Don't worry im not bashing champions

[Pony]

I took the plugs out today to winterize and get some fogger in the cylinders and the first of my questions appeared....Did this break because of something I did? and number two is do the plugs look ok as far as the carbon etc?<br /><br />

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<br /><br />I know they are blurry....close-ups what can ya do

 

[OBJ]

Re: Don't worry im not bashing champions

Kinda funny you should post that picture Pony. I just finished up a Merc at the shop, in line six, that the gentleman said started running bad. I pulled the plug leads to do a spark test and two of the six plugs where broke like that.<br /><br />Usually the plugs get broke when removed or being installed. The plug socket gets cocked on it and snap!....broken plug. Over tightening does it on occasion also. If not sure how tight to make them, just use a torque wrench and tighten 18 to 20 ft. lbs. And keep the socket straight..... <br /><br />The plug in the bottom pic don't look all that bad.....pic is kinda fuzzy. Is the carbon down around the electrode? Big black spot...don't know if that's carbon or a shadow from the pic. Have the plugs been in long? I would check the spark on the hole and make sure it's good. You can get some carbon build up on the plugs if there in a long time or you have decarbed. Or if your oil mix is heavy. Check the gap also.

 

[Pony]

Re: Don't worry im not bashing champions

The carbon build up on that plug is just on the half of the plug looked at it from the top. I dont think it had gotten down onto the electrode. The mix is a lille bit rich.....its a little more than 50:1. I used those plugs since august, probably using the motor a good 15 times. I did put a bunch of stabil and sea foam in my tank ran it at idle for a good 10 minutes, then fogged it. So maybe that is why the plug is a little dirty. What would cause it to only be on half of the plug surface.

 

[ezeke]

Re: Don't worry im not bashing champions

Question 1: someone might have dropped the plug and not realized that it was cracked.<br /><br />Question 2: Looks good to me.

 

[timmathis]

Re: Don't worry im not bashing champions

Lot's of times you can crack one and not notice it. How did the other plugs look? A lot of plugs will burn like that on one side. I would run a compression check on it anyway. Just to see what I had. Tim

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Don't worry im not bashing champions

Plug looks good. Now, on the broke one, look in you spark plug socket. There should be a rubber grommet up in there. It keeps the socket straight. Sometimes they come out and stay with the plug, or fall out and get lost. Like was said....you have to keep the socket straight!

 

[Pony]

Re: Don't worry im not bashing champions

Tim- both plugs look the exact same....which i suppose must be a good thing. I will probably do a compression check just to see what my numbers are.<br /><br />Robby- I remember reading on here about people breaking plugs when the socket isnt straight. I though I kept my pretty straight......who knows if not that then maybe someone dropped it in the store and it didnt break until there was enough pressure on it.

 

[itstippy]

Re: Don't worry im not bashing champions

There are a lot of cracked sparkplugs in the world. A common ailment in lawnmowers (rolling eyes from the outboard pro's) is "It runs good for 5 minutes then quits and won't start. I let it cool down and it starts and runs good for 5 minutes and quits again." I've found a cracked spark plug more than once. Heats up - quits sparking good. Very debilitating in a one cylinder B&S 3.5, but a cheap fix. Folks that drop a cylinder in their outboards after warmup should start with fresh plugs, or at least carefully examine the plugs for hairline cracks. Cars too. You hear about a fresh set of plugs "bringing back the power". You betcha, if one was cracked!

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Don't worry im not bashing champions

Just out of curiosity, EVERYTHING has changed in the motor world but that damn spark plug. Gotta be some way to improve on it. But it would probaly cost twice as much, so I'll shutup

 

[mikeyzx2]

Re: Don't worry im not bashing champions

Pony, I broke a brand new one a couple months ago. OBJ oughtta remember, I sent him a picture of it. You gotta be careful when installing or removing them. I broke it when I was removing it, the socket got a little bit cockeyed and it didn't take much.

 

[Pony]

Re: Don't worry im not bashing champions

Thats true, the spark plug hasnt changed....and yet they are so fragile.......Even if they were twice as much I wouldnt really mind. They are the cheapest thing in the whole motor really.<br /><br />I bet it would be easier to remove them if the head wasnt at such angle.