: I threw out the junk Firestone sparkplugs that out local antique Ford parts supplier sells as model A spark plugs and installed the Champion W16Y plugs and what a difference!!The idle is now smooth and no misses or backfireing, AND the stalling when stopping is considerably reduced. (I guess everything causes that).Anyway, I highly recomend to those out there to get rid of these firestone plugs being sold as model a plugs, the threads fit but the spark end of the plug is about 3/8th of an inch too short.As you can guess I'm fairly new to this hobby and with some items like this I don't know the difference and accept the word of the suppliers.
: But thanks to this board I'm learnig.
: JimHi Jim
Please let me jump in with a few thoughts on spark plugs. Plugs have a habit of breaking down and fireing eratic,I don't care what brand they are.It is true that some plugs work better in an engine than other makes or heat ranges but any plug is subject to breakdown. When the plug breaks down, the voltage will "track" down the center insulator to the metal portion of the plug.(The tracking is caused by carbon build-up on the insulator) This tracking will not fire the gas it the cylinder.The fire must jump across the contacts to do the job.The tracking may not show up if you just attach the coil wire to the plug and pick the points or turn the engine over. A plug will fire perfect in open air but may break down once it is under pressure.The plug cleaner/testers used in the 40's would show this tracking very clearly.The testers had an igntion source that would continually fire the plug under test. You could see the spark jumping in a mirror in the tester. It also had a provision for applying pressure to the plug . If the plug was bad,you could see the fireing st
op as pressure was applied.
This problem has been eliminated in modern cars by raising the voltage to the plugs from the 18,000 to 75,000 volts.The removal of lead from the gas was another factor.
How many of you have pulled the rope on the lawn mower until your arm almost fell off and then had it start on the first pull after installing a new plug.Chain saws have the same habit--only worse.
Who remembers the plugs that had a little lever on the terminal that could be lifted up to cause the fire to jump to the center electrode? Thats another story--they were designed to keep a plug from fouling when the cylinder was pumping oil.
The moral to this is --plugs are cheap when compared to most repairs--When you have a problem--try a NEW set.Thanks for letting me add my two cents.
Ben P S I sure wish I had a spell-check like I have on my e-mail
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