Sparkplugs old old old

[55 Fargo]

Pulled the plugs from 251 Fargo engine, man are they old, and still J 8, Champions, which have not been made in years.

Now the ole Boy that used to own this truck, probably does not know about NOS, so I really wonder, how old and how long these plugs were in service.Does anyone know?

The metal bases, are good and rusty. So a new set of Autolite 295 or NGK B6S will be going in....

[Rusty O'Toole]

Has it been out of service long? How many miles on it? I recently bought a 49 Chrysler, I don't know when it was last in service but there is an insurance slip from 1965 in the glove box. It has old rusty plugs as you describe. I sand blasted them and put them back in, they look unworn and unburned on the cylinder side. As soon as I cleaned and gapped the plugs, replaced a bad coil wire and put some gas down the carb it fired right up and runs like new.

You might be surprised that your old rusty plugs will work as good as new. They don't have any moving parts and porcelain and steel don't deteriorate. Why not try them. I think it would be a good gag to have a motor that purrs like a big cat with rusty plugs, cracked plug wires etc.

Edited November 12, 2011 by Rusty O'Toole

[Don Coatney]

A spark plug sand blaster is one of the best investments I ever made. I bought this one for less than twenty bucks from JC Whitney. I see they are now $24.00. I have over 40,000 miles on the plugs in my car. I clean them once or twice per year. The Champion spark plug in my lawn mower is well over 10 years old.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/jcwhitney/textsearch_result.jcw?sku=spark+plug+cleaner&shopid=100001

[95ttoplt1]

Harborr Freight has them for 9.99!

[55 Fargo]

Has it been out of service long? How many miles on it? I recently bought a 49 Chrysler' date=' I don't know when it was last in service but there is an insurance slip from 1965 in the glove box. It has old rusty plugs as you describe. I sand blasted them and put them back in, they look unworn and unburned on the cylinder side. As soon as I cleaned and gapped the plugs, replaced a bad coil wire and put some gas down the carb it fired right up and runs like new.

You might be surprised that your old rusty plugs will work as good as new. They don't have any moving parts and porcelain and steel don't deteriorate. Why not try them. I think it would be a good gag to have a motor that purrs like a big cat with rusty plugs, cracked plug wires etc.[/quote']

They may work fine, not sure if you have been following my various threads, on this 1955 Fargo engine, was a driver, used often until the summer of 2005, when it pulled a late 70s Chev truck to my Uncles, so my Uncle could transplant the 55 Fargo body onto the Chebby chassis, all because he wanted to drive faster with an auto trans etc. That truck later burnt at a backwoods paint shop, I bought the chassis, with engine etc.

Now you have it, been not run in 6 years. Wish me luck.....

[55 Fargo]

On my wish list Don, about $25-$30 at the local Princess Auto, a similar deal to Harbourfreight stores.........

[RobertKB]

Fred, if it ran 6 years ago with those plugs they are probably OK. The rust on the exterior of the plugs is a given with our flatheads no matter how well looked after. Just the fact they live in a depression and get snow in there or water throught the hood trim means they get rusty. Clean them and they are probably good to go if the porcelain and tips look OK. Why spend money when you don't have too? At least try them. My guess is they will run you lots of miles.

[55 Fargo]

Fred, if it ran 6 years ago with those plugs they are probably OK. The rust on the exterior of the plugs is a given with our flatheads no matter how well looked after. Just the fact they live in a depression and get snow in there or water throught the hood trim means they get rusty. Clean them and they are probably good to go if the porcelain and tips look OK. Why spend money when you don't have too? At least try them. My guess is they will run you lots of miles.

I agree , cleaning and gapping them now, gonna try em, I have some other J 8 plugs around too....[/i]

[Robert Horne]

I believe J8s are what are in lawn mowers also....

Edited November 13, 2011 by Robert Horne

[55 Fargo]

I believe J8s are what are in lawn mowers....

Got news for you Robert, many auto engines, including Briggs and Statton small engines had and use J 8 Champions, including old Jeep engines.

What makes you think only lawn mowers use J8?

Or are you suggesting they may be available through the small engine places. They infact are not available, only by NOS, the newer version is J8C, or Autolite 295 or NGK B6S, or AC 44, which of course they could be used in your lawn mower too.........LOL

[greg g]

The j8c is the supercedent for the j8. The C is indicative of Champion's Copper cored electrode. This technology which has been around since the early 60's was Champion's answer to resistor plugs for radio noise suppression. Plus they say it better controls and assures proper heat range.

I always used to be a Champion guy, but expereince has shown the AC's give better starting than the Champs.

[55 Fargo]

Plug gaps were wild, some around .045, 1 as high as .060, not sure who gapped these last, gapped all at .030......

[Robert Horne]

Got news for you Robert, many auto engines, including Briggs and Statton small engines had and use J 8 Champions, including old Jeep engines.

What makes you think only lawn mowers use J8?

Or are you suggesting they may be available through the small engine places. They infact are not available, only by NOS, the newer version is J8C, or Autolite 295 or NGK B6S, or AC 44, which of course they could be used in your lawn mower too.........LOL

Recently a friend of mine is retiring and ending his small engine repair service.

He gave me a big box of lawn mower supplies that included a set of J8 plugs

that look very similar to my J8C plugs I use in my Plymouth. There was a

set of B6Y NGK plugs also, that states Replaces: NGK B6S, Champion J8C, Autolite 294. I do not know how long he has had these supplies, or

where he bought his supplies......

[Rusty O'Toole]

I use a spot sandblaster like this:

http://www.buytools.ca/index.php/air-tools/air-sand-blaster-guns-and-cabinets/air-spot-blaster-gun-kit-closed-cycle-free-blast.html

The round nozzle is just the right size for spark plugs, and the blaster can also be used for bodywork.

Sand blasting is the only way to get a plug clean enough to work if it gets gummed up from excess oil and gas residue. This is very easy to do when you oil up an old motor and try to get it running.

If you put in new plugs they just get gummed up too. They get glazed with a black deposit that seems to conduct electricity or short out the spark, and nothing but sand blasting will take it off.

So, when reviving an old motor I prefer to clean and gap the plugs, get it running long enough to burn off the old oil and gas in the combustion chamber then put in new plugs when I know the engine is going to be OK.

Incidentally when you sandblast plugs inspect them carefully with a magnifying glass and pick out any bits of grit. There will be 1 or 2 bits of grit about half the time. You don't want sand getting into your cylinders.

Spark plug gap for flathead Chrysler products, .025 up to 1948, .035 1949 and newer.

Edited November 13, 2011 by Rusty O'Toole