Car question

[tw]

Originally Posted by glatt

The car started misfiring and the check engine light came on! Misfire in cylinder 4. The idle dropped down to around 500 like it had been doing. So what I think happened was that I made whatever the problem was even worse by pulling the plugs and reinstalling them. That makes me think it's a spark plug wire.

It could be a spark plug wire or even electronics that drive that wire. Or a cracked conductor inside one plug.

Remove that spark plug. Leave it connected to its wire. Somehow mount it to the engine. Crank the engine. Observe spark on that plug. A defective spark will clearly be evident and diminished. A weak spark drives an engine normally most of the time. But that spark could have always been defective.

To appreciate a good spark, remove another plug to perform the same test. That spark will be fully formed or clearly diminished even when only cranking its starter.

If a clearly diminished spark does not exist, then move things to make a defective (weak) spark. Even freezing the spark plug before connecting it to test may expose a cracked conductor inside the spark plug.

Keep hands clear. Pre-electronic ignitions created only 20,000 volts. That hurt. Don't learn like I did. Electronic ignitions create higher voltages and greater current. Best is to use something like vise gripping pliers to hold or prop that spark plug against its engine block. A spark can even penetrate through heavy insulation on a spark plug wire. Do not even touch the wire.

Normal is for a computer to see a weak spark and not report it until after multiple engine restarts or some other conditions. Since reporting too many intermittents every time causes many mechanics ignore all error codes.

[tw]

Originally Posted by lumberjim

What I found said it fires the second plug during the exhaust stroke to clean up its emissions.

Cleaning up emissions is also increasing gas mileage and horsepower.

[glatt]

While waiting for the new plugs and cables I ordered, I went out and checked to see if the car is still messed up.

This is the spark plug wire at cylinder 4. Look at the spark shooting out the side of the wire. No wonder there is a misfire.

[lumberjim]

Yah. That's not supposed to happen.

[tw]

Originally Posted by glatt

Look at the spark shooting out the side of the wire. No wonder there is a misfire.

For future reference. Inspecting that wire at night with the engine running would have identified the fault. An example of identifying a defect before it creates a failure.

[Beest]

Originally Posted by tw

Two electrodes or one makes little different. At one point, scam manufacturers were one hyping a superior design. In reality, the plug only creates a spark across one path - not matter how many other paths might exist.

I asked one of the Champion applications guys, he said exactly this.

[glatt]

I read somewhere that with the two electrodes, the spark prefers the narrower gap and stays on that side until the gap widens over time, and then the spark switches over to the other gap, because now it's the narrow one. It alternates like that as the gaps wear over time.

Since this plug fires twice per cycle in this wasted spark ignition system, it wears faster than in an engine that fires once per cycle, and having the two electrodes makes up for that quicker wear.

That's what I read, anyway.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by tw

Keep hands clear. Pre-electronic ignitions created only 20,000 volts. That hurt. Don't learn like I did. Electronic ignitions create higher voltages and greater current. Best is to use something like vise gripping pliers to hold or prop that spark plug against its engine block. A spark can even penetrate through heavy insulation on a spark plug wire. Do not even touch the wire.

There are many tools designed just for this purpose. They are all dirt cheap, and they all beat the shit outta getting hit by that ~60,000 volt jolt.

Do not grab that wire or plug with Vise Grip pliers.

[glatt]

Yeah. I was shaking my head at that one too.

Using a powerful conductive tool to crush a high voltage component. Damage it and get a shock too.

[tw]

Originally Posted by glatt

Using a powerful conductive tool to crush a high voltage component. Damage it and get a shock too.

Necessary for testing is to hold a spark plug to the block. Also noted was to not use hands to hold anything. Why would anyone assume vise grips are held by a hand? Pliers obviously hold a spark plug to the block so that a human does not. And so that the better test will work. Obviously something that is not human must hold a spark plug in contact with the block. Why would anyone assume otherwise?

Using vise grips was a best solution that obviously does not cause damage. What was obvious should not need explaining. Something must hold a spark plug's steel body to engine block steel. Why would anyone assume a human holds anything?

Two electrodes per plug was a sales gimmick decades ago. And obviously a sales gimmick today. A spark will cross only one gap whose distance is less than defined by voltage. Irrelevant is it using alternative electrodes. Because a spark only crosses one gap with each spark - meaning it works just like a single electrode spark plug.

Scam manufacturers once hyped spark plugs with multiple contacts. It did nothing useful. More important than multiple contacts is a plug's heat range. Integrity of its ceramic insulator. And how to install it at a proper torque. Did a salesmen forget to mention other and more important parameters to make a sale? When spark plug voltages were so low (ie 18,000 volts), then a spark's gap was important. Today, we no longer need adjust gaps to within 0.01 inches.

Spark plugs once required frequent replacement since metal was of lower quality. Spark plugs are now made using higher temperature metals meaning plug wear and replacement is now rare.

[lumberjim]

Originally Posted by tw

Why would anyone assume vise grips are held by a hand?

maybe because they are classified as HAND TOOLS?

what tiny shred of credibility you ever had is now gone. between this and the tits.... jesus. get help

[busterb]

Use 2 spring loaded clips of a size that will fit the plug, some insulated wire. Clip to plug and ground. I have one in the shop I've used for years on lawn mowers. No. No photo today.

[tw]

Originally Posted by lumberjim

maybe because they are classified as HAND TOOLS?

They are vise grips because the tool is attached and left untouched. Can you be any more stupid? Please try. Is this totally justified insult of your intelligence simple enough to comprehend? Sorry. The word has ten letters. Do you understand it? Electricity has eleven letters. Apparently that is confusing.

For others: Lumberjim posts insults because he knew Jeeps are better on slippery roads. He said he knows because he feels it is true. Facts that exposed his myth make him angry. He cannot accept that myths and hearsay so easily manipulate. So the emotional Lumberjim constantly posts insults like an adult thinking like a child.

Any idiot would not hold 20,000 volts with a metal tool. Clamp it in place with a hand tool such as vise grips or a clip. So simple to grasp. But the fewest, such as Lumberjim, fear to learn. Then get angry and post insults.

[Gravdigr]

Don't like "The TW Treatment" I see.

[Gravdigr]

Why would anyone assume vise grips are held by a hand?

Let's try this, please post a pic of what you think Vise Grips are.

Cuz, the rest of us are talking about this;



Please to note it is a ƒucking hand tool.