBay, but I couldn't find them on the NGK website (weird?)... 3-Are these spark plugs correct for my car's Leading?
4-Do you know any NGK supplier in Europe, who may be able to supply me with the NGK BUR7EQ spark plugs?

I would like you, to give me your opinion on this, and to answer my 4 questions (I have marked them Bold).

All your points of view are welcome and appreciated.
Thank you.

Try checking the regional forums further down the main page of this website. Others in Europe will probably be more of a help than those of us here in the 2nd gen section.

You gota pay to play.

But beefhole is right.

I got 4 BUR7EQ's that I can sell you.
NEW in box.

Denso part numbers:
S29A Stock Number 3106
S31A Stock Number 3111

NGK Stock numbers:
6917 leading
4764 leading platinum
5777 trailing
5255 trailing platinum

I advise against using B7EM spark plugs in your car, they are intended for much older rotarys.

Using the colder trailing plugs (BUR9EQ) in all 4 places isn't perfect, could cause a slight decrease in economy and increased fouling...though the car would still run decently well.

Using any other plugs than the ones specifically for your car may require a special socket to install/remove them properly due to their length.

Thank you for your replies.

So should I ask an administrator to move this topic to the European regional section, or should I create a new topic there and link it into this one, or should I just create a topic there with the same text as this one and forget about this?

I would have never seen this if it was in the European section Ed!...lol!

Lol. I understand what you mean. I guess I'm just gonna create a topic there and link it...

But... you are in Canada, right?

Eduardo,

Stick to the BUR*EQ's to ensure the right plug type.

I'd buy the 7EQ's from -styx69 above - I've dealt with him and he's a good guy.

Or compare with this guy (bought my plugs from him:

http://myworld.ebay.ca/daveknowsdeal...84.m1543.l2533

Not going to Portugal for a few months, and no one is travelling there very soon, so that's an option that doesn't work right now, lol!

Where abouts in Portugal, btw?

edit: shipping is only a few bucks if you can find a sender that doesn't inflate shipping price...and what's a few bucks...you're running a rotary in Portugal...so everything will be $$$ lol!

Yep,I am In Canada..I kissed a Beaver and I liked it!..(Styx Perry's new Pop song..lol!)

I usually just order a set of plugs when i buy stuff from a US store who also sell's plugs(mazdatrix and so on).
They are hard to get and very expensive from Norwegian shops.

Yeah, I know that I've bought a car where I'm going to have to bury a quite amount of money. I'm not saying I want to go cheap, because if I wanted to go cheap, I would've bought 9EQ's all around and I wouldn't even asked... The problem is, having to wait almost 2 months to get that stuff...
I'm from Almada, it's near Lisbon.
I'll check out that eBay link. Thank you.


LOL
But, if the package has to come from Canada to Portugal, it will take the same time that would take to come from the USA to Portugal, correct?

So you say that you wait lot's of time (like 2 months or so) and pay the customs charges + taxes?

I guess you have not looked very good here in Europe, I always carry all sparkplugs in stock for all types of Rx-7 and 8, incluiding the US-spec, JDM spec and EU-spec, and at a reasonable price.
Shipping to Portugal would be +- 20 euros, i can't do anything about that, i only ship with track and trace.
I also only can sell them including tax, but thats not an issue when buying in Europen countries.

Introductie Rx-7 Service Holland
or info@rx7-service.nl

Don't waste your time with SD10 and SD11 plugs. Mazda recalled them for a reason. I've read of the tips falling into the engine and chipping seals. I bought a couple NIB sets for $2 on ebay several years ago just to have them in my collection of unobtainium parts. Will Mazdatrix or Racing Beat not ship to you?

This must suck having cars from different regions. Over here their available at even mom and pop parts shops..

Never in stock though. Always a next day item.

Thank you for the information. I didn't knew that Mazda had recalled SD10 and SD11 spark plugs. I saw them in the Factory Service Manual and thought that they were the correct ones. Meanwhile I got a set with 2 BUR7EQ and 2 BUR9EQ spark plugs just like I should :)
I don't know if Mazdatrix or Racing Beat could ship them to me, but I ended up buying mines from Automotive OE Replacement and Performance Parts - In Stock for Your Tune-Up! and with the help of a friend of mine who visited the USA by that time. So I had to pay no shipping at all :)


Lucky you :nod:

I Dont know where in Europe you are from, but in The Netherlands, all ngk plugs can be purchased at any random auto parts store

And most people run the 9's allround..

rhd japan, reliable, fast, and price is about the same as in in europe.

or use rx8 trailings in a all holes

Related but also somewhat unrelated...

My engine eats spark plugs. I put new plugs in during the rebuild and after 12k miles, my leadings where fucking fried. Not fouled, but totally worn out.

what plugs do you use? did you consider running colder plugs if you think 12k is not enough plug life?

BUR7EQ is what I have on the leading side.

They do get some carbon on them, so I am always afraid of going to a BUR9EQ.

If I where you I would next time run RX8 trailings in all holes and see how they work.