[AT] B Allis (spark plugs)

Cecil E Monson cmonson at hvc.rr.com
Tue Mar 30 15:30:04 PST 2004


	I've been away since this thread about spark plugs had just started
and enjoyed reading all the comments when I got back. I have to say it was
some of the best reading of the over 600 emails that were on my computer
when I got back.

	An old and trusted mechanic friend of mine once told me that most
spark plugs are not bad and they should never be thrown away. They can be
cleaned up and put back in service and unless the porcelain is cracked or
the points are burned right off they should still be as good as new. I have
re-used spark plugs for years by cleaning them on a wire wheel and heating
them with a torch until the moisture and oil is burned off. They have never
failed to work yet. I suspect using a sand blast spark plug cleaner with
glass beads would be even better but I don't have one so I use the torch.

	I also trust Larry Dotson's comments about heat ranges of plugs.
I suspect that most troubles we have these days relates to using plugs that
are not in the right heat range. I don't know about aircraft plugs as they
may be in a totally different category. The only aircraft plugs I had any
experience with were in a J-3 Cub. That was the only aircraft engine that
ever started missing while I had it in the air. As to spark plugs in cars,
we monitor the mpgs every time we fill up our vehicles and only ever change
out spark plugs when the mileage starts to drop. I can't remember when we
last changed plugs under 100K miles. With the new ignition systems, plugs
seem to last almost the life of the car.

	It seems to me the best advice to those wondering what plugs to use
is to use any brand you want but if they are fouling black, go to a hotter
plug - maybe several heat ranges hotter.  Most of us don't work tractors
the way they were designed to work anyhow. Idling around a yard is not
what they were designed to do.

Cecil
-- 
The nicest thing about telling the truth is you never have to wonder
what you said.

Cecil E Monson
Lucille Hand-Monson
Mountainville, New York   Just a little east of the North Pole

Allis Chalmers tractors and equipment

Free advice




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