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Old 12-11-2005, 09:03 PM
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Default Spark plugs

Ok I got a good deal on some NGK TR-55 spark plugs the other day no joke a friend of mine ordered a case for our mustangs. Problem is I dont think they are gapped. I know there is a tool to measure it...a matter a fact I have one near by me. How do I use it? And is there supposed to be a gasket or or washer around the center of the NGK TR-55's or what? it's bugging me need info want to work on car early tomorrow.
 
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Old 12-11-2005, 09:04 PM
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gap em at .033
 
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Old 12-11-2005, 09:11 PM
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Originally Posted by MattJ
gap em at .033
are you sure........isnt stock .054...and how do you use this tool?
 
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Old 12-11-2005, 09:27 PM
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"how do you use this tool?" are you frickin kidding me? lol
 
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Old 12-11-2005, 09:37 PM
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Originally Posted by MattJ
"how do you use this tool?" are you frickin kidding me? lol
ha ha ha ......not this one i'm used to the flat disk.....all I have at this house is the wire one.....i'm assuming the wire size is the distance btwn the electrode and the other piece.......this one doesnt have .033 ...by the way you never answered my question why .033 not .054 like it says in the manual
 
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Old 12-12-2005, 05:34 AM
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why would you gap them at .033?

But so you now they come gapped at .035 which is fine for your car, if you want to open the gap up to .045 then do so. and i have never used a wire for measuring spark plug gap before. i dont even know what that would lool like?
 
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Old 12-15-2005, 05:50 PM
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Do Not Gap you're plugs at .033" You want to gap your plugs as wide as possible without having spark blow out.

For a naturally aspirated car you start @ .054-55" (stock recommended gap) and go up from there.

Only power adder cars run tighter gaps, and this is because the increased cylinder pressures increase the risk of spark blow out.

EDIT: A wire type spark plug gap tool just looks like a set of feeler gages but instead of thin sheets of metal of a spec. thickness it uses wires of specific diameter. There should be a .055" or .054" wire, and you just slide it between the electrodes as you would feeler gages. FWIW I prefer the round wire gages, but feeler type gages work well too.

If you gap them any tighter then stock you will lose power.

Philip K.

P.S. if you really want to be clever you can ground off the corners of the electrode (creating radii on the two corners), and reduce the protrusion distance of the side electrode so that it just overlaps the center electrode.

Have fun, and remember there are no dumb questions. The dumbest questions are the ones never asked.
 
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Old 12-15-2005, 07:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Lightning247
Do Not Gap you're plugs at .033" You want to gap your plugs as wide as possible without having spark blow out.

For a naturally aspirated car you start @ .054-55" (stock recommended gap) and go up from there.

Only power adder cars run tighter gaps, and this is because the increased cylinder pressures increase the risk of spark blow out.

EDIT: A wire type spark plug gap tool just looks like a set of feeler gages but instead of thin sheets of metal of a spec. thickness it uses wires of specific diameter. There should be a .055" or .054" wire, and you just slide it between the electrodes as you would feeler gages. FWIW I prefer the round wire gages, but feeler type gages work well too.

If you gap them any tighter then stock you will lose power.

Philip K.

P.S. if you really want to be clever you can ground off the corners of the electrode (creating radii on the two corners), and reduce the protrusion distance of the side electrode so that it just overlaps the center electrode.

Have fun, and remember there are no dumb questions. The dumbest questions are the ones never asked.

Thanks I gapped them like a week ago but thanks for telling me about the wire gap tool I used the round feeler though since I knew how to use that tool.
 
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