spark plugs

[lyonsy]

iam chasing some 3 or 4 earth spark plugs for a 250 does anyone have a quess where you can get these as i havent had any luck in australia finding a set even from manufactures.
drift

 

[addo]

You mean like the Bosch ones? I've not heard anyone say they're worth having on these older sixes.

 

[rust collector]

Why would you want those?
YEah, they look cool, but you screw the cool looking part in the head, so you can´t see it anyway...

Oh well, if you find them, I hope you gain something, somewhere...
Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

I have witnessed power reductions using those.

The best is one small side electrode to maximise exposure of the spark to the fuel and air mixture. Many people even cut away a substantial portion of the side elctrode to make the exposure greater. That has PROVEN gains on the dyno.

 

[Anonymous]

I have heard nothing good about that type of plug... from anywhere other than the manufacturer

 

[falcon60]

I have witnessed power reductions using those.

The best is one small side electrode to maximise exposure of the spark to the fuel and air mixture. Many people even cut away a substantial portion of the side elctrode to make the exposure greater. That has PROVEN gains on the dyno.

I agree with Linc.....I have best luck with the trimmed side electrode in a high perf application. I've removed many sets of "gimmick" plugs and fixed driveability complaints on customers' cars.

Terry

 

[Anonymous]

I've removed many sets of "gimmick" plugs and fixed driveability complaints on customers' cars.

Boy, is that ever the truth!!

 

[lyonsy]

i use to use those on my xflow and had slight gain 1rwkw but reliabilty went up ten fold.
they simply never wore out you whould check the gap every 2nd meeting but never changed and after a season replace them just for peice of mind.
also if i lost power i whouldent mind for that reliabilty and they must be more reliable if aicraft use that type of plug.
the old saying to win you first must finsh.
so nothing avible in america then.
so what plugs are you running.
drift

 

[Anonymous]

they must be more reliable if aicraft use that type of plug.

Actually......they just add more places to get shorted out on!!

Every spark plug I have pulled from a "dead" cylinder on an airplane is because a small piece of lead carbon got lodged between an electrode. If any electrode gets fouled, the whole plug dies.

The number one reason why I reject aircraft spark plugs?: Center electrode wear!

Besides, more and more aircraft owners are switching to these:

http://www.ramaircraft.com/Maintenance- ... assive.htm
Spark Plugs
Fine Wire Plugs vs. Massive Plugs

For turbocharged piston twins flying at high altitude, fine wire spark plugs are more effective at igniting a fuel air mixture. They induce less strain on the magnetos and simply prove to last longer.

Operators have advanced their conviction that certainly a set of fine wire plugs are good for
1,000 hours. Other operators have suggested even longer periods. We note that since advising operators of our 350 hp liquid-cooled engines to switch to fine wire plugs, our service managers do not recall any customer contacts regarding ignition performance at altitude.

There are two primary reasons why fine wire plugs are more effective than massive plugs.
First, the massive electrode’s shear size shields its own spark from some of the fuel / air mixture around it. The result is less than even ignition which is less efficient.
Second, the iridium alloy used in the fine wire plug allows the use of a larger spark gap.
The larger gap results in a hotter more powerful spark.

Further, the gap of any electrode is vulnerable to erosion and melt down. The massive plug is especially susceptible due to the medium melting point alloy used in manufacturing it. The alloy has a tendency to erode at a less than cost effective rate, when compared to the longer life of the fine wire electrode.

( In both cases, comparison is made when the spark gaps are set for optimum performance. )

Durability is also achieved with proper inspection, cleaning and gapping, when done in accordance with the guidance published by Champion Spark Plugs and Autolite® Aviation Spark Plugs by Unison.

For example, following proper maintenance procedures, Auburn Spark Plugs Corporation advertises their plug life to be 400 hours for their Massive plugs ( medium temperature alloy )
and they suggest 1,200 hours for fine wire spark plugs ( high temperature alloy ).
However, without periodic re-gapping ( typically done at 100 hour inspections ) spark plug life may be reduced to half those recommended numbers.

RAM flight test data has shown fine wire spark plugs to be around 2.2% more efficient than massive electrode spark plugs. The TSIO-520-NB engine at high cruise or climb power
( 232 hp at 2400 RPM; EGT at Peak +100°F rich @ 10,500 ft. ) yielded a Brake Specific Fuel Consumption of .498 for fine wire plugs and .509 for massive plugs.
( BSFC = lbs. of fuel / hp / hour )
( Both spark plugs had the same gap settings of .018 inches ).
The 2.2 % fuel savings ( .498 vs. .509 ) could vary with other engine models.
Fuel savings of 1% on various other engines seems to be a reasonable expectation.

 

[lyonsy]

so what plugs are you running linc and i know very highly unlikly but do they make those plugs for a 250 log engine?

 

[Anonymous]

so what plugs are you running linc and i know very highly unlikly but do they make those plugs for a 250 log engine?

Standard Motorcraft....I think BF22??

 

[wsa111]

I have used NGK iridium WR51X stock #7510 with great success.

They have a fine wire center electrode for easier firing & they last with no gap erosion. William

 

[Anonymous]

NGK iridium WR51X stock #7510 with great success.

An excellent choice.
I didn't realize NGK made Iridium plugs for 18mm threads.

 

[lyonsy]

hey
thanks for that ill try them next as the standerd ngk ones dont last very long in the engine i have.
drift

 

[fxp]

NGK iridium WR51X stock #7510 with great success.

An excellent choice.
I didn't realize NGK made Iridium plugs for 18mm threads.

Same, didn't come up as an option when I was looking.