Cleaning spark plugs

[The Fred]

Use a small propane torch and heat the electrode reddish (not too hot). Then used compressed air to blow the stuff out. It's quick and very effective. I wouldn't toss them either. Don't bother using abrasives once you try the torch route you'll be amazed. Practice makes perfect. Pay particular attention to the area deep down at the base this is where the plug starts fouling in the first place (it's the coolest part of the plug in the combustion chamber).

Waste a couple with an oxy-acetylene torch first so you know how much heat is too much! Welding gloves and safety glasses required.

Good luck, Fred

 

[DJ54]

I've got a couple of the hand held/wall mounted similar to the HF cleaners. Even have a couple A-C old timers like picture below, with different inserts for different sized plugs. Like Soundguy, I have 7 tractors that use the same plug. Usually have 3-4 sets in the tune-up cabinet, cleaned, re-set & ready to install.

As for the Black Beauty. If you look it up, they call it coal slag. What it actually is, is screened & washed coal cinders. The material left over from coal burning electric generating plants. It's washed and screened into a few sizes. I used to haul hundreds of tons of the larger size, to be used on secondary roads, mixed with salt for traction grit for ODOT. Great for when the temps get below 20º, and salt doesn't work so well, like we had here this week. Other sizes were loaded on hopper cars, and transported to the east coast to be used in shipyards for sandblasting, and some went to companies that manufacture roofing shingles. Yep, that's what the small grit is on roofing shingles. At least in this area of the country.

 

[ETpilot]

ET, is "bomb testing" the 80psi part?

Yes. It is referred to as bomb testing. Using the tester I put plug in a holder that holds it at an angle. Then press a button and cleaning material is sprayed on the plug while it rotates 360*. Another button air cleans the plug while it rotates. Inspect plug and manually remove any build up it may have. After cleaning I screw it into the tester, add the electrode wire. Press the electric button, no air pressure and look at spark in mirror. Spark is usually of low intensity or you may not see a spark. Add air pressure and watch spark. Spark can remain low intensity, break down, go out, or spark with great intensity. Once cleaned and checked you check the gap. Adapters let you clean and test different size plugs.

Just for info aircraft engines have 2 plugs per cylinder top and bottom. They are rotated in a particular order for even wear of plug.

 

[Code54]

i see you don't change plugs in engines that use more than 1 at a time.

PS. that's the whole point of 'cleaning' them. you actually. CLEAN them.. you don't stick em in the hole dirty.

Most of my bigger Eqpt is diesel so the spark plug thing is not a concern. The wife's car will go 100K on the four plugs so if I make it that far on a set don't care about spending $20 on new plugs for the reliability. The mowers go 2-3 years without a change and run perfect. Change the plug in the chainsaws now and then but again just one so no concern about the 3 bucks - to me it is the cost of doing business.
Black beauty is a sand blasting sand that is made to have sharp edges and be highly abrasive - I use it all the time restoring tractors and eqpt - it is HIGHLY abrasive. one missed grain can start trashing the rings /cylinder wall and cost me far far more than than I save cleaning plugs. Years ago I went to a engine rebuilding/repair school in Detroit and the one thing I do recall is them preaching NOT to clean plugs. They showed us tear downs of the damage it can cause and harped on us to just replace them so I guess that stuck with me. Also never really know without additional testing if it is firing correctly and really are just prolonging the inevitable replacing of the plug. I rather spend the money and know it is new than take any chances.
Just a different thought process is all....

 

[daugen]

all good to know. Yeah, aren't going to run out of coal slag in this part of the world any time soon. So at least it ought to be cheap...
Is there anything better though, like baking soda, which I know is seriously expensive?
I guess the biggest concern to me is how to get the tiny bits of stuck stuff out. Dental pic?
I'd think air blasting might drive it further in, wedging it into tight spots.

too bad they don't make a miniature paint can shaker style gizmo for plugs, where the final cleaning fluid
is really applied aggressively. Just wondering, wouldn't using a vacuum before compressed air make more sense to
get the grit out?

 

[daugen]

Code 54, your water ok? I'd sure want that cleaner than my spark plugs...
I can't imagine the state capital having no water to drink, bathe in or cook.
and speaking of slag, wasn't that chemical that spilled used in cleaning coal?

 

[DJ54]

I use either carb., or brake cleaner, and use the little plastic tube taped to the side. Direct away from you, & some goggles too. Blow out with air, and visually check.

I do turn them slow when blasting, and even rock them back & forth. Can't ever remember needing to pick anything out. With 80-120 psi of air, they clean up nice.

On my IH BN years ago, she was due for a major OH, but wanted to get that winter's wood split before doing that as a winter project. Plugs were oily, so sprayed them with carb. cleaner before blasting, otherwise, the media would stick. A good spritz to clear the oil & blast & clean. Got me through until I was done.

 

[daugen]

I've got tons of carb and brake cleaner, the latter for non residue cleaning, and this looks like a good application.
Yeah, don't get an eyeful of that stuff coming back at you, that would not be good at all, or the crud blasted loose getting in one's eye either.

 

[Code54]

Code 54, your water ok? I'd sure want that cleaner than my spark plugs...
I can't imagine the state capital having no water to drink, bathe in or cook.
and speaking of slag, wasn't that chemical that spilled used in cleaning coal?

Yep in the affected area - could just stick my spark plugs in the sink and fill it with our water and they may come out cleaner than new! The chemical is used for cleaning coal and they still are not sure how much was released and when they will have it all flushed from the pipes and such. Down in Charleston there is a strong chemical odor still, luckily we are fairly far out so we don't have that. Like I tell my wife, it is sort of like going camping, only at home..... Thanks for asking

 

[Soundguy]

Again.. clean is clean. If you have bad hygene practices.. I don't reccomend cleaning plugs. or rebuilding engines.. or anything with bearings.

If I only had a pack of plugs in an auto to change every 3-4 years I wouldn't clean either. I change 66 plugs a year on average. thus I clean em.

no catastrophic engine failures because i CLEAN them.

Most of my bigger Eqpt is diesel so the spark plug thing is not a concern. The wife's car will go 100K on the four plugs so if I make it that far on a set don't care about spending $20 on new plugs for the reliability. The mowers go 2-3 years without a change and run perfect. Change the plug in the chainsaws now and then but again just one so no concern about the 3 bucks - to me it is the cost of doing business.
Black beauty is a sand blasting sand that is made to have sharp edges and be highly abrasive - I use it all the time restoring tractors and eqpt - it is HIGHLY abrasive. one missed grain can start trashing the rings /cylinder wall and cost me far far more than than I save cleaning plugs. Years ago I went to a engine rebuilding/repair school in Detroit and the one thing I do recall is them preaching NOT to clean plugs. They showed us tear downs of the damage it can cause and harped on us to just replace them so I guess that stuck with me. Also never really know without additional testing if it is firing correctly and really are just prolonging the inevitable replacing of the plug. I rather spend the money and know it is new than take any chances.
Just a different thought process is all....