Will .015 spark gap make a difference....

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crunchie12268

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Dec 24, 2004

#1

• Dec 24, 2004

• #1

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?

 

5

5.0guy

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Dec 24, 2004

#2

• Dec 24, 2004

• #2

I thought you meant you had yours gapped at .015 haha..I'd run atleast .054. with more spark, more fuel and air can be combusted, thus making each stroke more powerful. someone tell me if my logic is off.

 

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stang2841

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palm harbor florida

Dec 24, 2004

#3

• Dec 24, 2004

• #3

can somebody show me how to gap sparkplugs? or explain it to me?

I'm in the middle of a MSD6A and Blaster Coil install, and I'm doing new Ford racing wires...

 

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crunchie12268

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Dec 25, 2004

#4

• Dec 25, 2004

• #4

I just broke my number six spark plug, went to unbolt it and all the porcelin just went to ****..... now I have to way til after christmas to drive, yippeee.

But hopefully this will explain why my car doesn't run at its fullest.

 

HISSIN50

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#5

• Dec 25, 2004

• #5

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.

 

89CopCoupe

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Feb 17, 2004

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Dec 25, 2004

#6

• Dec 25, 2004

• #6

stang2841 said:

can somebody show me how to gap sparkplugs? or explain it to me?

Click to expand...

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

Apr 10, 2002

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Dec 25, 2004

#7

• Dec 25, 2004

• #7

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.

 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master

Apr 10, 2002

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Dec 25, 2004

#8

• Dec 25, 2004

• #8

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.

 

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crunchie12268

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Dec 25, 2004

#9

• Dec 25, 2004

• #9

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...

 

5

5.0guy

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Dec 25, 2004

#10

• Dec 25, 2004

• #10

I dunno, maybe try replacing the pcv valve and screen..may not help anything, but it sure shouldn't hurt anything.

 

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crunchie12268

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Dec 25, 2004

#11

• Dec 25, 2004

• #11

I never replaced my screen, just the PCV when I did my intake swap.... what would that cause?

 

Michael Yount

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Apr 10, 2002

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Dec 25, 2004

#12

• Dec 25, 2004

• #12

How many miles on this puppy? Have you run cranking compression checks?

 

HISSIN50

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#13

• Dec 25, 2004

• #13

so you have coolant dripping off the EGR? if so, i would renew the EGR gasket, as you have planned.

good luck.

 

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crunchie12268

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Dec 25, 2004

#14

• Dec 25, 2004

• #14

I have 107,000 miles on this thing and the screen looks pretty bad... but I didn't know it was that important when I did my intake swap. And I am going to replace the gasket as soon as I Oreily's opens.

 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master

Apr 10, 2002

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Dec 25, 2004

#15

• Dec 25, 2004

• #15

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.