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Spark Plugs for John Deere 50 or 60

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John Hicks

12-24-2001 20:15:19




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I have a JD 50 and a 60 with delco distributors.
I have been using AC C88L plugs. I was informed by my brother in law that he was talking to a guy that knows alot about plugs and he said these were to hot and could damage the pistons. Is this correct and if so, what plug should be used? Thanks Much, John




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Dave G

12-25-2001 15:19:52




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 Re: Spark Plugs for John Deere 50 or 60 in reply to John Hicks, 12-24-2001 20:15:19  
I got a JD50 and the best thing I ever did to it was throw out the points & condensor and put in a Pertronix electronic ignition (1121P12 Ignitor to be exact for 12V Pos grn). I had trouble with the plugs and points before. The points didn't last. With the electronic ignition I can't tell you how fine it runs. About $70 and easy installation. My recommendations - start with the electronic ignition.

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G Taylor spark power coolant temp

12-26-2001 07:10:41




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 Re: Re: Spark Plugs for John Deere 50 or 60 in reply to Dave G, 12-25-2001 15:19:52  
While prefering to keep antique tractors from getting tinker butchered, the Genesee or Pertronix electronic conversion have their place. Hidden in the distributer & sending spark to the plugs the way they should have had since new. Would have saved alot of fuel, engine wear & airpolution caused by worn points & failed capacitors. Much of the mystery plug fouling & engine wear is due to low operating temps.Most tractors seen at shows have no shutters or thermostats & run around with coolant temp gauges pegged on the low side. With the air/fuel mixtuire richened to compensate for the lack of fuel vaporization/mixing.

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Chuck

12-25-2001 14:45:31




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 Re: Spark Plugs for John Deere 50 or 60 in reply to John Hicks, 12-24-2001 20:15:19  
if you will go to electronic ignition you can forget about the plugs. Will render about 40,000 volts and will jump on this unleaded gas. I do use autolite 386 but no fouling or starting problems...



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Blair Buffington

12-25-2001 13:43:17




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 Re: Spark Plugs for John Deere 50 or 60 in reply to John Hicks, 12-24-2001 20:15:19  
Dear John:

You will get a lot of advice on spark plugs, but here's some from a former dealer and collector of antique Deere's:

Deere recommended a Champion D19 (or equivalent)for most applications with this vintage of tractor, but practical experience taught us that even back then, a hotter plug was better for heavier work. We almost always replaced this plug with a D21 and with good success.

Because gasoline today does not combust in exactly the same way as old leaded gas, typically the hotter the plug the better. I recently spoke with a representative at Champion Spark plug and his recommendation, for older low heat engines (your model 50 is one of these) was to use the lowest octane gas available, because it combusts more rapidly, coupled with the hottest plug you can screw in the hole. This ususally will not only help your tractor start and idle better, it will reduce the amount of carbon fouling in the cylinder.

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Todd

12-25-2001 10:06:40




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 Re: Spark Plugs for John Deere 50 or 60 in reply to John Hicks, 12-24-2001 20:15:19  
Just use a Autolite 386 or 388 and you will be pleased with the results.



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Big John

12-25-2001 08:39:37




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 Re: Spark Plugs for John Deere 50 or 60 in reply to John Hicks, 12-24-2001 20:15:19  
Unless you are using the tractor hard day after day I wouldn't worry about it If you are like most of us and are just puttering around most of the time all a cooler plug will do is foul out. The gas you get today just doesn't agree with old tractors My own personal preference is Champion D-23'S I know there has been a lot said about Champion making bad plugs awhile back but I have been using them for the past 3- 4 years with no trouble As anybody knows if you do any tractor pulling there is nothing more embarrassing than having a plug foul out while you are pulling especially with a JD as you lose half of your motor

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buckeye al

12-27-2001 14:39:41




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 Re: Re: Spark Plugs for John Deere 50 or 60 in reply to Big John, 12-25-2001 08:39:37  
I agree with Big John. All my tractors but one B have mags on them, I get them warmed up quick (all have shutters), tune 'em lean (no black smoke), use D23's & the cheapest lowest octane gas I can find. May just be dumb luck but I haven't had a fouled plug in years. D23's are a bit pricey, I have had to order them & buy an entire box at a time but they also last, at least for me.

I will admit, I've worked on a lot of tractors I do not own & it seems that once a Champion is fouled, it's more likely to stay that way than an AC or Autolite!

My two coppers for the discussion.

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Mike Aylward

12-25-2001 06:34:38




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 Re: Spark Plugs for John Deere 50 or 60 in reply to John Hicks, 12-24-2001 20:15:19  
John, the only way that a hot plug can damage your pistons is if they retain so much heat that they cause preignition. I prefer Autolite plugs as I have used other brands that did not work when they were brand new- including AC's and Champions. I have yet to have an Autolite that didn't work well. Perhaps some of the other plugs mentioned work well, too. Hope this helps. Mike



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JDP

12-25-2001 11:51:18




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 Re: Re: Spark Plugs for John Deere 50 or 60 in reply to Mike Aylward, 12-25-2001 06:34:38  
I would stay away from Champion, but it is hard for me to believe that the AC plugs would give problems in these tractors. I would especially use them in the tractors that have Delco distributors. Can't go wrong putting an AC plug in a machine with an AC Delco distributor. I do concur that the Autolite plug is a decent plug.



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Mike Aylward

12-25-2001 15:50:49




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 Re: Re: Re: Spark Plugs for John Deere 50 or 60 in reply to JDP, 12-25-2001 11:51:18  
JDP, I have ran into many Champion plugs that would not fire under compression right out of the box brand new. They would fire out of an engine but not under compression. About half of the Champion plugs I used to purchase turned out that way, and then the ones that did run didn't run like I thought they should. And, believe it or not, I have had similar luck with AC's, only the percentage is smaller. I have yet to get a bad Autolite. I had a fellow call me from Mississippi a few years ago and he proceeded to tell me all the things he had done to his tractor and all the money that had been spent on it getting it to run right. After he was through, I said "you have Champion plugs in this, don't you?" He said, "Yes, how did you know?" I told him to try a set of Autolites and let me know what happened. He called about a week later and said the tractor ran better than it had in years. Your experience may vary, but that's mine. Mike

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Don

12-25-2001 06:18:43




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 Re: Spark Plugs for John Deere 50 or 60 in reply to John Hicks, 12-24-2001 20:15:19  
HE'S RIGHT IF YOU ARE OUT PLOWING ALL DAY LONG,BUT I'LL BET YOU DON'T WORK THE TRACTOR SO THERE'S NO PROBLEM. YOU NEED HOT PLUGS WITH TODAY'S ROTTEN GAS. THESE OLD TWO CYL'S. WERE MADE TO RUN ON LOW OCTAINE FUEL ( distalate) BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO RUN ON THIS GAS today. my 2 cents Don



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Mike C.

12-24-2001 22:20:14




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 Re: Spark Plugs for John Deere 50 or 60 in reply to John Hicks, 12-24-2001 20:15:19  
I have a JD50 with a recently overhauled engine and
I use AC C87 plugs in mine.

Mike C.



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Roy

12-24-2001 23:50:10




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 Re: Re: Spark Plugs for John Deere 50 or 60 in reply to Mike C., 12-24-2001 22:20:14  
Try DENSO L14-U. Been using them for years. A really great plug.



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