Originally Posted by bobdoo
Back in '77, I had a Honda Civic. It had a tiny battery, and the conductor in the battery cables was about the thickness of a #2 Pencil *lead*.
(I found that out the hard way, -20f, no startee).
That's when I started clipping the side electrode shorter and pointier. (I also did the same on my RD350, which had a terrible weak spark).
That helped significantly with starting (the RD ran to redline in 5th gear. It wouldn't before that).
I think these new fine-wire designs are great, and will make some difference. Although the modern ignition systems are just so good...
All of the above (including the bit about the RD, but mine was a 400). The trick is that sparks like to jump off sharp points of metal. But combustion like to erode things to a rounded nature. Fine wire plugs will support at least a 10% wider gap with no more strain on the ignition system because they maintain that small spark initiation point. So put them in with a slightly bigger gap and get the benefits of larger ionization ball
Back in '77, I had a Honda Civic. It had a tiny battery, and the conductor in the battery cables was about the thickness of a #2 Pencil *lead*.
(I found that out the hard way, -20f, no startee).
That's when I started clipping the side electrode shorter and pointier. (I also did the same on my RD350, which had a terrible weak spark).
That helped significantly with starting (the RD ran to redline in 5th gear. It wouldn't before that).
I think these new fine-wire designs are great, and will make some difference. Although the modern ignition systems are just so good...
All of the above (including the bit about the RD, but mine was a 400). The trick is that sparks like to jump off sharp points of metal. But combustion like to erode things to a rounded nature. Fine wire plugs will support at least a 10% wider gap with no more strain on the ignition system because they maintain that small spark initiation point. So put them in with a slightly bigger gap and get the benefits of larger ionization ball