well I was talking to the almighty Micheal Yount and he said that I should be running at least a .054 spark gap and with the MSD6AL and the Blaster Coil I should take it up around .060 and see what happens. I am at .044 because that is what the manual said.... do you think this will make any difference? Noticable at least?
Will .015 spark gap make a difference....
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what ever Michael says to do is golden, so you made a good choice in whom to ask! 
right - it will likely be some 'by touch' tuning you will do. most folks open the gap up until they develop a misfire or miss and then close the gap up a smidge (not unlike determining how much timing advance one can get away with, in terms of the testing principles).
.060 sounds fine. if you have a miss, back the gap off a smidge.
2841, one should get a gapping tool at the parts store. (NOTE that plats cannot be regapped). copper plugs should be fine to gap. the method will change depending upon the type of gapping tool used. some gappers have instructions (even if you dont buy a particular gapper with instructions, it might have instructions which sorta give you an idea). if i had a pic, i could explain it well - im too tired and dumb to explain it exactly w/o one (the intricacy of which part of the ground strap, etc to adjust is too hard to articulate [for me]).
good luck.
right - it will likely be some 'by touch' tuning you will do. most folks open the gap up until they develop a misfire or miss and then close the gap up a smidge (not unlike determining how much timing advance one can get away with, in terms of the testing principles).
.060 sounds fine. if you have a miss, back the gap off a smidge.
2841, one should get a gapping tool at the parts store. (NOTE that plats cannot be regapped). copper plugs should be fine to gap. the method will change depending upon the type of gapping tool used. some gappers have instructions (even if you dont buy a particular gapper with instructions, it might have instructions which sorta give you an idea). if i had a pic, i could explain it well - im too tired and dumb to explain it exactly w/o one (the intricacy of which part of the ground strap, etc to adjust is too hard to articulate [for me]).
good luck.
89CopCoupe
Banned
stang2841 said:
Thank you for taking Automotive Basics 101 ... Let's get started
........Gapping a plug ...... "gap" is a term to refer to just that ...... the gap or space between the center electrode (center metal pin) where the spark jumps to the ground electrode (hook shape at the end of the threads).
To gap plugs you need a tool called a spark plug gapper (usually < $5) . It is used to measure the gap/space between the two electrodes and it also comes with a provision to bend the ground electrode (hook) further away or closer towards the center electrode until the desired/required distance is achieved.
Good Luck ..... your homework for today will be to read the 1st page of your repair manual ... ... so with that I bid you ado.
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
You'll also need some way to measure the gap - hopefully you have the correct feeler gauges.
In all my years of gapping plugs - I've never been able to use the gapper tools with any confidence. I simply take a small flat blade screw driver and GENTLY pry the gap a bit bigger than it needs to be, and then GENTLY tap it back down until it closes up to the gap I'm looking for. Seems to have worked successfully for about 35 years now -- although, gapping them was a MUCH more common event before the engine control and ignition systems got so good that most plugs last for 50K-100K.
In all my years of gapping plugs - I've never been able to use the gapper tools with any confidence. I simply take a small flat blade screw driver and GENTLY pry the gap a bit bigger than it needs to be, and then GENTLY tap it back down until it closes up to the gap I'm looking for. Seems to have worked successfully for about 35 years now -- although, gapping them was a MUCH more common event before the engine control and ignition systems got so good that most plugs last for 50K-100K.
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
By the way Crunchie - I thought the same thing 5.0guy did reading your thread title. Perhaps if you said "Will INCREASING the spark plug gap by .015" make a difference..." I'd have known what your were shooting at.
As mentioned before, I don't know how much difference it will make. But they're gapped to tight even for the stock system at .044"; and with more juice behind the MSD, you should have no trouble with with a bigger gap. In any event, if you don't like it, just gap 'em back to where ever you like.
As mentioned before, I don't know how much difference it will make. But they're gapped to tight even for the stock system at .044"; and with more juice behind the MSD, you should have no trouble with with a bigger gap. In any event, if you don't like it, just gap 'em back to where ever you like.
I had a back up plug, so I finished the job this morning.... then I fired it up and didn't notice any miss, but what I did notice was that my T/B to EGR gasket is leaking and getting on stuff. I also noticed that my plug on the very back of the passenger side has some oil on the threads and around the tip, the rest were nice and normal (gray on the tip).... I am hoping that the T/B to EGR gasket was causing that but I think that is being a little optomistic.
I didn't get to take it up to any high rpms because I didn't know how bad that gasket would leak, but I will get that fixed tomorrow.
Do you guys know what would cause that oil on there.... other than the things I don't want to think about (ie. rings, head gasket). I don't shoot any blue smoke out the back and my coolant level is fine. Thanks for your help so far...
I didn't get to take it up to any high rpms because I didn't know how bad that gasket would leak, but I will get that fixed tomorrow.
Do you guys know what would cause that oil on there.... other than the things I don't want to think about (ie. rings, head gasket). I don't shoot any blue smoke out the back and my coolant level is fine. Thanks for your help so far...
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
If possible, get your screen, grommet pcv valve from the Ford dealer. The aftermarket parts are notorious for the pcv not fitting tightly in the grommet and causing vacuum leaks of varying degrees. Replacing the grommet is important - they become hard/brittle with heat/age, and don't seal the pcv as well as they should.
In any event, with miles and wear comes more blowby which creates more crankcase pressure. There comes a point when even a properly operating pcv system won't keep the crankcase ventilated because the amount of blowby exceeds what the system was designed for. If that's what's happening - you can treat the symptom by providing extra vents - valve cover fittings - and catch cans to catch the excess oil; you can treat the illness by rebuilding the engine and returning rings and valve guides to their original sealing levels.
In any event, with miles and wear comes more blowby which creates more crankcase pressure. There comes a point when even a properly operating pcv system won't keep the crankcase ventilated because the amount of blowby exceeds what the system was designed for. If that's what's happening - you can treat the symptom by providing extra vents - valve cover fittings - and catch cans to catch the excess oil; you can treat the illness by rebuilding the engine and returning rings and valve guides to their original sealing levels.
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