You're really throwing a lot of different numbers about which actually say nothing.
First, gap settings for most cars run between 30-45 thousands of an inch or 0.030-0.045. The plugs out of the box fall into that range and are NOT preset to any make.
Second, you're not going to the races, so accuracy of that magnitude is relatively inconsequential.
Third, the smaller the gap the smaller the spark and conversely the larger gap will produce a larger spark but only providing the insulation from plug insulator to coil is in perfect condition. If there is the slightest defect or weakness along the way, the spark will jump elsewhere and weaken or cancel the spark inside the cylinder.
There is one way to easily test your wiring's integrity and that is to spray water all over the high tension components while the engine is running. Do this in total darkness just using a mister like a Windex spray bottle. If you see any kind of corona your wiring can no longer handle the high voltage. Reducing the plug gap will compensate for that if you're not prepared to replace the high tension cables (yet).
Now go ahead and set your plugs to a happy medium of 0.035". I set them on the lower end since I know the gap will grow with time.

 

Now go ahead and set your plugs to a happy medium of 0.035". I set them on the lower end since I know the gap will grow with time.

OOPS.

I think the unwritten part of his question was:
The plug makers (and most everybody else too) says to NOT try and gap the plugs yourself, platinum and irridum types, that is.
Do you know something that they don't ?? Like how to do it safely ??

 

thought I might jump in and ask a question about spark plugs in general. is there a difference between platinum vs iridium? all I heard is iridium plugs that you dont have to change them as often and they are more expensive but are there any good benifits for iridium plugs.

 

I've been researching the spark plug issues myself for a while now.

I originally felt it was best to do a direct replacement of what Hyundai put in the vehicle at the factory. For example, my 2004 Santa Fe came from the factory with NGK Laser Series Platinum plugs. These are the best "double platinum" spark plugs NGK makes for the Santa Fe, with both the electrode centre and ground being made of platinum. I've replaced these plugs now with the identical NGK plugs that came out of it (PGR5C-11) and no problems. It is interesting to note here that for the 2.4L 2004 Santa Fe, Hyundai chose the "middle of the road" spark plug. They could have gone with the cheaper NGK "G-Power Platinum" that only had the centre electrode tip made of platinum, but they didn't.

What changed my mind about using the direct replacement from the factory was the original factory plugs I removed out of my 2009 Accent, which were Champion copper/nickel plugs. Unlike my Santa Fe, Hyundai chose to use the cheapest possible spark plugs for the Accent...not even platimum based plugs! The direct replacement plugs, had I used them, were literrally $2 plugs!

Now both vehicles were running fine with the stock plugs, but the I think the general rule of thumb with spark plugs is that as long as they are the proper ones for your vehicle, the real "difference" between, copper/nickel, platinum, and iridium is only the life span of the plugs. From the research I've done it goes like this:

COPPER/NICKEL - 40,000 km
PLATINUM - 60,000 km
DOUBLE PLATINUM - 80,000 km
IRIDIUM 100,000 km

So seeing that Hyundai chose to use the "double platinum" plugs on the Santa Fe (60,000km) and the Copper/Nickel plugs on the Accent (40,000km) I think it's really a matter of preference on what you want to pay. For the Accent I had the choice of paying $2 for direct replacement copper/nickel plugs or $15/plug for the double platinum ones (NGK Laser Series).

The only REALLY nice thing about our Santa Fe's (assuming you have a 2.4L) and the Accent 1.6L is the spark plugs are VERY, VERY EASY to access and replace. Now if you have a 2.7L or 3.5L Santa Fe, I understand the job requires more work. My wife has a Nissan pickup and I can tell you it's nothing short of a b*itch to replace them and you have to remove a multitude of hoses and wires, over a dozen bolts...just a real pain the ass!

So if it's real easy to change them then the cheaper ones are fine, you'll just have to replace them every couple of years, or if it's hard to replace them, then probably the iridiums are a better choice as they won't need replacing for about 5 years! (based on an average of 20,000km driving a year which is about average for most).

