Spark Plug Reading Guide (HTML)

[Hotcrusader76]

I ran into a customer who referred me to this site. It looks as if it was well written and researched. Thought I would share it with everyone.
http://members.uia.net/pkelley2/sparkplugreading.html

[GofastRacer]

Interesting stuff on that site!. :cool:

[jetaddict]

Thanx crusader. :D

[Fiat48]

Very nice. I guess all the hot rod books teaching everyone to look for a "Chocolate Brown" insulator are being re-written as we speak. :D

[SK48]

Thanks Crusader, I just learned something, and I have been boat racing for 25 years. Giving you a 5 star rating for this education.

[GofastRacer]

Fiat48:
Very nice. I guess all the hot rod books teaching everyone to look for a "Chocolate Brown" insulator are being re-written as we speak. :D LMAO!!.. :D :D

[Badboat1]

I love it did you ever see Champions poster with all the readings and the one I liked was the end of the plug smashed. And it read mechanical damage. The best one LOL
Badboat1

[Hotcrusader76]

It always made me wonder why that expensive "Spark plug reader" gizmo was worth the investment. Now I can understand how close they really you wanted you to read.
I am actually talking waiting for some word back from the guy who made that page so I can post it on our site. It would be a great addition to tuning your carb jetting while at the river. But how you could see those different heat range rings with a six-pack or two in ya boggles my mind. :D

[Fiat48]

GofastRacer:
Fiat48:
Very nice. I guess all the hot rod books teaching everyone to look for a "Chocolate Brown" insulator are being re-written as we speak. :D LMAO!!.. :D :D As a struggling racer in the 70's, I removed one of my spark plugs and took it to the "Record Holding Motor Guru" Jerry Dorman. He took the plug, looked at it carefully through this lighted magnifying glass. I anxiously awaited, knowing I'd get the info I needed from a true champion engine builder. With a concerned look, he handed it back to me and said "Yep, it's an Autolite." And walked away.

[GofastRacer]

That's funny!. :D :D :D

[Fiat48]

Hotcrusader76:
It always made me wonder why that expensive "Spark plug reader" gizmo was worth the investment. Now I can understand how close they really you wanted you to read.
I am actually talking waiting for some word back from the guy who made that page so I can post it on our site. It would be a great addition to tuning your carb jetting while at the river. But how you could see those different heat range rings with a six-pack or two in ya boggles my mind. :D Notice the plugs he is showing you to read is a cad plated plug, like NGK, Champion. I will tell you this. Don't try to read an alcohol motor with a plated Accell spark plug. You'll get the 2nd ring land long before you burn that plating! :mad:

[Badboat1]

I burnt a Blown Gas Flat Mo. up on the dyno bad and the guys that had it were reading the plugs to tune it.They would not listen that it was lean as hell whipple,with 45lbs of boost.But it was makin 1785hp at the time of melt down. Reading plugs on gas is to easy.500hp of Nos and 45lbs of the shit in 2 days on mine and its still in the boat ready to go.Never pulled a plug in 2 years,but the drain plugs
Badboat1

[sdba069]

Hey Badboat........That sounds like Rusty's BGF motor with the Haven's tune-up.

[MANIC MECHANIC]

Fiat48 is absolutly right about reading plugs in an alcohol engine.You must use the cad plated plugs. I was helping a friend who had changed his eng. to alcohol last year at the drags in Augusta and no one in the whole group new how to read the plugs . :( The next morning I went over to Don Ermshar's pits and asked them if they could help me. They showed me a rack full of used plugs and explained the whole thing ! Also met Don! :D What a great bunch of guys! But back to the point. For alcohol motors' They stressed that only the cad plated plugs give an accurate reading. Excellant site also! P.S. My condolences to Don on the death of his brother Jim, He was a great man and will be sorely missed. Tim

[HammerDown]

Wow that link goes against everything I was told about reading plugs....the ground strap color line position was the for timming(want it at the center of the bend) and for jetting it should be read at the extream base of the porcelain. I belive thats even how the NGK site tells how to properly read a plug...Hmmmm intresting.

[LeE ss13]

I am impressed !!!

[Thunderbutt]

Crusdaer, If you are racing that is good imformation, But like most of us here we just run our boats, including Hot Boats for the fun of it. So I keep my spark plugs a little on the fat side and hope my motor will last for another 31 years. (I can't beleive the motor will out last me)

[Hotcrusader76]

From a racers perspective I am almost convinced that spark plug reading guide was remedial and comforting to know.
From an avid ***boaters point of view, that was also comforting to know because without an O2 sensor and some good dyno time with a calculated Density altitude for the area you run at, the spark plug reading is all you got for correct tuning.
You could also gain more life from that motor if the time is taken to properly tune your set-up. I wouldn't downplay the usefulness in reading a sparkplug, it could save your motor's life one day. :D
~Ty