Spark Plug Question

[Superdriver]

I don't find the need for the fancy, more expensive plugs. All I've ever used are the regular NGK's and they've always worked fine. I do change them out pretty frequently though, like every 3 to 4K. I find the center electrodes are beginning to wear down by then. The plugs still work OK but just not quite as well as new ones. I consider changing them a cheap "tune-up", lol.

It's hard to see the wear looking at a plug by itself. You need a new one to compare it to side by side .....

View attachment 235817

View attachment 235818

Doing that, it's pretty easy to see the worn down center electrode on the old plug.

Thank you. I never thought of looking at them end to end to see the difference. Take care. Bill

 

[AUTOMAN]

Damned rich! Maybe oiled also.

marty, propane torch? I have been doing the torch thing for 50 years.
Still have a few of them from 1974.

cliff

No Champs!

 

[jetmechmarty]

marty, propane torch?

I do now. I used to throw them away. I can’t just go to NAPA and buy new BP6ES or BP7ES anymore. My other vintage Yamaha uses BP6ES and I’m short on those.

 

[gggGary]

I don't find the need for the fancy, more expensive plugs. All I've ever used are the regular NGK's and they've always worked fine. I do change them out pretty frequently though, like every 3 to 4K. I find the center electrodes are beginning to wear down by then. The plugs still work OK but just not quite as well as new ones. I consider changing them a cheap "tune-up", lol.

It's hard to see the wear looking at a plug by itself. You need a new one to compare it to side by side .....

View attachment 235817

View attachment 235818

Doing that, it's pretty easy to see the worn down center electrode on the old plug.

Whern I was a pup we'd bend open the strap a bit, file the center electrode and end of the strap, so the edges were sharp, then reset the gap.
A spark will form from a sharp edge at a lower voltage than from a rounded surface. The sharp corners at the closest distance increases the concentration of free electrons there.

 

[Superdriver]

Damned rich! Maybe oiled also.

marty, propane torch? I have been doing the torch thing for 50 years.
Still have a few of them from 1974.

cliff

No Champs!

Great. Thanks for your response. I’ll stick with NGKs. Take care. Bill

 

[jay760]

I find champion plugs a lot more tolerant to things than ngk, especially when setting up, ngk don't like running rich when an ngk plug will die champions just seem to keep going, I always set up with champion plugs then swap over to ngk iridium plugs, I even used to start up on champions and then swap over once the engine was warm

 

[Superdriver]

I find champion plugs a lot more tolerant to things than ngk, especially when setting up, ngk don't like running rich when an ngk plug will die champions just seem to keep going, I always set up with champion plugs then swap over to ngk iridium plugs, I even used to start up on champions and then swap over once the engine was warm

Thank you. I used champions when I used to race a RD 350 in the 70s in Canada. The bike ran great with the Champions if the settings were correct. You are right. The champions would foul easily (black oily mess) if the setting was too rich. I also ran pre mix as the autolube oil pump failed once and I almost seized the engine. I would do a warm up lap with 7s do a plug check and then switch to 8s for the race. Take care. bill