do you own a spark plug cleaner?

[ka0tyk]

just one of those little things that costs hardly anything but does an amazing job. my mini cooper plugs are like $60 for a set of 4 and it loves to eat oil even when ive done a full head job and rings, etc. spark plugs always look like poop. figure each oil change on my cars ill pull the plugs out and clean em now. hell my 3v 5.4 spark plugs are $15+ a pop.

previously ive always hit em with a brass wire brush and felt i did more bad than good.

hot damn!

any other "odd tools" you can think of?

 

[MOUZER]

me sand paper and a match

 

[lbhsbz]

I doubt that sandblasting them does much good for the platinum or whatever plating exists on the electrodes.

 

[Your ad here]

I have the same one that is pictured.

 

[DaveH]

may wish to consider a condom sterilizer for saving a few bucks on those.

 

[HitIt]

may wish to consider a condom sterilizer for saving a few bucks on those.

Just wash em out. They don't need to be sterile.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Just wash em out. They don't need to be sterile.

Said Magic Johnson.

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

IMO these things are terrible. You will never get all the media cleaned out of them after blasting. In turn there goes your cylinder walls and rings. I've seen it first hand a few different times..

 

[Bigbore500r]

IMO these things are terrible. You will never get all the media cleaned out of them after blasting. In turn there goes your cylinder walls and rings. I've seen it first hand a few different times..

Just like doing the plugs in a glass bead cabinet....my buddy in highschool used to do that to his El Camino motors......seems like he was always replacing his motors cause they "got tired" and started using oil LOL. Self perpetiuating cycle...clean plugs in glass bead cabinet because it would foul plugs. Motor starts oiling down plugs....clean plugs in glass bead cabinet....motor oils plugs....more shit in cylinders.....

 

[Sleek-Jet]

Is this another double entendres for a woman that gives blowjobs?

If so, no.

If not, those little cleaners have never worked for me. A good blast cabinet works better.

 

[monkeyswrench]

I do have a plug cleaner...about a 100 years old. Only use it for early plugs...like teens and 20's era stuff. Try finding plugs with pipe threads New stuff, like 1950's and up...I just put new ones in.

Unless it's one of those jacked up, soon to be 2 piece, 5.4 ford plugs. I'll change them when the heads come off, and the motor's on a stand!

 

[Ouderkirk]

just one of those little things that costs hardly anything but does an amazing job. my mini cooper plugs are like $60 for a set of 4 and it loves to eat oil even when ive done a full head job and rings, etc. spark plugs always look like poop. figure each oil change on my cars ill pull the plugs out and clean em now. hell my 3v 5.4 spark plugs are $15+ a pop.

previously ive always hit em with a brass wire brush and felt i did more bad than good.

hot damn!

any other "odd tools" you can think of?

At it's core the sandblaster type plug cleaners to a good job of removing carbon deposits. They come out clean.

The downside is that the sandblasting will round off the sharp edges that are necessary for good spark. There is a reason that the edges of the electrodes are sharp edges and the platinum/iridium plugs have the fine wire center electrode. These sharp edges are the point leap across the gap.

On hard material electrodes, the sandblasting probably won't hurt much. On softer metals it will definitely round off the edges and shorten the life of the plugs.

 

[4Waters]

I always clean the plugs with break dry clean and then high pressure air after using the sandblaster.

 

[outboard_256]

with how cheap plugs are and how often I repalce them I wouldn't waste shelf space for that even if it was free.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Just like doing the plugs in a glass bead cabinet....my buddy in highschool used to do that to his El Camino motors......seems like he was always replacing his motors cause they "got tired" and started using oil LOL. Self perpetiuating cycle...clean plugs in glass bead cabinet because it would foul plugs. Motor starts oiling down plugs....clean plugs in glass bead cabinet....motor oils plugs....more shit in cylinders.....

In high school I had a friend that did an oil change and filled his el Camino with oil. 20 quarts later the oil overflowed out the fill on the valve cover.. the engine was full of oil.

 

[92 cole]

the best you are going to get is a blast with carb spray and a blow job from a blow gun. sandblasting is only going to blast off material that belongs in a spark plug. You are better off tossing the car if eats plugs on a daily basis. If it likes to eat on plugs, Invest in Lucas Injector cleaner and add every other fill-up!

 

[buck35]

I've got an old wore out golf cart i use in the orchard .for plugs often , I just remove and burn them off with a mapp torch then hit em with a fine wire stainess brush to remove carbon. Seems to work fine for the application.

