Cleaning spark plugs....

How do you clean spark plugs?

  • Abrasive sand or bead blasting?

    Votes: 2 16.7%

  • Wire brush?

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • By chucking them in the can and replacing them?

    Votes: 10 83.3%
  • Total voters
    12
I shoot em with electrical contact cleaner, then take a little fine 400 grit wet sand paper and touch up the tip of the electrode and the little loop that the electrode arcs to. Spark plugs are also the one thing that I religiously use a torque wrench on.
 
Mailman said:
I shoot em with electrical contact cleaner, then take a little fine 400 grit wet sand paper and touch up the tip of the electrode and the little loop that the electrode arcs to. Spark plugs are also the one thing that I religiously use a torque wrench on.
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Isn't the torque different for a washer that's already been crushed? I thought I saw that some place but I forget?
 
Jim said:
MAPP gas production ended in 2008. Read the fine print. What you guys are buying nowadays is a mapp substitute that goes by the brand name MAP/PRO. It's made up of about 99% propylene and 1% propane. There's less than 100°f difference between it and propane.... both around 3600-3700°f. That extra 50-100° cost you about 50-100% more than propane. Spend your money wisely.

Been bead blasting plugs since I was a wee lad. That's how it's done in the aviation world I came from. Bead blast clean, thorough rinse with solvent and blow out with shop air. Repeat until you're comfortable. In 50+ yrs I've never had any damage or premature failures from glass beads.
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Great info Jim - thanks for sharing!
Pete
 
Jim said:
Also allows you to test it under pressure...

View attachment 167841
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...and I’ll just bet that Mrs. Jim really enjoys having an aviation sparkplug clean/test machine right there handy in her kitchen!

Tell you what Jim - you and Mailman can bunk together at my place till things calm down in KC & Phoenix. :lmao:

Pete
 
Last edited:
Mailman said:
I shoot em with electrical contact cleaner, then take a little fine 400 grit wet sand paper and touch up the tip of the electrode and the little loop that the electrode arcs to. Spark plugs are also the one thing that I religiously use a torque wrench on.
Click to expand...

Now Robert - you know the rules young man - no religion!

573F94BC-D85F-4215-A30F-12BAC1D8B1C2.jpeg
 
thuban said:
"...really enjoys having an aviation sparkplug clean/test machine right there handy in her kitchen!" Perzactly what I was thinking! :laugh:
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Yup - at one time or another nearly all of us have done a boo-boo around the house. :yikes:

It often involves unauthorized use of the kitchen equipment or the laundry tubs and the oven is a particular target of wifely concern for some reason - often during powder outing operations.... :shrug:
 
Machine said:
Of course we clean our spark plugs. And do with brushes, (brass) cleaning chemicals, (carb cleaner) and such..
The thing that I pay attention to is the condition of the crush washer. Its maybe a good idea to stash a few lightly squished spark plug washers just for that reason.
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I discard the stock crush washer and replace it with brass indexing washers as they're reusable.
 
Copper crush washers are a great idea. And not a new one by any means. Look over this early 1900's aircraft spark plug. It has a sort of fiber inside a copper crush washer. This plug is unused.
Note the lathe tool machining marks as well.
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Been using propane torch till the side electrode is red hot then hand wire brush for dunno 40 years? This is usually just on grungy plugs on new to me bikes or if I've managed to fuel foul a plug.
Since they stopped selling leaded fuel build up isn't much of an issue, if the motors not using oil.
Don't think I've ever seen an XS650 plug that looked worn to me. Pretty sure the same pair has been in madness for the last 10K miles.
Changed plugs in my last prius at 100K just because. They really didn't need to be changed. Current Prius is at 108K still on factory plugs, runs perfect. Mebbie at 150K miles? Have found an occasional bad plug, usually not an obvious cause. Most of my regular riders have electronic ignition and pretty strong coils, guess that will make up for a less than perfect plug ehh?
 
Jack said:
I discard the stock crush washer and replace it with brass indexing washers as they're reusable.
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HUH????

What's an indexing washer?

"Indexed spark plugs align the open end of the electrode toward the intake port. The hottest flame meets the new fuel charge for a performance gain, increases fuel mileage and plug life. This is a speed secret car racers have used for years. You simply mark the electrode side of the plug with a magic marker on the porcelain. You then shim the plugs with the washers to align the electrodes toward the intake ports."

Well, I never knew that.
 
DaveO said:
HUH????

What's an indexing washer?

"Indexed spark plugs align the open end of the electrode toward the intake port. The hottest flame meets the new fuel charge for a performance gain, increases fuel mileage and plug life. This is a speed secret car racers have used for years. You simply mark the electrode side of the plug with a magic marker on the porcelain. You then shim the plugs with the washers to align the electrodes toward the intake ports."

Well, I never knew that.
Click to expand...

Indexing washers are a refinement strictly for the most discerning tuners among us. Everyone else just bungs the plugs in and doesn’t worry which way things point inside.
As long as the loud handle works that is....
 
I do mark my plugs and observe how they end up installed, but I don't add any extra shim or indexing washers. Very rarely do I get one that installs with the side strap towards the intake and masking the spark. If I do, I'll simply try it on the other cylinder and it often works OK there.

bBkUvRj.jpg


I also label my plugs "R" and "L" so I know which cylinder they came out of.
 
5twins said:
I do mark my plugs and observe how they end up installed, but I don't add any extra shim or indexing washers. Very rarely do I get one that installs with the side strap towards the intake and masking the spark. If I do, I'll simply try it on the other cylinder and it often works OK there.

bBkUvRj.jpg


I also label my plugs "R" and "L" so I know which cylinder they came out of.
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AND he buffs the bases til they shine like chrome! :whistle:
 
gggGary said:
AND he buffs the bases til they shine like chrome! :whistle:
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....at least he doesn’t buff the little threads on the push-on terminal.

I could be wrong, but think only Mailman does that.

On an unrelated note: my dear Lucille has been getting increasingly difficult to start and so I screwed in a new set of -7s this morning and away she went.

I’ll clean the plugs that came out later when I have an oil sump repair session.
 
thuban said:
Do you check the resistance of the BR8ES/BR7ES plugs before or after you clean them? :umm:
( We don't use no stinking resistor plugs) :cautious:
$$$$$$$ in the bike and I ain't cleaning no plugs. I look at it, may drag a piece of sand paper thru it, re-gap it and check it with my spark plug tester.
Just watched a tube of a guy testing a re-furbished CB750 coil. Music, clarity of vid, one new plug, one lawnmower plug? and he wandering around like a hungry hound, but he does have it going on!

:laugh:
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So awesome! I don't know if I like his test or the song more!!! Brilliant
 

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