Spark Plug
- Thread starter swamperjmb
- Start date
- Tags plug spark
If you can get more spark into a flathead it would help alot id think. but for the most part those fancy plugs are all hype. i know some types burn out alot easier than others. My brothers a mechanic sometimes he gets people in with new fancy plugs and there car runs like crap and they say they just changed the plugs 300 miles ago or whatever and he throws in champion coppers and it good to go. But who knows with these small engines. Its worth expearimenting you only need one plug right 
All them plugs with fancy names and claims that I have seen in the past half century have been total BS. [Not 50% BS...100% BS]. Think about it a moment. Champion and AC and Autolite and some newcommers like NGK have been making plugs since Indy cars had skinny tires and the earth was still cooling. If, in fact, there was ANY benefit to haveing three or two electrodes these folks would be doing it on their line of plugs. If it made any sence to "split" the electrode or someother goofy idea that sorta sounds cool [that some ad man thought up], again, Champion et. al would surely be doing it. A guy might as well put the silly magnets on the fuel line to get better gas milage. Or possibly the dumb little mesh screen under the carb to atomize the gas better. There were a bunch more bunko items offered to the public over the years that never showed up again. The "new development" spark plug still shows up now and then.
In my opinion, "standard" copper plugs are more than adequate for these engines. Multi-electrode and precious metal designs have been around for almost as long as the spark ignition engine(80+ years) and yet the single copper electrode is still the standard. Platinum and iridium plugs have the benefit of slower wear, but that only means that the engine is in a worse state of tune for a much longer time longer before anyone notices.
Heat range is a different story, but IMO does not have a huge effect unless the plug is way, way off.
Heat range is a different story, but IMO does not have a huge effect unless the plug is way, way off.
OK, picked up my new E3 plug. It does show a difference in how hot the spark is. The stock plug was black around the edges after running for around 2 hours. The E3 plug still looked new after 2 hours of riding............
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Yes, it has a crisper throttle response. I would need to dyno the motor to see if there was any HP increase. Check there website out Spark Plugs | Automotive Spark Plug | Motorcycle Spark Plugs | E3 Spark Plugs
How many hours were on the old one? I'm going to guess a lot more than two. Put the same number of hours on that E³ and it will look just like the old plug. Modern gasoline doesn't color the plug nearly as fast as it did 10-20 years ago, so plug readings are more difficult.
Electricity is like water(and many people) in that it follows the path of least resistance. Once the resistance breaks down in the spark gap, the spark jumps only across the gap with the least resistance. That is why I don't think multiple electrodes make any difference; functionally they act like a single electrode. Then again, if they're working well for someone, who am I to argue with that?
Electricity is like water(and many people) in that it follows the path of least resistance. Once the resistance breaks down in the spark gap, the spark jumps only across the gap with the least resistance. That is why I don't think multiple electrodes make any difference; functionally they act like a single electrode. Then again, if they're working well for someone, who am I to argue with that?
YOu know this is a good point you have to throw in there there is so many factoras efecting spark you know like coil out put compression an since spark likes to jump in a vacum an you got sevreral unist of air cramd up to it an the coil aint powerful enogh it can make a difernce i guess you realy just never know then there this sh** they call gas nowadays with that nice 30 day experation date lol
OK, gas is from the same 5 gallons I bought 3 days ago. I did run the motor for two hours. I timed it, and I timed it with the first plug. My kids had a blast breaking it in for me. The pics show the proof. I am convinced. I thought I drilled the jet out too big and was going to have to buy a stock jet.....Any way I am happy and thats all that matters. Just thought I would post my comparison, Believe it or not???????
All I was saying is that the results thusfar are inconclusive.
To illustrate how long it takes to get a good plug reading these days, here is the old 40+hr plug out of my XR600 next to a new and and even colder one with about an hour and lots of WOT pulls on it:
Here is that colder plug next to an unused plug:
I made absolutely no changes to the bike except for the spark plug.
Pump gas may last 30 days if you're running through a 6:1 compression flathead or an 8:1 OHV, but my ported 10.5:1 XR600 really starts letting me know after about two weeks. :thumbdown:
To illustrate how long it takes to get a good plug reading these days, here is the old 40+hr plug out of my XR600 next to a new and and even colder one with about an hour and lots of WOT pulls on it:
Here is that colder plug next to an unused plug:
I made absolutely no changes to the bike except for the spark plug.
Pump gas may last 30 days if you're running through a 6:1 compression flathead or an 8:1 OHV, but my ported 10.5:1 XR600 really starts letting me know after about two weeks. :thumbdown: