Spark Plugs: Champion vs. Unison

[Jonathan Goodish]

I've Googled for this and poked around other places, but there doesn't
seem to be much comparison data on these two products.

I've always used Champion plugs (massive electrode), but now that my
plugs are fairly worn and I'm in the market again, I'm curious about
opinions on the Unison Autolite plugs. They are $5 cheaper per plug. I
will pay the extra $5 per plug if the Champions are better plugs, but I
have no personal experience with the Autolites.

Any advice?


Thanks,
JKG

[Dave Stadt]

"Jonathan Goodish" > wrote in message
...
> I've Googled for this and poked around other places, but there doesn't
> seem to be much comparison data on these two products.
>
> I've always used Champion plugs (massive electrode), but now that my
> plugs are fairly worn and I'm in the market again, I'm curious about
> opinions on the Unison Autolite plugs. They are $5 cheaper per plug. I
> will pay the extra $5 per plug if the Champions are better plugs, but I
> have no personal experience with the Autolites.
>
> Any advice?

> Thanks,
> JKG


I have used both and can tell no difference.

[Michael]

A friend of mine switched to Autolites on his Mooney. He then
discovered that the deep socket he used on his Champions wasn't quite
deep enough for the Autolites. Had to get a new socket, specialty
item, wiping out much of the savings.

In terms of how they work - no discernible difference.

Michael

[Dave Stadt]

"Michael" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> A friend of mine switched to Autolites on his Mooney. He then
> discovered that the deep socket he used on his Champions wasn't quite
> deep enough for the Autolites. Had to get a new socket, specialty
> item, wiping out much of the savings.
>
> In terms of how they work - no discernible difference.
>
> Michael
>

My deep socket works on both brands. It is an off the shelf socket from the
local farm store that cost at most $7.00.

[iflyatiger]

I used to use the champions on my tiger for a number of years and also
bought and used a few sets of champions brand new. Always had problems with
fouling. Last time I bought plugs I went with Autolites and so far after at
least 75 hours and at least a year and a half they haven't fouled once ...

Jon

"Jonathan Goodish" > wrote in message
...
> I've Googled for this and poked around other places, but there doesn't
> seem to be much comparison data on these two products.
>
> I've always used Champion plugs (massive electrode), but now that my
> plugs are fairly worn and I'm in the market again, I'm curious about
> opinions on the Unison Autolite plugs. They are $5 cheaper per plug. I
> will pay the extra $5 per plug if the Champions are better plugs, but I
> have no personal experience with the Autolites.
>
> Any advice?
>
>
> Thanks,
> JKG

[John Clonts]

"Dave Stadt" > wrote in message ...
>
> "Michael" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
>> A friend of mine switched to Autolites on his Mooney. He then
>> discovered that the deep socket he used on his Champions wasn't quite
>> deep enough for the Autolites. Had to get a new socket, specialty
>> item, wiping out much of the savings.
>>
>> In terms of how they work - no discernible difference.
>>
>> Michael
>>
>
> My deep socket works on both brands. It is an off the shelf socket from the
> local farm store that cost at most $7.00.
>

Yeah, I needed a spark plug socket immediately one night and couldn't find it in the socket section of the auto
parts store-- but further down the isle I found an "Oxygen Sensor Socket"! It's 7/8, extra deep, and has a
slot up the side that allows you to easily use it on the "cable cap nut" too...
--
Cheers,
John Clonts
Temple, Texas
N7NZ

[[email protected]]

When Auburn plugs were available we used to use them
exclusively. They lasted much longer than the Champs. Then Champion
bought them up and shut them down. We'd formerly had a lot of trouble
with Champions failing the testing at 50 or 100 hours, and it seemed to
be the spring-loaded internal resistor that somehow lost its contact,
even though I could see nothing wrong with it in any plug that wouldn't
spark. I'd even had Champions failing right out of the box.
We started using the Unisons when they came out. They had the
same monolithic (molded-in) resistor the Auburns had used, and worked
well. In the last year we've had trouble with them misfiring, and on
the test stand they will arc in the cigarette barrel; the spark would
rather jump from the contact button to the shell rather than across the
gap at 120 psi. I think it's another resistor problem.
Misfiring plugs aren't always readily apparent. You might feel
the slightest bit of roughness, usually in climb or leaned cruise, and
if the mags aren't timed exactly together. As the earlier plug fires
and the cylinder pressures start to rise, the other can't or won't fire
and you have a slower burn in that cylinder. Switching from BOTH to
LEFT or RIGHT won't detect anything.
We're using both Champs and Unisons right now to see what the
eventual outcome might be.

Dan

[Jonathan Goodish]

In article . com>,
wrote:
> We're using both Champs and Unisons right now to see what the
> eventual outcome might be.


So basically what you're saying is that you used to have better
performance from the Unisons, but now they potentially both have issues?

I'm nervous about the Unisons only because they are an unknown to me;
I've always used Champion. But they are $5/per plug cheaper, which
means a $40 savings even if they're no better/no worse than Champions.

I have heard guys at the local airport say that they've been told to
"stay away from the Unisons," but they can't remember any specific
reason.



JKG