• Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

Does this actually work?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Legendary
  • Start date Start date Sep 1, 2004
Prev
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
Next
First Prev 2 of 4 Next Last

perkys stang

New Member
Jan 1, 2000
7,132
0
0
PA
Sep 1, 2004
#21
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #21
Legendary said:
Will cutting back the strap change how I should gap the plug? I have a MSD 6al and a mild H/c/I combo. I was gonna gap at .052
Click to expand...

I prefer gapping around .045 just because we have never seen a gain form the larger gaps.. I have seen loses from gaps to big when the car misfires. I prefer the gap a little tighter.... I personally run .042 on mine..
 
X

xplo89gt

Founding Member
Jul 14, 1999
945
0
16
Boston, MA
Sep 1, 2004
#22
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #22
Woah are these posts out of order?
 

Legendary

Founding Member
Oct 10, 2002
1,925
0
0
City of Angels
Sep 1, 2004
#23
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #23
xplo89gt said:
Woah are these posts out of order?
Click to expand...


I got powers! Don't mess with me or I'll screw your post up!
 
T

tcmustang

Founding Member
Jul 1, 2002
185
0
0
Columbus Ga.
Sep 1, 2004
#24
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #24
trimmed electrodes

This is a lot of good info here,...now for my 2 cents. I have a 94 cobra,5.0 with a vortech sc, making 12 lbs of boost. I dynoed 1st with auto lite plugs, then switched to Bosch plugs with the 2 electrodes. These are already trimmed back, un shroudung the tip. We did mak an honest 12 h.p. difference with no other changes.
 

extozy

New Member
Sep 7, 2003
93
0
0
Longview, TX
Sep 1, 2004
#25
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #25
cool ****, i'd say.
 
D

Daggar

New Member
Jul 19, 2004
3,902
5
0
Sep 1, 2004
#26
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #26
It's a wonder that none of the manufacturers have thought to sell plugs that are unshrouded this way already (aside from the Bosh that tcmustang mentioned above).
 

perkys stang

New Member
Jan 1, 2000
7,132
0
0
PA
Sep 1, 2004
#27
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #27
Daggar said:
It's a wonder that none of the manufacturers have thought to sell plugs that are unshrouded this way already (aside from the Bosh that tcmustang mentioned above).
Click to expand...

They do.. Say you run a Autolite 24 plug you can order a AR24 which is the"racing" plug which has this done...
 
D

Daggar

New Member
Jul 19, 2004
3,902
5
0
Sep 1, 2004
#28
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #28
perkys stang said:
They do.. Say you run a Autolite 24 plug you can order a AR24 which is the"racing" plug which has this done...
Click to expand...

Kewl.. that's info I can use.
 

Legendary

Founding Member
Oct 10, 2002
1,925
0
0
City of Angels
Sep 1, 2004
#29
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #29
Is this a difference that can be felt? Or is it more a dyno thing.
 

tmoss

Gettin Wired
Founding Member
Jun 28, 2001
7,153
32
128
Saint Louis, MO
Sep 1, 2004
#30
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #30
HP is HP. Even if you can't "feel" 6HP it is still more power than you had before, and it's free if you do it yourself.
 

giddyup306

Founding Member
Oct 22, 2002
3,041
2
59
Sep 1, 2004
#31
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #31
I'm sorry guys but I still can't fathom how this would possiblly work. As a rule of thumb, a correctly timed engine fires the plug in the center of the 90* bend of the ground elecrode. On a retarded engine it fires vertically to the side electrode. And advanced timing will fire farther after the bend (twards the threads). Can someone find some tangable proof that they work?

I'm not douting you guys just would like to know.
 

Ray III

New Member
Feb 10, 2004
586
0
0
fixin Boomhower's John Deere in Troy, NY
Sep 1, 2004
#32
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #32
As long as you are grinding on the plug, don't just cut it back, bevel the end of the ground strap as well. Like hold the spark plug at a 45 degree angle to the grinding wheel then clean up with a file to produce a knife edge at the tip of the strap, which terminates right over the midpoint of the electrode. This, along with ensuring the edge of the electrode is sharp, will somewhat reduce electrical resistance to arcing. Electricity likes to jump between sharp points, which is why lightning rods atop buildings are pointy.

giddyup- it works because it keeps the ground strap out of the way of the spark and gives the spark more exposure, causing a more powerful initiation of the reaction between air and fuel and thus speeds up the reaction rate a tiny bit.
 

giddyup306

Founding Member
Oct 22, 2002
3,041
2
59
Sep 1, 2004
#33
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #33
I don't think you get what I'm saying. I'd try and post a pic but I don't have a scanner.
 

