Reading spark plugs

[Wild one]

Couple of video's that aren't bad to watch.

How To Read and Understand Spark Plugs

By closely examining the spark plug insulator firing tip color, you can determine a lot about an engine’s overall operating condition...

m.roadkillcustoms.com

 

[HEMIMANN]

Good stuff.

I've still got my dad's Champion Spark Plug assessment chart on my shop wall.

 

[crash68]

this is why spark plugs are bad for an engine...they have to be read.
real engines don't need no spark plugs..

 

[Wild one]

this is why spark plugs are bad for an engine...they have to be read.
real engines don't need no spark plugs..

I'm not so sure i'd rate a 3.0 ecodiesel as a real engine either

 

[crash68]

I'm not so sure i'd rate a 3.0 ecodiesel as a real engine either

didn't specify any one specific engine, just those that don't use spark plugs

Mazda has a compression ignition engine that runs on gasoline, but it still uses spark plugs for the initial start up, so it's close

 

[Wild one]

didn't specify any one specific engine, just those that don't use spark plugs

Mazda has a compression ignition engine that runs on gasoline, but it still uses spark plugs for the initial start up, so it's close

My dad had a 1919 Rumley tractor that would burn everything from heating oil/diesal to kerosene and gasolene,and it used plugs,lol. 1100 cubes and 2 cylinders when it was working at 600/700 rpm,you could hear everytime the plug fired,lol.

 

[HEMIMANN]

I'm not so sure i'd rate a 3.0 ecodiesel as a real engine either

Fact

 

[HEMIMANN]

this is why spark plugs are bad for an engine...they have to be read.
real engines don't need no spark plugs..

Nor diapers, or chemical factories, nor technoglitz fuel injection.

But hey, that's just me!

 

[Burla]

Before obd2 that is how we diagnosed stuff, look at the plugs or color of smoke coming from the tailpipe or both. Could fix a lot of stuff this way when we had carbs, oh man running rich better turn the screw problem solved.

 

[Burla]

reading check engine lights with a paper clip, I have done this more then once back in the day when I didnt have a scanner. Pre 96 with those obd or obd1 whatever you called it, paper clip it was how a lot of guys did it. I hear you can even do it with obd2, though I havent done that myself as I had a scanner before I ever had a CEL after 96.

 

[Brandon-w]

this is why spark plugs are bad for an engine...they have to be read.
real engines don't need no spark plugs..

You better be talking 12v cummins the rest are only cheap copies

 

[Dusty]

Older Chrysler products would flash the Check Engine Lamp in Morse code fashion to report fault codes.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 88953 miles.

 

[ilovemyramlaremie]

The good old carburetors days of reading spark plugs

 

[GTyankee]

October 2013, 2009 HEMI

 

[Wild one]

The good old carburetors days of reading spark plugs

I still pull out my magnifying glass and look the plugs over close when i have them out.

 

[GTyankee]

With my old 8 Plug vehicles, i used to cut 8 Xs in some card board & push the spark plugs through.
Then i could put them under bright lights to study them.

If the electrodes still looked descent, i would put them in my neighbors
Champion sand blasting box, to clean them up a bit