The Ford Barn

shew01 · 03-29-2020, 01:45 PM

Years ago, I had one of these. But, I’m guessing the abrasive would still be on the plug and get into the engine.

https://1stopretroshop.com/item-page...nd-blaster.htm

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wmws · 03-29-2020, 02:06 PM

I have a little sand blaster like that. It works well but be sure to air blast out any residual sand so it doesn't get in the engine. I would not use a wire wheel on a spark plug. Little bits of metal could lodge up inside causing a short.

Joop · 03-29-2020, 05:24 PM

.
3X on my B engine with Police head, A distributor and B carburetor

Good or bad?

SAJ · 03-30-2020, 04:05 AM

[QUOTE=shew01;1867209]I recently started having a little bit of a lope in the engine at slow idle. I’ve put 2000 miles on the car since I bought it last August. I don’t know how many miles were on the plugs prior to that. Cleaning and re-gapping the plugs to .035 seemed to fix the issue.

The plugs had some carbon on them, but the insulator and electrode seemed fairly clean. All four plugs were the same.

I’m still pretty new to Model As. Is this what you would expect with plugs in a Model A?

SHEw01,
Here are the plugs from my Roadster. They are Champion W16Y. Maybe a tiny bit lean for best inlet valve life, and I run the GAV a tiny bit more open now but do not have any current pics on this phone. Running leaner causes valves to run hotter and I did burn my no 3 inlet valve somewhat once by doing this. That meant head off and valve grind much to my regret!

Yours look a bit black on the bodies but a nice safe colour on the porcelains to me, but my pic is of a "plug chop" where I did 55 mph for a mile or so and then immediately cut the ignition and cruised to a stop.
If your plugs were removed after idling you are showing mixture at idling and not that at running speeds.
Further, your plugs may not be hot enough for your kind of motoring and a hotter plug may burn cleaner.
My Champion W16Y's are felt to be too cold for many members, but suit my driving style and type of trips. Many use W18Y's or W18's. I suggest you try closing the GAV 1/8 turn and examine plugs again after a drive and before any idling.
My pic is with an unbalanced carb, large K and N air cleaner and B carb. I get 17 mpg around town and 22 to 24 mpg (imperial gal not US) on tours
SAJ in NZ
Footnote: plug colour depends on quality of fuel too. And Ethanol changes the look as well. I do not run ethanol fuel.

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SAJ · 03-30-2020, 05:19 AM

I had to edit my first attempt done on a tiny screen. Changed the word that spell-checked from "cleaner" back to "leaner" which completely alters the sense of what I was typing.
SAJ locked-down in NZ

daren007 · 03-30-2020, 06:24 AM

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Even though the center electrodes Have some tan you are still a tad on the rich side. You need to clean the plugs to the bottom of the electrodes of which a abrasive cleaner will do.

30 Closed Cab PU · 03-30-2020, 10:36 AM

Since the center electrode is correct color, if he changes to a hotter plug would that not be too hot with possibly causing valve damage? Seems his higher speeds carburation is OK.

Seems more of a carburation issue at under 1000 rpm.

So clean up the plugs, run the car. As soon as car starts increase idle using the lever and reduce GAV to 1/8 to 1/4 open, minimize running below 1000 rpm, do a chop read.

Perhaps a set of flow tested Renner's Jets, making sure the jet heights are correct. Make sure the idle rpms and idle mixture is set correctly, proper GAV adjust used, and insure the throttle plate has the proper cutout that lines up with the idle opening/passage.

I would love to have the tan read as attached in post 24, but have been unable to get tan on anything but the insulator,. Mine seem to always turn Black from low speed driving the black does not self clean off when driving higher speeds. Have been told black is OK, but soot is not.

My truck motor has 3000 miles since rebuild, large K and N High boy not bypassed. Standard head, standard trans, 3.54 gears. Speedometer calibrated via GPS and Traffic speed signs. AM running large 16 tires/wheels. Have tried 2 different carbs with Renner's jets following Bert's carb set up instructions. Am only getting 14-15 mpg cruising on non ethanol gas. Same results on plug reads and mileage with and without the air filter.

So have given up and am living with the results.

03-29-2020, 01:45 PM	#21
shew01 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Roanoke, VA USA Posts: 1,908	Re: Spark Plug Condition Years ago, I had one of these. But, I’m guessing the abrasive would still be on the plug and get into the engine. https://1stopretroshop.com/item-page...nd-blaster.htm Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03-29-2020, 02:06 PM	#22
wmws BANNED Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Coatesville, Pa Posts: 719	Re: Spark Plug Condition I have a little sand blaster like that. It works well but be sure to air blast out any residual sand so it doesn't get in the engine. I would not use a wire wheel on a spark plug. Little bits of metal could lodge up inside causing a short.

03-30-2020, 05:19 AM	#25
SAJ Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 514	Re: Spark Plug Condition I had to edit my first attempt done on a tiny screen. Changed the word that spell-checked from "cleaner" back to "leaner" which completely alters the sense of what I was typing. SAJ locked-down in NZ

03-30-2020, 06:24 AM	#26
daren007 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Saint Cloud Mn Posts: 745	Re: Spark Plug Condition Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Even though the center electrodes Have some tan you are still a tad on the rich side. You need to clean the plugs to the bottom of the electrodes of which a abrasive cleaner will do.

03-30-2020, 10:36 AM	#27
30 Closed Cab PU Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 2,332	Re: Spark Plug Condition Since the center electrode is correct color, if he changes to a hotter plug would that not be too hot with possibly causing valve damage? Seems his higher speeds carburation is OK. Seems more of a carburation issue at under 1000 rpm. So clean up the plugs, run the car. As soon as car starts increase idle using the lever and reduce GAV to 1/8 to 1/4 open, minimize running below 1000 rpm, do a chop read. Perhaps a set of flow tested Renner's Jets, making sure the jet heights are correct. Make sure the idle rpms and idle mixture is set correctly, proper GAV adjust used, and insure the throttle plate has the proper cutout that lines up with the idle opening/passage. I would love to have the tan read as attached in post 24, but have been unable to get tan on anything but the insulator,. Mine seem to always turn Black from low speed driving the black does not self clean off when driving higher speeds. Have been told black is OK, but soot is not. My truck motor has 3000 miles since rebuild, large K and N High boy not bypassed. Standard head, standard trans, 3.54 gears. Speedometer calibrated via GPS and Traffic speed signs. AM running large 16 tires/wheels. Have tried 2 different carbs with Renner's jets following Bert's carb set up instructions. Am only getting 14-15 mpg cruising on non ethanol gas. Same results on plug reads and mileage with and without the air filter. So have given up and am living with the results.