Modifying your spark plugs

[SVOboy]

So, there's a picture someone from the honda-tech and pgmfi forums made for me about modifying your spark plugs for better efficiency, and it works for sure to boot!

Exactamente what he said:
DrDisco: take the stock plugs and modify them
DrDisco: lol
DrDisco: it will yield more benefit than indexing, and it's free
DrDisco: file the ground electrode so that it is only covering half of the center electrode when you look straight down on it
DrDisco: then round the edges, again looking straight down, so that it's like a semi-circle at the end
DrDisco: make the top and bottom edges (looking from the side) as square as you can
DrDisco: this is dyno proven stuff

[Matt Timion]

This looks very easy to do.

Does anyone know WHY it works?

[SVOboy]

I'll ask him tonight, it is simple, yep.

[SVOboy]

<a href=http://performanceunlimited.com/documents/plugsidegapping.html target=_blank>Side Gapping</a>

I'll prolly do the first method, but here's another.

[bagpipe goatee]

i dunno. i have guesses, though!

well, i'll start off by getting off topic, because it's my way (Matt, you know what I mean.)

I know a guy who races midget racers, and he indexes the plugs (i think that's what it's called, i noticed it's mentioned earlier.) well, what he does is he marks the plug then screws it in to see if the electrode is aimed the right way so that the spark reaches the combustion easier.

also, i know that some ford rangers and some nissan pickups had two spark plugs per cylinder.

so maybe it forces the spark to happen at the ridge of the electrode, thus being more "exposed."

remember, people, i have no idea what i'm talking about, i'm just talking out of my ***. but that'd be my guess as to why this works.

[SVOboy]

Indexing is lining up the plugs so the opening faces the cylinder, and your friend does it correctly, I'll also be doing that. You're right about the two plug thing, the new honda civic hybrid also has that. Cutting down/increasing the gap on the plugs is sposed to increase the area that the spark goes through to create a more efficient spark.

[Matt Timion]

Okay now... tell me this... and I want a straight answer.

There was talk of this super spark plug coming out that gives like a 5 billion percentage increase in gas mileage (a little exagerated, sure). they claim it does it by using "plasma." Aside from the logical falicies that can be assumed in such a statement, I'm still not understanding how a better spark can increase gas mileage.

I wonder this because I (like most men my age, and men younger, and older than myself) have a fascination with fire. If I had a small container filled with a flamable gas (oh, let's say it was hairspray, or even air mixed with gasoline like our engines) and I lit a small tiny spark, the entire thing would explode. It wouldn't matter if the flame/spark was big, small, inthe center, or on the very edge. There would be a chain reaction. The molecules would combust on one edge, which would cause the molecules next to it to combust, etc.

So how would a hotter spark make the combustion better? how would a bigger spark do the same?

Given my exposure to fire I don't see how one flame would be better than the next. I'd assume that all flames would equally start the chain reaction that would lead to a fully combusted compression chamber.

I am also curious to know how it is that gasoline is wasted by incomplete sparks for the same reasons.

Educate me, please.

[SVOboy]

Well the smaller spark touches less of an area of fuel, so it does not propogate as quickly or burn as completely. In any case, think of ice melting versus crushed ice melting. The plasma thing is sposed to burn all the fuel at once and completely, that's bull though.

[DaX]

Any time you have an electric arc, the electrons are flowing between the cathode and anode on a plasma. I don't know what this company is attempting to do, other than make their plugs sound more sophisticated by stating that theirs uses plasma, which I'm sure they do, as all spark plugs do. =P

[SVOboy]

The fire storm plasma plugs are sposed to create plasma that instantly fills the entire cylinder, which doesn't really make sense, it's sposed to just, I dunno, spark the entire cylinder at once rather than just between the electrodes.

[rh77]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

<a href=http://performanceunlimited.com/documents/plugsidegapping.html target=_blank>Side Gapping</a>

I'll prolly do the first method, but here's another.

So, why don't they make the plugs this way to begin with? I can see that it would cost more to produce and harder to gap, but any ideas?

RH77

[SVOboy]

I think they wear at sooner, and most people don't want to replace them as often for a few more mpg, not sure though. (just a guess)

[SVOboy]

Gonna buy some plugs, NGK V-power, in the next few days, and give some pictures and explanation in the form of write up for swapping them around. Too bad I don't have a dyno to test this stuff on, but we shall see about results. Damn fouled cat, :-(

[kickflipjr]

I set my plugs to .30 insted of .40. I think it helped a bit. I still need to test a few tanks to find out.

