NGK spark plugs, dont fail me now dang it !!

So I placed my spring inventory order a month ago, I ordered 200 NGK spark plugs #BUHW,,, and I get a note from my vendor this week no longer available now obsolete, NNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Thee most popular spark plug on planet earth for Mercury two stroke outboards WTH!!!!
So I called NGK and talked to the tech there and he verified what I was told, after quizzing him he offered absolutely NO REASON WHY.
I am betting the EPA or some other turd self funding,,,,, uh,er, you know what I mean is hell bent on cleaning up planet earth by slowly eliminating parts for two stroke power plants, my theory, flame me if you want.

Last year I sold close to or over a thousand of their spark plugs and they will not build me a one off batch, so, as of today I bought two hundred plus plugs I could find on shelves here in Iowa and they are getting hard to find and feel lucky to get what I did.
However, the tech I talked to is researching what plug will replace it and so far from what I understand it will be an old school J-series plug in the proper heat range which according to him is in the 12 range.
when I find out I will post it, and I will only post it once I have verified that the J style will clear the pistons on Merc outboards myself.
I was also told for now that possibly Champion is still building that plug in their number, UGG!! I have thrown away more of those than I can make work!!

so for now Merc two stroke owners if you are using the BUHW or BUHW-2 plug in your motor buy them when you come across them.

I see they are on clearance at Fleet Farm. Try and order for delivery and see how many you can get.

Hmmm,….my old 1994 Merc 60 horse uses NGK plugs, I had to run out to the garage to see which ones. It looks like I have # BP8H-N-10. Maybe I better stock up on those.

SR

Thanks for the heads up. Just ordered a dozen on sale!

Those zero gap plugs were prone to fouling easily, I just sold a motor with them. There should be people that have switched over already because of this alone. They make spacers for spark plugs if needed but I doubt there will be a clearance issue. Gap and install a J hook plug and put a dob of grease on the bottom of the J and spin the motor over, as long as you have .040″ of clearance it will be fine. Too bad they quit making them, let us know what you find out.

Surface gap spark plugs? You’re still using surface gap plugs? Next thing you will be telling us is you are still using old fashioned gasoline too!

I just installed new ones last weekend.
Thanks for the heads up. Bought next years this morning.

No interference issues using J-style plugs on the 4-cylinder”Classic 50″engines.Less fouling problems vs surface gap on that engine.

Thank you for the heads up. I have shared this information with friends who I think it may apply too. I checked, my motor does not use these plugs. I did call our local AutoZone and O’Reilly’s and they both have BUHW in stock and can get more. Not to say how long the stock will last.

Yeah thanks, I’ll have to get some extras now.

Picked up 12 BUHW-2 (3 cyl) while at Fleet Farm today. $2.15 or there about….wouldn’t call it a clearance, as their regular price was $2.39.

Odd hearing the comments on fouling – I’ve run a ‘97 90hp Merc on a 19’ tiller since ‘99 and have never had a fouling issue. Certainly not saying it doesn’t happen, but it’s not inherent. From day 1, always non-oxy and always Cabela’s Semi-synthetic (which they no longer have – thanks BPS!). I ran Seafoam for a number of years, then moved to a mix of Mercury products (Don’s cocktail). Not sure if any of that makes any difference….

It may be because the EPA been trying to get 2 strokes off the water, I know last spring I rebuilt my mercury (year 2000) and I had to go aftermarket parts for most of it because Mercury no longer made or had parts for that engine.

Received a call back from NGK yesterday, they will not recommend a replacement spark plug for us, and I bet its due to liability, imagine that.
However, my source for electronic ignition and charging components says that the NGK BP8HS10 or BP8HN10 will work and I will check it out for myself as my Merc is a two stroke.

as far as surface gaps fouling easier, I dont buy it unless there is a weak ignition problem that renders it unable to fire that style of plug or a very poor/too much oil condition which I have seen countless times.
here is whey they dont foul easier, with a surface gap plug there is less surface area of the ceramic to foul, during the process of combustion, the flame and power of the fuel/air mix explosion helps keep the plug cleaner.

