Spark plug maint./replacement ?

[kyron4]

What's the rule of thumb when it comes to replacing spark plugs ? Run till there's a problem, once a year, every other year, etc. ? When I put my Lightwin 3hp up for the winter I always spray the plugs with carb clean and hit 'em with a wire brush and blow them out with air. I got about 20-25 hrs. on them and it ran fine, so keep useing them or replace them ? Any advice ? -thanks

 

[jasper60103]

Re: Spark plug maint./replacement ?

Lots of opinions on this one. Spark plugs are cheap so some folks just replace them every year. I clean them, check the gap and put them back in.

 

[lindy46]

Re: Spark plug maint./replacement ?

I clean them, check the gap and put them back in.

Ditto - here in Michigan, motor only gets run 6 months out of the year. My 35hp Lark has been running great on the same plugs for 4 years now, so I'll keep using them until I have a problem. I've serviced motors for others which had old J6J plugs in them, and still were running. They haven't made those plugs for, what, 30 years?

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Spark plug maint./replacement ?

I agree with these guys. My vehicle has maybe 1500 hours on it with no plug maintainence so I don't see the need in replacing the plugs in my outboard every 25 hours. They're easy to get to so I've checked on them twice and havn't seen any indication of a problem yet.

 

[Bill3434]

Re: Spark plug maint./replacement ?

I thought I had a plug problem with my old plugs, turns out I didn't so I now have a spare set. I just clean them and check the gap. If I have a one that fouls I got a spare. I do what I did when I was a poor teenager, clean them and put them back in. Seems to me that older engines don't care as long as there is a spark they will run. Bottom line if they work leave them alone.

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: Spark plug maint./replacement ?

Replace the plugs when you start to get a miss. 30-40 hours of use on plugs each year does not warrant annual replacement.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Spark plug maint./replacement ?

I like the aircraft maintance way and don't wait till they fail and strand me and replace them every year and put the old ones in the tackle box just in case, it is easily worth the couple bucks to not have to troll back to the launch or try to change plugs on the water in the rain becuase you know it woudl be raining if they failed.

Never had any luck cleaning plugs, ran dirt bikes for years and could never get a cleaned plug to work right, once they die they are dead.

 

[Ant-Knee]

Re: Spark plug maint./replacement ?

Well just wanted to ad my two cents,

For the cost of plugs I would just change them..
I only need two of them so it is just better to replace them before I have any issues with them..
Just my opinion..

Thanks,
Ant...