Spark Plugs

Anyone ever used spark plugs without a ground strap? I was looking at NGK, Brisk Racing, etc... Was wondering if there was any hp to be found?

[greg fulk]

For some reason NO one on here will take about spark plugs....I like the AR plugs.

[Alan Roehrich]

I've not found ANYTHING in all these "trick" spark plugs.

I LIKE to use a fine wire center electrode when I can get one in the correct heat range and configuration.

Like wise, the narrow ground electrode, often pointed as well, seems to offer some improvement. It is most often seen with the fine wire center electrode.

When you can get one in the correct heat range and configuration, the "broad" heat range plugs SEEM to be less likely to foul and misfire, since they warm up to their heat range quicker without getting too hot.

However, I've found nothing at all in "iridium", "platinum", "dual platinum", or super tick ground electrodes. Now SOMETIMES you find a combination of configuration and heat range that an engine likes that HAPPENS to have the platinum stuff. But it is not the platinum that makes the difference.

What I try to do is this:

First, I see what the longest extended tip I can make work with enough clearance is. Then I look to see if I can get it in the heat ranges I think are appropriate. Then I see if I can get it in the fine wire center electrode and narrow pointed ground strap style.

I prefer to run the long extended tip because they require less timing in most cases, and they also warm up quick but don't over heat.

Then I start working with a conservative heat range, meaning a LITTLE on the cold side for safety AND because they don't run hot enough to stay so clean they are hard to read. With that plug I get my jetting and timing where it needs to be, using the various tuning methods.

Then I move on to progressively warmer plugs until I get to a plug that will be warm enough to stay clean and offer good warm up and driveability without compromising performance. I also work with the gap once I get to this point to see how much I can run without getting a misfire, and I may try cutting the electrode back and sharpening it to get enough gap. Again, some extra work with the tune up may be required when you do that.

Don't get caught up in the trick spark plug stuff, keep it simple, and pay attention to the details and the basics. You aren't going to find magic or big numbers in spark plugs. Make sure your ignition system is in top form and is more than adequate for your engine before you fool with plugs, and make sure nothing else is wrong in your tune up.

[Bub Whitaker]

Jeezes Alan...you don't see anything in those trick plugs cause you make you own custom versons...

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Bub Whitaker

Jeezes Alan...you don't see anything in those trick plugs cause you make you own custom versons...

LOL, the most I EVER do to a plug is to trim the ground electrode back just enough that the tip of the ground electrode is offset from the center electrode so that the gap is there instead of directly over the tip of the center electrode.
Just old school side gapping, like many before me did for years. Oh, and I usually index plugs, even when I don't need the clearance. I don't really make anything custom, but I do often try several different things to find out what the engine wants.