 

[Wheeler]

It's an acceptable practice in aviation.

Just don't put your dick in it.

 

[Willie B]

...first...plugs are sandblasted...then acetone and a small brass wire brush...then air blow...then acetone and a regular tooth brush...nuther air blow
...The plugs are then catagorized as a spare set of plugs...bingo...

 

[Bigbore500r]

It's an acceptable practice in aviation.

Just don't put your dick in it.



View attachment 742117

Is this a $500 box to test $4.00 spark plugs? I like it!

 

[River Runnin]

They’re 16 years old! Maybe getting close... Don’t know how it would act with a new set!

 

[Wheeler]

Is this a $500 box to test $4.00 spark plugs? I like it!

I think it said 2300. Aviation plugs are expensive and do last quite a length of time when properly cared for.

Do you know how many times you are allowed to drop an aviation spark plug?

 

[lbhsbz]

I think it said 2300. Aviation plugs are expensive and do last quite a length of time when properly cared for.

Do you know how many times you are allowed to drop an aviation spark plug?

@nrbr should know this one.

Aviation is a different deal. You follow whatever maintenance protocol is mandated. If the FAA approves of cleaning spark plugs...I'd be amazed...and I'll never sit in a piston engine plane again. Typically if you keep fuel in it and follow the maintenance schedule and TBO, there will not be any failures or hiccups in a piston engine plane.

 

[DaveH]

Aviation is a different deal. You follow whatever maintenance protocol is mandated. If the FAA approves of cleaning spark plugs...I'd be amazed...and I'll never sit in a piston engine plane again. Typically if you keep fuel in it and follow the maintenance schedule and TBO, there will not be any failures or hiccups in a piston engine plane.

I think it said 2300. Aviation plugs are expensive and do last quite a length of time when properly cared for.

Do you know how many times you are allowed to drop an aviation spark plug?

@nrbr should know this one.

ZERO.

you drop it and its against the FAR's to use it.

and the use of cleaning plugs came from the 50's and the same mentality is still in use in the aviation world.

 

[Wheeler]

ZERO.

you drop it and its against the FAR's to use it.

and the use of cleaning plugs came from the 50's and the same mentality is still in use in the aviation world.

Two times. First time on the ground, second time in the trash can.

 

[mash on it]

#6 & #8 plugs on the wrecker (400 sbc) would oil foul, about every other tank of gas.

Kept a few used decent ones in the tool box, and if I was out of 'em, I'd swap it to #2 or #4.

Sand blast? I think those cylinders already were, lol.

Dan'l

 

[Wheeler]

Aviation is a different deal. You follow whatever maintenance protocol is mandated. If the FAA approves of cleaning spark plugs...I'd be amazed...and I'll never sit in a piston engine plane again. Typically if you keep fuel in it and follow the maintenance schedule and TBO, there will not be any failures or hiccups in a piston engine plane.

It's one of those things that you can do yourself. No FBO required. I think they are trying to kill us!

"Spark plug servicing… it’s one of the FAA-approved tasks that airplane owners can perform and sign off on their own airplanes."

"It’s really not a complicated process, but one that deserves some careful attention to detail to make sure the work is done properly."

My engine is designed to burn 80/87 which is not available. 100LL has up to four times the lead as the lower grade. Many a time I've have to taxi back after run up to clean the lead balls out of lower spark plugs.

 

[Shlbyntro]

I think it said 2300. Aviation plugs are expensive and do last quite a length of time when properly cared for.

Do you know how many times you are allowed to drop an aviation spark plug?

@nrbr should know this one.

My big boat has an old Onan gen set in it. Horizontally opposed 2 cyl flat head that uses aviation spark plugs. Dont ask me why but they're only $6.00 each.

I actually own a spark plug cleaner but have never used it. I honestly put good quality copper plugs in everything I own. Dirt cheap and have never had a problem. But I also replace them with every oil change.

 

[lbhsbz]

It's one of those things that you can do yourself. No FBO required. I think they are trying to kill us!

"Spark plug servicing… it’s one of the FAA-approved tasks that airplane owners can perform and sign off on their own airplanes."

"It’s really not a complicated process, but one that deserves some careful attention to detail to make sure the work is done properly."

My engine is designed to burn 80/87 which is not available. 100LL has up to four times the lead as the lower grade. Many a time I've have to taxi back after run up to clean the lead balls out of lower spark plugs.

Do you fly the same plane as that guy in the movie It's a mad mad mad mad world?

