SPARK PLUGS - WHAT KIND DO YOU USE ?

[Don Coatney]

Have a sound clip? These old thumpers make a distinct sound when running.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKtX3VAjm3o

 

I always enjoyed watching the flat track motorcycle racers.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVIqaxAZvNY

 

Ronny Rall was my favorite. I have seen him race many times.

 

http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=103

[Jeff Balazs]

Have a sound clip? These old thumpers make a distinct sound when running.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKtX3VAjm3o

 

I always enjoyed watching the flat track motorcycle racers.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVIqaxAZvNY

 

Ronny Rall was my favorite. I have seen him race many times.

 

http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=103

Sorry Don. No sound clips. You probably would be very disappointed though as these engines are very quiet. Back in the day these bikes were essentially the standard road going offering from the manufacturer. Daily commuters if you will. The Six Day Trials were a way to judge the reliability...versatility.....and riding characteristics of each bike that was offered to the public. Not a race but a seriously judged contest of all the designs and qualities of each bike. Some of it is run on pavement but the real technical sections are off road. These section include items like stream crossings and about every type of terrain imaginable. The Scottish SDT included a hill climb called the Devils Post pile that was essentially a centuries old sheep trail up a extremely craggy cliff. In these tech sections points were taken away every time a rider took his foot off the pegs and touched the ground. Maintaining controlled forward progress was the key to success and any faltering was usually met with disaster. Points were also deducted for breakdowns....and the riders had to carry enough kit to make them on their own. Road sections are timed to stay within posted speed limits and could be as long as a couple hundred miles a day. The entire event is closely monitored by skilled observers and every mishap is reported. In Europe this form of competition was taken very seriously. We have never really had anything like it here. It is a shame too as there really is nothing else like it.

 

Jeff

[dmulhall]

ac delco haha

[deathbound]

Have a sound clip? These old thumpers make a distinct sound when running.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKtX3VAjm3o

 

I always enjoyed watching the flat track motorcycle racers.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVIqaxAZvNY

 

Ronny Rall was my favorite. I have seen him race many times.

 

http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=103

 

The flat track video brought back memories of "On Any Sunday", many of the riders in the video were also in the movie. My favorite movie as a kid when it came out & still to this day, but I think we're getting a little off topic, so to get back on track (pun intended), I use Autolite 216's (aluminum head), was using Autolite 306's (stock head).

[Plymouthy Adams]

just pick out any set that does not have the alarm triggering stick hidden inside..

[TrampSteer]

I'll state Autolite 306 just to stay on topic,
But I really wanted to say how much I lover learning something new every day on this site.

http://speedtracktales.com/about/

[Jeff Balazs]

I'll state Autolite 306 just to stay on topic,

But I really wanted to say how much I lover learning something new every day on this site.

http://speedtracktales.com/about/

Mike;

It is all part of a valid discussion. If you want a very good understanding of how well a particular brand and type of sparkplug works then there is no better test platform than a single cylinder motorcycle. If you think about there is no place to hide or mask the performance of the part in question in this platform. That isn't the case once you have 6 or 8 cylinders to run on. Our L6 engines can mask or hide a multitude of actual running conditions from us.

 

The ISDT and facilities like MIRA  have contributed significantly to the overall reliability of the products in use today. Far more than most of us North Americans appreciate. Many of the innovations that are standard today have actually got there start in field testing during this sort of competition. And like it or not quite a bit of it came here from developments made overseas and in the old eastern block countries.

 

One point I would like to bring up from the single cylinder motorcycle side of this discussion is that there is often a standout plug for a particular engine. By that I mean one very specific plug that outperforms all others in this application. Quite often it will be so specific that only one (or perhaps two) manufacturers have a product and model that works this well. So all products are not created equally. And finding this example can be transformative.

 

Someone brought up the example of what oil was best as a way of downplaying this discussion. I have heard all sorts of arguments on that topic too. One of the common arguments are that all oils available today meet or exceed the API standards. And that those standards are much higher than what was in place at the time these engines were made. That is true.....but thinking that there isn't one product out there that won't do the job a bit better than some of the others is not. These standards are set as a minimum requirement and are subject to change. Innovations by specific refiners are what has determined the bar for these standards over the years. To me saying all oils are the same is kind of like saying all beers taste the same. Clearly that isn't completely true.

 

Jeff

[P15-D24]

Thanks for all the input. I always wondered why Champions plugs are so disliked. They been around forever it seems but no one likes them. 

I have had three fail in service where the ceramic separated from the steel ring holding it. Left me on the side of the road. Never had an issue with ACs.

[Don Coatney]

A bit of interesting history.

 

Click here>>>>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champion_(spark_plug)

[Don Coatney]

Mike;

 

 

One point I would like to bring up from the single cylinder motorcycle side of this discussion is that there is often a standout plug for a particular engine. By that I mean one very specific plug that outperforms all others in this application.

 

Jeff

Jeff; I understand how one specific brand of spark plug can perform better in a single cylinder application. It is one stand alone component. Spark plug fails or misfires and you are stranded.

 

But I don't believe engine oil is in the same category as there are too many variables and oil is not stand alone. The job of oil is to lubricate and reduce friction in ALL moving parts. The API ratings may be based on the lowest standards but the lowest standards are much superior to the oil available 65 years ago. If one is involved in a speed and or durability contest then there may be some benefit in finding a superior product but that would also take years of trial and error as all oil manufactures will tell you that there product is the best. But proving what one is best is a whole new ballgame.  

 

Several years ago I read the book "The Call Me Mister 500" written by Andy Granatelli the STP guy. In one Indy 500 race his car was using oil and the crankcase was very low. Rules at that time was no oil could be added during the race but water could be added to the radiator. Andy grabbed the water can during a pit stop and filled the crankcase with water as the inspectors thought he was filling the radiator. The car continued the race for a long time before the engine finally failed. My point being even water will act as a lubricant for awhile.

[Jeff Balazs]

Don;

What you say is true in so far as it goes. Water is certainly the most common lubricant on the planet. But I think we can agree that it ain't always at it's best when we are talking about metal to metal contact and high temperatures.

 

And you are correct in saying that it is very hard for us as home mechanics to prove which oil is best for a given application. We really have to rely on our own experiences and independant testing when it come to making this sort of evaluation. Years ago when I had an interest in high compression air cooled racing two strokes I was able to see the difference using an ashless oil made in reducing bore wear and increasing ring life. It made a dramatic difference and is now the norm for two stroke oils. But it wasn't in those days and was only available through a very few innovative refiners. In fact it went unhearalded for quite a while....until it couldn't be ignored any longer.

 

I believe this same premise holds true today. I think there are some lubrication products out there that work better than others .... for given applications. How much better? It is hard to say. But if we are talking about my truck and my money I will stick with Castrol GTX. I have yet to have a lubrication related failure in any engine I have used it in and I have been using it a long time. I got more than 560,000 miles out of a 4 bolt main bearing 350 using it (and STP during the later stages) with nothing more significant than a couple of valve jobs. Pistons,rings and bottom end were all original and working when I finally sold it. You can't really ask for more than that. And I seriously doubt anyone has ever put that kind of mileage on a L6 without a full rebuild.

 

Can you get that kind of result using something else? Yes I think it is probable......I just can't say with any confidence what product that might be? But I do know it is possible if I use a specific product. And I got to go with what I know.

Jeff

[T120]

I use AC Delco R45