A word of caution about E3 Spark Plugs. I put 2 E3.10 plugs in the 18hp Briggs opposed twin on my Craftsman GT6000 about 6 months ago. About 1 month ago I noticed it was harder to start, the idle would stumble, and it would die when throttling up. Today I need to plow some snow drifts and cranked it til the battery was low and it didn't start. I charged the battery and checked spark, it was good. i put the plugs back in and still no start. I went to town are got 2 Champion RJ12Cs that it calls for and put them in. It started right up, the idle was nice and smooth and it never stumbled, and when throttling up it did nice and smooth with out dying or hesitating. Apparently the E3s can cause issues
Interesting problem with E3 Spark Plugs
- Thread starter TriMoto
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why would you use something like that? everyone knows the smaller the electrodes, the better combustion.
thanks for sharing TriMoto
I tried E3s in various OPE and some cars. They ran great. One of Dad's chainsaws started reliably for the first time since he bought it with an E3 plug. My Bug, with E3s, started and idled much better than on the NGK copper plugs I'd been using. However, the E3s wore out quickly, at least as quickly as a regular OPE plug, if not quicker. The cost was far too high to keep using them.
You could try measuring the internal resistance of each plug, to see how much of a difference there is. If starts and runs easier on one then the other, I bet the resistance is lower in that plug.,,
I was told that my Helix had a "brand new spark plug" in it when I bought it.
It would not get above 65mph. Just wouldn't do it.
I installed a new belt, new rollers, variator and drive face.
65 mph.
I decided to read the plug color to see if I would have to get into the carburetor.
Pulled out an E3.
Replaced it with a new NGK. Voila! Indicated 82mph. Instant fix
Because the scooter has a CVT, I didn't know it had a high speed miss until I got to high speed. It was all in that stupid gimmick plug. It was strong off idle but would not run at high rpms.
It would not get above 65mph. Just wouldn't do it.
I installed a new belt, new rollers, variator and drive face.
65 mph.
I decided to read the plug color to see if I would have to get into the carburetor.
Pulled out an E3.
Replaced it with a new NGK. Voila! Indicated 82mph. Instant fix
Because the scooter has a CVT, I didn't know it had a high speed miss until I got to high speed. It was all in that stupid gimmick plug. It was strong off idle but would not run at high rpms.
It is unusual.
Just speculation: the large side electrode blocked some of the flame kernel at higher rpm.
It has a sort of hemispherical combustion chamber but because the cam runs in the middle, the sparkplug is all the way over to the side. it's already a long distance for the flame front to travel. Having a giant side electrode in the way probably doesn't help.
I might have been able to index it and have it work
but when the alternate solution is a $2.99 brand that I like? I take the NGK solution.
Honestly, it started really easily. Was responsive at lower in town rpms. It wasn't a pronounced miss at high rpm. Occasionally you would get a little bit of a hiccup but mostly it just ran out of power.
Just speculation: the large side electrode blocked some of the flame kernel at higher rpm.
It has a sort of hemispherical combustion chamber but because the cam runs in the middle, the sparkplug is all the way over to the side. it's already a long distance for the flame front to travel. Having a giant side electrode in the way probably doesn't help.
I might have been able to index it and have it work
Honestly, it started really easily. Was responsive at lower in town rpms. It wasn't a pronounced miss at high rpm. Occasionally you would get a little bit of a hiccup but mostly it just ran out of power.
That is quite surprising. Decades ago when I played with different spark plugs (when the Bosch first came out with their platinum wire plug), when a plug did not work correctly, it was bad all throughout the RPM range. Running out of steam at high rpm or high load is quite unusual.
Quote:
I installed a new belt, new rollers, variator and drive face.
Please tell more about this. After googling, I know you are talking about Honda scooter. Even though I am familiar with other makes of scooters, belt/rollers/variator terms do not ring any bell. To be fair, all the scooters that I had experience had gears.
Quote:
I installed a new belt, new rollers, variator and drive face.
Please tell more about this. After googling, I know you are talking about Honda scooter. Even though I am familiar with other makes of scooters, belt/rollers/variator terms do not ring any bell. To be fair, all the scooters that I had experience had gears.
My first scooter had gears.
LML (Star- Stella) in India might be the last company making twist-shift manual scooters. I heard that Bajaj was going to phase them out. Piaggio did awhile back.
Honda V-matic is a very simple CVT. Variator is the front driven pulley. Rollers travel outward depending on engine rpm causing the belt to ride higher or lower in the pulley changing the overall gear ratio.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TnkUIecRE4
Top speed problems are commonly in the belt or variator
The plug thing was weird because it did work well at lower rpms. The E3 plug had a nice color when it came out. The NGK just worked better. Just a guess that the side electrode on a plug at the far side of the combustion chamber was blocking.
LML (Star- Stella) in India might be the last company making twist-shift manual scooters. I heard that Bajaj was going to phase them out. Piaggio did awhile back.
Honda V-matic is a very simple CVT. Variator is the front driven pulley. Rollers travel outward depending on engine rpm causing the belt to ride higher or lower in the pulley changing the overall gear ratio.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TnkUIecRE4
Top speed problems are commonly in the belt or variator
The plug thing was weird because it did work well at lower rpms. The E3 plug had a nice color when it came out. The NGK just worked better. Just a guess that the side electrode on a plug at the far side of the combustion chamber was blocking.
Chinese made spark plugs are hit and miss it seems. Some are useless from the beginning and others seem to be ok. My Troy-Bilt 179cc snow blower engine has a Torch F6RTC spark plug. So far it starts on the first pull and runs just fine. I have a NGK replacement plug on hand that I paid $2.60 versus the replacement Torch plug which costs $6.50+. I'll run the Torch till I have problems.
Whimsey
Whimsey
Most of the E3 electrodes are manufactured with an off-center electrode. Despite the bling factor when they are new, these are really poorly made.
E3 plugs are junk, junk, junk. I can't even count how many I have replaced on customers engines. Customer states "wont start." First thing I look for is an E3 plug. Replace the plug and 50% of the engines fire right up no problem.
Just use a Champion or NGK and you will rarely have a spark problem (in small engines)
Just use a Champion or NGK and you will rarely have a spark problem (in small engines)
A gimmick plug made for a Bling factor. I see no value in them.
Use NGK. End of problems.
Originally Posted By: Audioquest
Use NGK. End of problems.
^^^
This!
(ps, is your username connected with the company?)
Use NGK. End of problems.
^^^
This!
(ps, is your username connected with the company?)
NGK is top shelf period.
Those Bosch platinum and E3 type wonder plugs have a small electrode. They tend to foul much faster than the old school copper plugs. Use the factory recommended flavor.
You can run the small electrodes in a new car with FI and O2 sensors. Those engines burn much cleaner than an outdoor engine ever will.
slomo
Those Bosch platinum and E3 type wonder plugs have a small electrode. They tend to foul much faster than the old school copper plugs. Use the factory recommended flavor.
You can run the small electrodes in a new car with FI and O2 sensors. Those engines burn much cleaner than an outdoor engine ever will.
slomo
ihave extencive use of e3,s in small engines. they do have a higher failure rate than regular plugs but they do help worn engines preform better. no question about this. waist of money in newer engines.
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