Spark Plug Gapping

94GTLaserRC · Apr 17, 2005

I figured as long as the Vortech is gone for a few weeks, why not get some stuff done

I lost the info I had for proper spark plug gapping. Anyone know (for sure) the best gap for MY CAR? Im going with Autolite Platinum 24's.. (Vortech and stock heads)

Thanks
RC

1105 · Apr 17, 2005

with a power adder I was told .028 to .032 for the gap. For the short time my car ran, I had autolike 3923's gapped to .030 and ran 10psi without the spark getting blown out on stock ignition.

94GTLaserRC · Apr 17, 2005

I have the coil and MSD box.

greenlantern · Apr 17, 2005

I also have the MSD box and coil, so you can run slightly larger gap. With Autolite plugs and nitrous. Im running a .044 gap and have no problems.

HISSIN50 · Apr 17, 2005

RC, why run Plats? though you have a nice ignition, i would want to be sure the flame is not going to be snuffed out (plat does not conduct as well as copper).

also, one should be really careful gapping plats - most gappers out there will scrape the layer of platinum off the plug.

I cant help with the gap (i dont have nice toys like you. ) but i wanted to toss out those couple things, just for the sake of saying something (you probably knew that stuff, but it gets me when i do something and then like a day later, i read that i should have done something differently).

good luck RC.

DFG 5OH · Apr 17, 2005

I heard that if you just put in spark plugs, you should always check the gap, and if its off, gap accordingly, because they all dont come from the factory the same, and it could cause misses. Is this true?

I've never done that with my car...

94GTLaserRC · Apr 17, 2005

Thanks for all the chat, but Im still trying to see if someone knows the answer to the original question?

RC

94GTLaserRC · Apr 17, 2005

HISSIN50 said:
RC, why run Plats? though you have a nice ignition, i would want to be sure the flame is not going to be snuffed out (plat does not conduct as well as copper).

also, one should be really careful gapping plats - most gappers out there will scrape the layer of platinum off the plug.

good luck RC.

There was a post on here before the crash with side gapping.. There was a link..the platinums are supposed to be a lot better than the standards.
RC

revhead347 · Apr 17, 2005

You don't gap platinum plugs, because the gapping tool scrapes the platinum off. It's not a bad idea to check the gap on most plugs before you install them.

Kurt

HISSIN50 · Apr 17, 2005

RC, i know there was a thread on side gapping - i was one of the guys who posted often and provided some of the info.

annealed copper conducts much better than platinum; iridium is the best of both worlds.

as for the chat - sorry bro. My post wasted a few seconds of yours in reading time and i thought it might have been a little informative. Even though i post on other peoples' threads pretty often, very few post on mine even though my questions are usually mundane threads where i simply dont know what is 'normal' on the SN's; I welcome people to post 'any and all thoughts' (often, my last line on my original post).

Again, sorry for wasting your time.

94GTLaserRC · Apr 17, 2005

revhead347 said:
You don't gap platinum plugs, because the gapping tool scrapes the platinum off. It's not a bad idea to check the gap on most plugs before you install them.

Kurt

Ive done 2 so far (Unless I hear differently, Im gapping them at 0.030 )
These start out at 0.040. Ive been tapping down on the top "slightly" enough so that I dont have to "reopen" them. I have been tapping until they reach 0.030).

1. Is that fine?
2. Can someone please confirm the gap size before I do more of them.

HISSIN... No probs....that was a post of frustration...I had a lot of at work today, and I thought when I came home, the numbers would be up here already .

RC

HISSIN50 · Apr 17, 2005

94GTLaserRC said:
HISSIN... No probs....that was a post of frustration...I had a lot of at work today, and I thought when I came home, the numbers would be up here already .

RC

yeah, i jumped the gun too (I also just got home and am irritated and hot [90*+ outside] - you are good people which is why I reply to your threads, even if I dont have an exact (or any) answer to your question.

and just before i posted, i had checked on my recent thread and other than Scott and I chatting in German, no replies.

i have gapped plats the way you are - they do make a special gapping tool (costs $$) that does not scrape the electrode or ground strap. but i dont have one so i have lightly and ever so gently bent the ground strap like you are. i use a magnifying glass to look at the ground strap afterwards to make sure i dont see platinum 'flaking' off. i usually have to buy a couple extra plugs because for one reason or another, i get flaking (or some turd at the parts store will have dropped or crushed the box and mangled the gap).

I am not nearly as blower savvy as quite a few in here, but with your mods and boost, that gap should be fine, from what i can tell.

good luck with it.

91LX_5L · Apr 17, 2005

I put new plugs in and gapped them to .48ish. The ones in before were at .60!!!! damn isnt that high? I didnt notice much of a diffrence though.

HISSIN50 · Apr 17, 2005

91LX_5L said:
I put new plugs in and gapped them to .48ish. The ones in before were at .60!!!! damn isnt that high? I didnt notice much of a diffrence though.

it is not super far off from spec, and that sounds normal for plugs that have been in there for awhile (gap erosion). if your ignition and coil were up to crossing that gap, it should have run fine.

revhead347 · Apr 17, 2005

Yeah, 0.030 sounds good for a blower car. I wouldn't use a platinum plug on a blower car, just a cheap autolite.

Kurt

94GTLaserRC · Apr 17, 2005

revhead347 said:
Yeah, 0.030 sounds good for a blower car. I wouldn't use a platinum plug on a blower car, just a cheap autolite.

Kurt

Kurt is it that they are "bad" or just "a wasted of $$ for no benefit"?

If it's the latter, Ill just keep them since I already bought them. If they are harmful, I wont use them at all..just return them.

Thanks
RC

S/CBlack95GT · Apr 17, 2005

Anything around .035 will work.

revhead347 · Apr 17, 2005

It's not they are bad. If you installed them, and they work fine, don't worry about it. Just that most performance cars don't like platinum plugs.

Kurt

HISSIN50 · Apr 17, 2005

RC, i know you asked Kurt, but ill toss something out and see if he agrees. If you find that you develop a misfire or the flame is being snuffed out with the blower, simply swapping to copper plugs of the same gap might take care of the issue.

some EFI 5.0's idle a little low and get a high speed (~4K rpm) misfire with plats (been there done that). and some have no issues. luck of the draw, age of ignition components, etc. you should be fine, but that is just something i like to remember for troubleshooting if a problem pops up.

Grn92LX · Apr 17, 2005

Autolite 23 or 24's gapped at .035" ish with the charger and autolite 24 or 25's gapped at .054" n/a.

Don't use platnums, copper conducts electricity better than plantium like others have said. I only use standard $1.09 autolites.

Spark Plug Gapping

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