One thing however that I have discovered is that almost everyone I've asked, both on forums like this, at the dealership and in person recommend NGK plugs over Champion or any other brand. The price between Champion and NGK's is significant for "similar" types of plugs. ie. about half the price for Champion's where i live compaired to the "equivelant" type of NGK. Still, I've yet to find anyone who, given the choice, would NOT take NGK as their first choice. So I've used NGK's in all my Hyndai's (my family has 5 of them now) and I'm very happy with them as well!

Good luck!

 

One other thing I thought I'd mention about the stock Hyundai plugs....

My 2004 Santa Fe 2.4L had the NGK Laser Series plugs in them from the factory that are rated for replacement at about 80,000km. I just changed them for the first time at 201,000 and that was only because I could feel a slight mis-fire when accelerating. When I removed them it was clear why...one of the 4 plugs had a gap that was over twice as big as it should...it had just worn completely out at 201,000km...but the other 3 were looking not too bad. Still, I should have replaced them years prior!

The 2009 Accent had 40,000km rated plugs and they were driven for 158,000km! The onlr reason I replaced them was because of my recent changing of my Santa Fe plugs. The Accent was running perfectly with the $2 plugs at almost over 4X their life-cycle. They were in rough looking shape, the white porcelin part was stained orange on all of them, but they still ran fine. I just replaced them with the $15 Laser Series double platinum NGK's....probably over-kill, but I felt it derserved them!

 

Some good observations on plugs here, I'm about to put my Santy in for lifter noise fix (about 81,000km now) and I'm thinking while they're at it I might as well put new iridiums in as there is bugger all extra labour time involved while the engine's apart anyways.

Now to see if I can persuade the dealer to let me supply the plugs which I get so much cheaper from Amazon than what an Aussie dealer will charge...

 

thanks Verminator.. and yes my santa fe is a 2.7 and I agree a real pain in the ass to change.. so my next change maybe iridium since I hate doin it on my santa fe vs other makes is a breeze. I am using the E3's right now. and they have been in for 70,000 kms so they are platinum I do believe so they have some life left on them. but something I will consider maybe in the near future when the time comes.

 

It would be nice if Hyundai could make or use an engine in ALL it's vehicles that have easy access to the things that need to be repaced the most! From what I've read those like me with the 2.4L engine have it great when it comes to ignition coils and spark plugs, but we have a **** of a time with things like the crankshaft positioning sensor, whereas it is reversed in the 2.7L motor where the CPS can apparently be replased with ease but it's a pain to change spark plugs... Oh well....

 

It would be nice if Hyundai could make or use an engine in ALL it's vehicles that have easy access to the things that need to be repaced the most! From what I've read those like me with the 2.4L engine have it great when it comes to ignition coils and spark plugs, but we have a **** of a time with things like the crankshaft positioning sensor, whereas it is reversed in the 2.7L motor where the CPS can apparently be replased with ease but it's a pain to change spark plugs... Oh well....

Since I've done both a spark plug change and a CPS change, I can tell you they are very comparable in the amount of time it takes to change them. Both took around 3 hours for me, but if I had to do them again= they would both be done much faster.

 

I'd LOVE to learn how to do a timing belt and CPS change on my 2.4's!! They are SO expensive to have the Dealership to them and I've seen a few YouTube videos and read lots in these forums but I'm not sure I could do either unless walked through it in the finest of detail. I'm sure once you've done it it's not that hard...I'd even pay to learn how to do it if someone who actually knew what to do could walk me through one. I just worry about messing it up, wonder about tensioners and such...uggggg

 

Well the CPS would be good practice for a timing belt. at least with the CPS you don't have to worry about messing with the timing of the engine so it should be pretty much just unbolting things

 

spark plug gape

i just want to know the best spark plug gape for the best gas milage my 2005 hyundai santee fe has 115,00 miles on it

 

i just want to know the best spark plug gape for the best gas milage my 2005 hyundai santee fe has 115,00 miles on it

Which engine you playing with ?

2.4

2.7

3.5

Set to 0.040" and run with it

 

SBR11 beat me to it. Just go with 0.040" and be done. They will open up a bit over time, but you have extra gap range for that. In the old days of copper plugs in big V8's we would always gap 0.05" tight because the gap would open up around 0.05" in the first 100 miles or so. And points gap would be set a little open because the initial wear on the block would close them back down a bit and change the dwell and timing.