 

[Wheeler]

Do you fly the same plane as that guy in the movie It's a mad mad mad mad world?

No, not quite that old but it's older than me.

If you look at my avatar you'll get an understanding of what it take to start the damn thing.

 

[Wheeler]

Do you fly the same plane as that guy in the movie It's a mad mad mad mad world?

I found a photo of it.

The first two photos, this plane is still sitting in the hangar. Lost an engine on final and haven't flown it since. I'll get it back in the air again someday.

The bottom photo is of my twin engine ultralight. One of the hundred or so ultralights that I built back in the day.
I'll see if I can find a photo of my four engine ultralight that we raced in the "Great Phoenix Ultralight Air Race" back in '85.

 

[rivermobster]

Said Magic Johnson.

I really Did lol at that one!

 

[lbhsbz]

I found a photo of it.

The first two photos, this plane is still sitting in the hangar. Lost an engine on final and haven't flown it since. I'll get it back in the air again someday.

The bottom photo is of my twin engine ultralight. One of the hundred or so ultralights that I built back in the day.
I'll see if I can find a photo of my four engine ultralight that we raced in the "Great Phoenix Ultralight Air Race" back in '85. View attachment 742189 View attachment 742191 View attachment 742192

needs spark plugs cleaned

 

[Sleek-Jet]

Aviation is a different deal. You follow whatever maintenance protocol is mandated. If the FAA approves of cleaning spark plugs...I'd be amazed...and I'll never sit in a piston engine plane again. Typically if you keep fuel in it and follow the maintenance schedule and TBO, there will not be any failures or hiccups in a piston engine plane.

Hahahaha... Plugs get cleaned every 50-100 hours depending on the recommendation. Massive electrode plugs are more susceptible to lead fouling. The fine wires plugs still get cleaned.

The process involves soaking the ends in solvent then using a fine pick to get most of the lead out, then the blast cabinet, then a pressure wash with solvent, then water, then blow them dry with compressed air. Takes a few hours start to finish. If car guys did the same you wouldn't hear stories about blast media in engines.

Last time I bought a set for my Lycoming it was close to $500.

 

[185EZ]

If you look at my avatar you'll get an understanding of what it take to start the damn thing.

I'm still looking...
I think she'll start up EZ

 

[Bigbore500r]

Aviation is a different deal. You follow whatever maintenance protocol is mandated. If the FAA approves of cleaning spark plugs...I'd be amazed...and I'll never sit in a piston engine plane again. Typically if you keep fuel in it and follow the maintenance schedule and TBO, there will not be any failures or hiccups in a piston engine plane.

My friend was flying with his dad over Nevada, and the engine in their single-engine piper shit the bed. Had less than 50 hours on it since overhaul. They were able to land on the desert floor and save the plane, but he landed in area that was considered "off limits" near Tonopah AFB in Nevada. They were promptly met by a convoy of military vehicles and escorted into custody. Everything worked out fine, but he said that was the only day he shit his pants TWICE.

It turned out that that an exhaust valve seat was defective and lunched the motor, something about the seat material tested way too hard on the rockwell scale or something, causing it to crack.

 

[Wheeler]

I'm still looking...
I think she'll start up EZ

All it takes is a little tug on the short hair.

 

[coolchange]

Damn right I have one, I grew up with montesa's and bultacos!

 

[coolchange]

All it takes is a little tug on the short hair.
View attachment 742235

I love that picture.

 

[Wheeler]

Damn right I have one, I grew up with montesa's and bultacos!

My El Bandito is long gone but I do still have a '70 Sherpa T sitting in the hangar. Ossa is also long gone.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

No, not quite that old but it's older than me.

If you look at my avatar you'll get an understanding of what it take to start the damn thing.

I found a photo of it.

The first two photos, this plane is still sitting in the hangar. Lost an engine on final and haven't flown it since. I'll get it back in the air again someday.

The bottom photo is of my twin engine ultralight. One of the hundred or so ultralights that I built back in the day.
I'll see if I can find a photo of my four engine ultralight that we raced in the "Great Phoenix Ultralight Air Race" back in '85. View attachment 742189 View attachment 742191 View attachment 742192

Actually, if it's older than him.... I believe it must be this one that his good childhood friends Orville and Wilbur made.....

Sent from my LM-G710VM using Tapatalk

 

[Kbach]

My Pops still has one like this in his garage. Used it a ton back in the SBC/BBC days. Now with all the LS based motors in everything I have they barely ever go through plugs so never need it.

It's probably worth some cash on eBay...might have to steal it from him and sell it