With the J style plug there is more ceramic surface area that is bottle necked down into the plug body, the combustion process can and will drive fouling deeper into that area until the plug shorts/fouls out.
J style plugs are also more prone to suffer from carbon tracking along the length of the ceramic on the combustion side of the plug.
we can rest easy in that spark plugs today are much better than plugs of yesteryear and with the use of good fuel and oil as well as an up to snuff ignition system we normally dont have too much trouble.

I will end with this, if you have a motor that constantly fouls plugs there is a reason for it period.

Wondering if you found out of those j plugs worked for replacements? I run the buzhw-2 plugs in my 75 Merc 3 cyl and can’t find a replacement. I noticed in my manual that 90hp and up are BPz8h-n10 similar to the ones you quoted as replacement.
Hoping I can use them as there are tons available.

On another note, sorry to hijack the thread, but what year did OMC change the “rubber” composition of their engine parts to be comparable with ethanol blended fuels. I’ve got a 1970 Johnson 85 horse that runs like a dream and want to keep it that way.

Kyle Crawford wrote:

Wondering if you found out of those j plugs worked for replacements? I run the buzhw-2 plugs in my 75 Merc 3 cyl and can’t find a replacement. I noticed in my manual that 90hp and up are BPz8h-n10 similar to the ones you quoted as replacement.
Hoping I can use them as there are tons available.

Since I have been using the plugs I mentioned and had them back in for a check up there are doing fine, the heat range is about spot on from what I am seeing so I will continue using them.

castle-rock-clown wrote:

On another note, sorry to hijack the thread, but what year did OMC change the “rubber” composition of their engine parts to be comparable with ethanol blended fuels. I’ve got a 1970 Johnson 85 horse that runs like a dream and want to keep it that way.

That motor was never intended to burn ethanol nor was it jetted for it.
Dont run ethanol fuels in it and you will be fine.
For comparisons sake, lets say you are determined to run ethanol fuels anyway to save a few bucks, IF you run a hundred gallons of fuel through it a year you might save fifty bucks but you WILL create several hundred dollars and more in headaches later on, trust me as I see it daily.

That said, about every carburetor kit out there is designed to be compatible with ethanol fuels since the late seventies early eighties as are crankshaft seals, fuel pumps, hoses, etc.

castle-rock-clown wrote:

On another note, sorry to hijack the thread, but what year did OMC change the “rubber” composition of their engine parts to be comparable with ethanol blended fuels. I’ve got a 1970 Johnson 85 horse that runs like a dream and want to keep it that way.

There was no “year”. It was a gradual process that started in the mid-1990s and it continued to the unfortunate end of OMC when Bombardier bought and subsequently destroyed the brand.

IME it was parts that had constant fuel contact that produced the biggest issues and therefore were the first to see the introduction of Ethanol resistant components. I’m sure most who were running boats in that 1990s era recall the massive issue with fuel hoses degrading on the INSIDE due to ethanol and the introduction of the “gray” hose. Which, of course, then had its own problem with internal “liner” separation…

On older outboards, the best thing is as Sheldon states, just don’t run ethanol gas.

If you MUST run ethanol gas, run the outboard dry at the end of every use by unhooking the fuel line and running the engine until all fuel in the carb and fuel system is burned.

So they were ok for piston clearance? That’s my main concern about switching over.

Kyle Crawford wrote:

So they were ok for piston clearance? That’s my main concern about switching over.

Yes,no prob with the plug numbers I’ve been using.
If you are worried about your motor put a small piece of modeling clay on the bottom of a clean plug,on the piston side of the plug smear the clay with a bit oil so it doesn’t stick to the piston.
Install the plug and slowly roll the piston over top dead center.
Measure the flattened piece of clay to determine the clearance.

Cross-reference says use a
Champion
Copper Plus Marine- Boxed – L78V