Ruthenium spark plugs anyone? E85??

**minibishi2** · 06-13-2022, 08:57 PM

I've been running ngk ruthenium spark plugs since I got my mirage DE around 45k miles ago. I'm wondering though if I'd be getting better mpg just using the stock iridium plugs or even something more warm. Also has anyone tried E85, the fuel prices here in MD are crazy at $5+ for 87.

**Princess_Bishi** · 06-13-2022, 09:46 PM

I thought about doing the ruthenium plugs but decided to stick with OE because that’s what I’ve seen everyone recommending and I didn’t want to do it twice. I’m glad they are working! As for E85, I only have secondhand information about that as well… the most common thing I’ve seen is that it makes your car feel like it is “running on dishwater”… whatever that means lol. I am guessing it gets really sluggish. I don’t think it hurts the car so you can try it? You’ll get a code saying it is running lean. I wonder if anyone has tuned a Mirage for E85 and what all that entails. Probably changing the timing advance and whatever that table of values is called? Idk anything about tuning. If you try it I’d like to see what MPG you get!

**mohammad** · 06-13-2022, 11:40 PM

Remember E85 is less energy dense. sure its cheaper per gallon but you will also get less MPG's.

I dont have an opinion on spark plugs just get whatever. im not sure what you mean by "more warm" im 99% certain there's no measurable mpg difference if you change spark plugs unless yours are warn and miss-firing.

**Mark** · 06-13-2022, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by minibishi2

I've been running ngk ruthenium spark plugs since I got my mirage DE around 45k miles ago. I'm wondering though if I'd be getting better mpg just using the stock iridium plugs or even something more warm. Also has anyone tried E85, the fuel prices here in MD are crazy at $5+ for 87.

A Mirage is not even designed to handle E15 gas, which is 5 cents cheaper than E10 in our area. I suggest reading your owner's manual on something like this, however. If someone has tried E85 in a Mirage, that's not the person I would be asking advice from.

If you don't own a flex fuel car, don't use E85. It's really that simple. Truckers also shouldn't put gas in their diesel tanks, because gas is cheaper. If you want to use E85, buy a vehicle that's designed for it. If E85 was a superior fuel, more vehicles would be using it.

According to Mirage maintenance schedules, I wouldn't touch a factory plug before 100,000 miles on a Mirage either.

2 years ago we were energy independent, & gas was under $2/gallon where I live. Something changed???

**Basic** · 06-14-2022, 03:11 AM

Originally Posted by Mark

A Mirage is not even designed to handle E15 gas, which is 5 cents cheaper than E10 in our area. I suggest reading your owner's manual on something like this, however. If someone has tried E85 in a Mirage, that's not the person I would be asking advice from.

If you don't own a flex fuel car, don't use E85. It's really that simple. Truckers also shouldn't put gas in their diesel tanks, because gas is cheaper. If you want to use E85, buy a vehicle that's designed for it. If E85 was a superior fuel, more vehicles would be using it.

According to Mirage maintenance schedules, I wouldn't touch a factory plug before 100,000 miles on a Mirage either.

2 years ago we were energy independent, & gas was under $2/gallon where I live. Something changed???

Your last sentence is useless to this post, at a minimum devisive, and honestly is just simply beneath the Mark I thought I knew. I know what changed... do you?

**Mark** · 06-14-2022, 06:33 AM

Originally Posted by Basic

Your last sentence is useless to this post, at a minimum devisive, and honestly is just simply beneath the Mark I thought I knew. I know what changed... do you?

I seriously don't find this topic funny, nor do I find it divisive. I believe the current state of affairs may be the most unifying thing that has happened to this country since the Great Depression!

Quote - "America did not merely endure the Great Depression; its response transformed it into a richer and more equitable society."

In my opinion, the country still needed a lot of work long after that period, but it may have set the stage for the likes of Martin Luther King & several others. Before I go on, people who whine about buying fuel for their $50,000 - $100,000 pickup trucks are not suffering like those who went through the Great Depression. Yet, some are suffering today!

I only posed the question (what's changed?), which I have done several times before on this forum. How you want to interpret that is up to you. If we want to move forward in a positive direction, it's critical to understand what is causing the current state of affairs.

Every thread on the forum related to current high gas prices raises that question in my mind. If you want to solve a problem, you need to take ownership of it first. Sadly, I don't see that happening. Anyone can place blame on others (Putin, Mr. COVID, or whatever), but that does nothing to address the problem!

Are today's issues even being addressed?

I am not asking anyone to share their answer to that question, because that could become political & divisive! Some would surely take issue with a simple "NO" or "YES".

If the country became truly unified, would two political parties even exist? A lot of time & energy is spent on being divisive, & I find that to be a bit depressing & very unproductive!

**7milesout** · 06-14-2022, 12:27 PM

YES and NO are divisive answers. Maybe we should all respond with MAYBE, so we will all be nice to each other and no one would feel offended. Do I think we should do that? MAYBE.