Ray III

New Member
Feb 10, 2004
586
0
0
fixin Boomhower's John Deere in Troy, NY
Sep 1, 2004
#34
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #34
about the spark hitting the ground strap at the bend? Not gonna happen. Electricity follows the path of least resistance, and that is the shortest path it can find from a sharp edge on the electrode to a sharp edge on the ground strap.

All the same, when I fool with my plugs I also move the bend away from the electrode, and bring the tip down at a very slight angle (not so much that gap will increase with wear though), to discourage the arc from happening anywhere but the tip of the ground strap...
 

Legendary

Founding Member
Oct 10, 2002
1,925
0
0
City of Angels
Sep 1, 2004
#35
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #35
So the edge of the strap has to be pointy?
 

tmoss

Gettin Wired
Founding Member
Jun 28, 2001
7,153
32
128
Saint Louis, MO
Sep 1, 2004
#36
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #36
Sharp is as good or better than pointy and sharp. A pointy sharp point will errode faster than a flat sharp edge that is wider and will not erode as fast. When I say erode I mean the sharp edge - the electrode will not erode substantially, but the edge will erode and round off. As these guys said - electricity likes to ionize and jump off sharp edges.
 

Legendary

Founding Member
Oct 10, 2002
1,925
0
0
City of Angels
Sep 1, 2004
#37
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #37
Hmmm. So. Pretty much round it off but don't make it too sharp is what you're saying? Turn the intellect down a notch.
 

Ray III

New Member
Feb 10, 2004
586
0
0
fixin Boomhower's John Deere in Troy, NY
Sep 1, 2004
#38
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #38
You don't want to grind the strap right down to a point. You will gain some power for probably a few minutes, then the point is destroyed from all the current passing through that one spot. When you have a long sharp edge, the arcs tend to happen at random spots along that edge (as long as the distance is about the same) which distributes wear.
 

Ray III

New Member
Feb 10, 2004
586
0
0
fixin Boomhower's John Deere in Troy, NY
Sep 1, 2004
#39
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #39
and it's PSYCHO gorrilla...
 

Legendary

Founding Member
Oct 10, 2002
1,925
0
0
City of Angels
Sep 1, 2004
#40
  • Sep 1, 2004
  • #40
So don't just sharpen the very edge but slim the whole thing down a bit? Right now I don't have the tips flat. They're pretty much rounded like in the article I posted.

Ray III said:
and it's PSYCHO gorrilla...
Click to expand...

That's what I have.
 
Prev
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
Next
First Prev 2 of 4 Next Last
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Engine Catch Can or not?
  • R82148V
  • Mar 4, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
9
Views
308
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Mar 6, 2026
ctandc
C
J
Engine Coolant leak from oil filter
  • jr273
  • Mar 26, 2026
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
Replies
9
Views
196
SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech Mar 31, 2026
squeak93
Suspension End link replacement size
  • Teen'93stang5.0
  • May 12, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
6
Views
103
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech May 20, 2026
Teen'93stang5.0
H
Forced Induction On3 Turbo Kit- Parts list NEEDED - 302 Stock Motor
  • Hirothecool1
  • Feb 27, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
  • 2
Replies
21
Views
850
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Mar 7, 2026
slow84lx
S
G
Octane on the 5.0 Coyote
  • gray owl
  • May 17, 2026
  • 2015 - 2023 (S550) Mustang -General/Talk
Replies
7
Views
119
2015 - 2023 (S550) Mustang -General/Talk May 27, 2026
Bullitt347
Share:
Bluesky Email Share Link
  • Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Menu
Log in

Register

  • Forums
  • What's new
  • Media
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Sponsor
X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?

X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?