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Thread: Spark plug reading article

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    99dart's Avatar
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    Default Spark plug reading article

    Not many newbies here anymore, but thought I'd post this anyway.

    http://www.enginebasics.com/Engine%2...k%20Plugs.html
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    Lots of article out there ppl should read about reading plugs. Tons of good info. Not many ppl read plugs anymore, but its literally the only way to know how happy that chamber is running.

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by 99dart View Post
    Not many newbies here anymore, but thought I'd post this anyway.

    http://www.enginebasics.com/Engine%2...k%20Plugs.html
    It was all we had back in the day when real drag racing began and Christmas trees appeared instead of light bulbs strung across the track. A lot of that history goes unnoticed by the younger set and by that I mean guys below 50.

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    Duner's Avatar
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    What an amazing thing I found 4 or 5 years ago.....

    Wideband O2 sensors!

    I didn't install one until I decided to go to MegaSquirt.
    The 40 years prior to that - I tuned by reading the plugs and listening to what it sounded like and how it responded to the throttle pedal. And of course for most of my life I rode 2-stroke bikes also, which meant you had to tune them by reading the plugs too.

    Now I've gotten lazy. I don't pull the plugs out unless I have to, like when the O2 sensor fails.
    Duner
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    WB and timeslips FTW!
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    99dart's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Duner View Post
    What an amazing thing I found 4 or 5 years ago.....

    Wideband O2 sensors!

    I didn't install one until I decided to go to MegaSquirt.
    The 40 years prior to that - I tuned by reading the plugs and listening to what it sounded like and how it responded to the throttle pedal. And of course for most of my life I rode 2-stroke bikes also, which meant you had to tune them by reading the plugs too.

    Now I've gotten lazy. I don't pull the plugs out unless I have to, like when the O2 sensor fails.
    LOL... Are you under 50? If yes, there's no excuse for not reading the plugs!
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    Duner's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 99dart View Post
    LOL... Are you under 50? If yes, there's no excuse for not reading the plugs!
    Oh how I wish I was still under 50....
    But no such luck.
    Old phart here (in years anyway) that simply refuses to grow up.
    Duner
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    Reading plugs requires new plugs, a WOT blast, stop pull plugs, no idle time.
    I didn't read the article...maybe they point that out.

    Edit: Just took a look...lol
    In bright red no less.
    Last edited by Adobedude; 12-18-2017 at 05:18 AM.
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    Corey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Duner View Post
    What an amazing thing I found 4 or 5 years ago.....

    Wideband O2 sensors!

    I didn't install one until I decided to go to MegaSquirt.
    The 40 years prior to that - I tuned by reading the plugs and listening to what it sounded like and how it responded to the throttle pedal. And of course for most of my life I rode 2-stroke bikes also, which meant you had to tune them by reading the plugs too.

    Now I've gotten lazy. I don't pull the plugs out unless I have to, like when the O2 sensor fails.
    I agree with this for those that don't drag race often enough. Wide Band will get you very close...

    http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/db.php
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    Wideband sensors are good tools, but the spark plug tells you what is really going on in the cylinder. Also if you run nitrous wideband sensors are pretty much useless for setting up your nitrous tune, you better read those plugs.
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    niebs's Avatar
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    Wideband tuning is fine for "normal' racing and daily driving stuff. but when you want to push a tune, you need to read the plugs. And unless you have o2s and egts in each hole. You dont know how happy one cylinder is. You're just seeing the average of one bank, or both.

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    Quote Originally Posted by niebs View Post
    Wideband tuning is fine for "normal' racing and daily driving stuff. but when you want to push a tune, you need to read the plugs. And unless you have o2s and egts in each hole. You dont know how happy one cylinder is. You're just seeing the average of one bank, or both.
    egt's and widebands are great tools, but people now days try to use them only and that is a bad idea, plug reading is still very important.
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    I haven't looked at plug or changed my tune in years...I have a Daytona Sensors WB that I data log with my GoPro, but why I don't know.
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    Quote Originally Posted by slammedR/T View Post
    Wideband sensors are good tools, but the spark plug tells you what is really going on in the cylinder. Also if you run nitrous wideband sensors are pretty much useless for setting up your nitrous tune, you better read those plugs.
    Just keep pulling fuel and adding timing until you see some sparklies on the plugs... then back it down a skosh.
    Or until you hear it freakin rattling! LOL
    Duner
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    Quote Originally Posted by slammedR/T View Post
    egt's and widebands are great tools, but people now days try to use them only and that is a bad idea, plug reading is still very important.
    No doubt. Thats what I was getting at.

  16. #16

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    Wideband is a great tool but mine only reads one bank so i don't feel right unless i pull the plugs regularly to check them. I also change plugs more than I really need to, gives me a warm and fuzzy.
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    Quote Originally Posted by mikset View Post
    Wideband is a great tool but mine only reads one bank so i don't feel right unless i pull the plugs regularly to check them. I also change plugs more than I really need to, gives me a warm and fuzzy.
    I'll usually run mine for a whole 300 miles! hahaha
    That gives me a chance to take a look at them.
    Duner
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    300 miles is 600 passes, down and back.....LOL

    I change oil and plugs, check lash every 50.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adobedude View Post
    300 miles is 600 passes, down and back.....LOL

    I change oil and plugs, check lash every 50.
    I go out for 100 or 200 mile street romps - with the AC and stereo blasting!
    Duner
    4.7 Turbocharged CC in white - 12's
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    I read plugs for detonation only. For E85 and today's pump gas plug reading for fueling is just about useless. Race gas is a bit of a different story.
    RYAN/TUNED

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    Quote Originally Posted by Duner View Post
    Oh how I wish I was still under 50.... But no such luck. Old phart here (in years anyway) that simply refuses to grow up.
    I think you, Dave, and me are the OG's of the board. 62 and mashing the gas never gets old!
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    Quote Originally Posted by FlyinRyan View Post
    I read plugs for detonation only. For E85 and today's pump gas plug reading for fueling is just about useless. Race gas is a bit of a different story.
    I agree, I find it hard to tell fuel ring on E85 but for detonation and timing it still works fine.
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    Fuck this AF shit...WLM
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  24. #24




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    Quote Originally Posted by Adobedude View Post
    Fuck this AF shit...WLM
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