[diamondlarry]

I heard that gapping plugs .010 less than stock will give a hotter spark. It takes less voltage to jump a smaller gap and it leaves more energy to do it's intended job; burning fuel.

[SVOboy]

So go .43 instead of stock .44? (on my crx)

[diamondlarry]

Did you mean .034? If so that would be right.

[SVOboy]

Haha, yeah, that's what I meant, I just suck. Okay, thanks for straightening me out.

[diamondlarry]

Haha, yeah, that's what I meant, I just suck. Okay, thanks for straightening me out.

No you don't. You just have what I have; an ocasional bout of number dislexia ;-)

[kickflipjr]

I couldn't remember if it was .40 or .04 either

i guess i picked the wrong one.

[Compaq888]

I had my spark plugs gapped at .37 and the stock is .44

At .37 I didn't notice any improvement in fuel economy. It was all the same.

[davens]

I had previously done a little research into this...if I wasn't running iridiums in 2 of my 3 cars, I would give it a try.

First off, a gap that is too small means that the spark duration will be very quick and the spark will be thin and weak. If the gap is set too large, the ignition system will not manage a spark and a misfire will occur.

From what I understand, sidegapping maintains a decent gap but allows more mixture-to-spark exposure area.
Team sidegapping up with indexing and its supposed to provide a modest improvement in power and mpg.

[diamondlarry]

First off, a gap that is too small means that the spark duration will be very quick and the spark will be thin and weak. If the gap is set too large, the ignition system will not manage a spark and a misfire will occur

I think if a gap is unreasonably small there could be problems. Although, I've heard that some racers set gaps at .010 or so for extra power. I wouldn't do this in a daily driver type car. The theory is that with a smaller gap it will take less voltage to bridge the gap which means the current will be higher thereby producing a hotter spark. The spark may be smaller but it will be stronger.

[DaX]

On my turbo LS I had my plugs gapped at .028"

I couldn't imagine going under about .020"

[CruiseControl]

Plasma physics is the kind of thing that makes super computers worth thier money. Below the speed of sound the air can disperse the heat of air or an object moving through it (wind chill factor) above the speed of sound, the moving object(s) continue to heat up as the speed increases because the air can not disipate the heat as fast as the friction of the object moving through it creates it. Within reason this limits the speed of the propigating burn within a cylinder to the speed of sound(a ping). I believe that the same kind of thing can be formed at low speeds when the air becomes superheated during an ignition(thermal limit is reached). The shape of the plasma cloud is key to it's ability to correctly burn the fuel. This is the idea behind BOSCH 4s, and those new Diamond Fire plugs. My guess is that since the air in a cylinder is moving so fast, and is so inconsistent in composition, that it's best at low RPMS for the air to be ignited several times. This is why the ignition modules on the market offer up to 25 sparks per stroke at low RPMs. Is it was better to have a single spark last the duration of the cylinder's power stroke, or have several ignitions per power stroke. Will one long spark produce a helpful plasma cloud, or just a fuzzy burn? Do I buy a $20 lottery ticket or 20 $1 tickets?

[CruiseControl]

Read an article at another gas savers site, and they said that by decreasing the gap, the spark voltage was lowered and the amperage increased. This increased the temperature of the spark plug, and that this was what ingnited the fuel, and not the spark. I'm not sure about the ignition part, but increasing the temperature of the spark plug, could cause the conductors to burn up faster, fuse it in the cylinder, or keep it above the ignition temperature of the fuel/air mixture. The later could cause an ignition during the exhaust stroke or intake stroke and a backfire through either the exhaust, or intake manifold. This probably wouldn't occur until the plugs had been run up to full operating temperature, or during some high speed or performance run, when they reached a peak operating temperature, and then suddenly your intake manifold exploded.

[JustMe]

Here is another article on side gapping:
http://www.georgenitta.com/autotipssparkplugs.htm

Here is an explanation(?) of why a stronger spark is desirable:
http://www.msdignition.com/1helpmechoose.htm

[SVOboy]

Thanks to the articles! I'll be sure to read them thoroughly when I get back home.

[kickflipjr]

I will probally try side-gapping soon.

[SVOboy]

It's finalized, the write up will be done tomorrow! Not that it takes much effort, but it'd be nice, I think.