Re: Yes

Posted by jdemaris on November 09, 2006 at 19:22:51 from (69.67.229.114):

In Reply to: Re: Spark plug gap question posted by B-maniac on November 09, 2006 at 18:28:55:

Absolutely correct. That's why high-energy ignition systems with wide plug gaps need better wires as well as other parts.
I just had a situation that created its own high-engergy ignition by accident. Hunting camp near me has a 1978 Chevy Blazer used for carting around deer hunters. It got running bad - I took at look at it for them. I found - in the inside of the distributor cap - just a burn-hole where the spring-loaded conductor-pole is supposed to be. It was supposed to rub against the rotating rotor - and it's conductor piece was also completely burnt off and gone. So - spark was jumping a huge gap to get to the plug wires - at least a 1/2". Truck broke up and ran terrible - but did run and I could drive it. Well - I "fixed it" by installing a new cap and rotor - and then - it would not run at all - except for one cylinder firing out of eight (350 V8). Long story short the plugs were all fouled - but with the burnt-out cap and rotor - voltage got so high they fired. Once I fixed it, it did not. This really threw me for a little while - but I put new plugs in it - and it was then fine.
On a similar note - I still have my Honda CL175 motorcycle - ca. 1972. It has a two-cylinder engine - but for one year - Honda used an ignition with a single set of points, and one coil with two secondaries (plug wires). I assume it was designed to always fire both plugs every stroke. Problem is - and has been since new - when cold - only one cylinder will fire - and it can be either one - you never know. So, I pull the plug wife off the one that is not firing, and slowly pull it away - with the engine running. A spark will jump - and get longer as I pull away - and when I get to a certain distance - that cylinder begins to fire - and then both are running. Once it warms up a little, all is fine. The next year of production for the bike, Honda changed over to dual points and dual coils - so I suspect they recognized a problem.
And - how far can you go? I just found out with my wife's neglected 1995 Subaru Impreza. Just hit 135,000 miles and it's never had spark plugs. It has no distributor or cap - and since it's always ran great - never got plugs. A few mornings ago - it wouldn't start - but "almost" did when I let off the key. First reaction - I got mad at the car. Then I remembered - it's had oil changes and timing belts - but never spark plugs. I pulled them out - the gap was so wide - my plug gapper could not measure - but around a 1/4". Must be the breaking-point where the voltage cannot jump the gap. Other than that, the plugs looked like new. I closed the gaps to .045", and now - all is fine again.

Replies:

• Re: Yes oldcraneguy 10:52:11 11/10/06 (0)

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