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Spark Plugs


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I think a properly jetted motor shouldn't ever wear out a plug due to fouling under normal riding conditions. Plugs are designed to self clean. The electrode will however wear out due to erosion of the tip aventually, but should theoretically last a long time in a banshee under ideal conditions. I have had experience with plugs building up a resistance and starting to spark real weak causing them to go bad in a Husky 610 I used to own, but those were real tall and skinny weird plugs.

 

The deal with the iridium plugs is supposed to be that they will spark as well as or better than the standard copper condutor plugs and resist electrode deterioration due to the high melting point of the iridium similar to platinum plugs so they will last longer. Platinum plugs will last longer than a typical copper plug but the resistance of the platinum is actually higher than the copper so the spark is actually not as strong, but as a coper electrode ages and deteriorates due to the tip actually melting and becoming rounded whichs opens the gap, its performance becomes worse than the platinum. The platinum plug basically averages out the performance of a standard plug, but over a longer life. The iridium is supposed to give you a beter spark and last longer. However, from another post, sredish has experienced that the iridium plug seems to have a lot stronger spark than the equivalent coper plug acting like a plug ran with an amplified ignition system which caused him to need to jet a little richer and netted some performance gain.

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The deal with the iridium plugs is supposed to be that they will spark as well as or better than the standard copper condutor plugs and resist electrode deterioration due to the high melting point of the iridium similar to platinum plugs so they will last longer.  Platinum plugs will last longer than a typical copper plug but the resistance of the platinum is actually higher than the copper so the spark is actually not as strong, but as a coper electrode ages and deteriorates due to the tip actually melting and becoming rounded whichs opens the gap, its performance becomes worse than the platinum.  The platinum plug basically averages out the performance of a standard plug, but over a longer life.  The iridium is supposed to give you a beter spark and last longer.  However, from another post, sredish has experienced that the iridium plug seems to have a lot stronger spark than the equivalent coper plug acting like a plug ran with an amplified ignition system which caused him to need to jet a little richer and netted some performance gain.

thanks ducman, you make it sound as if i'm not crazy. :blink:

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I've found that my plugs will last for years. Unless there is wear on the electrode there is no need to replace it. I use some brake cleaner or carb cleaner and a rag an clean the contacts on the plugs. I've got over 1/2 dozen good plugs sitting around as spares in case I need them. I would usualy get a new set of plugs for a rebuild then change them after the motor's broke in then change them again for jetting then I'd run those plugs until I rebuild again or somthing goes wrong. Usually I replace the plugs because the cheapo aluminum plug tip strips out. Can't have that. I always replace my plugs as a set. but I'll throw in an old one if I need to to finish a race or get home

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Oh be careful about what heat range..you can actuly melt a hole in your piston if you slap in the wrong plug. I've run b7es and found that the motor runs a bit hotter and is harder to start..but it made a bit more power. I switched back to b8es for starting ease and reliability.

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I don't believe that a plug of the incorrect heat range would

increase chances of burning a hole in the piston. Plugs are

designed with different heat ranges solely to minimize

electrode wear and maximize resistance to fouling in a

given application. Your fuel mixture is what is going to determine

you combustion temperature...and a hotter spark, whether from

a "hotter" plug or a high intensity discharge aftermarket ignition,

is not going to make the combustion process any hotter. A hotter spark

simply resists incomplete combustion more effectively...which is only an

issue when running slightly rich, in which case the combustion temperatures

would remain safe. Only when you are running lean do combustion temps

become dangerous, and if you are lean...you don't really need a hotter spark

to insure complete combustion...a weak ass spark will burn a hole in your

piston then.

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