micfly83

I bought some NGK 55 or whatever they are "copper core" plugs

First question is...what should the gap be on them? stock engine

Secondly how do I close the gap...I can open it just fine with the gap measuring tool but I dont know how to close it

Thanks

burnout42

uuuuhhhhh, don't know what to gap them to, but to close the gap, just push the arm down towards the electrode carefully

sandman2100

I bought a set of gapping pliers from Summit, never really used them becuase I generally use my wire style checker that has a slot in it to grab and bend the electrode arm. Hasn't failed me yet

shoebox

Stock gap is .050".

2000GTP

I just insert the portion of the spark plug gap measurement tool that is the desired width and lightly tap the plug electrode on a workbench to close up the gap.

micfly83

Alright I'll shoot for a little less than .05

I think someone said to gap the coppers less .040-.045 on another thread because they wear faster or something

Oh yea...another simple question...I have the gapping device from advanced auto parts, and its a circle looking thing with a edge that progressively gets bigger and bigger. I'm sure you know what i'm talking about...but how do you line up the spark plug edge to read it. The spark plug tip I think can be about .002 big or something and I'm wondering where you read it to know what it measures.

That really doesn't make any sense but if you know what i'm trying to say chime in

Z-RATED94

Now you tell me, Iv'e been using my forehead.

micfly83

Ok i'm a moron

I just did the drivers side and did the 1st plug (the one closest to the headlight) and the 2nd plug (the one just behind it)...but I dropped the wires and i'm not sure which ones go where

Does the wire thats located on the bottom of the group of 4 wires coming off the optispark go to that 1st plug on the engine?

micfly83

Anyone...its almost time for startup

2000GTP

Kevin Blown 95 TA

Well, I work with engineers from NGK and Champion on a lot of spark plug related projects since my company builds 12 million engines every year. And when they need to close a gap, they tap the plug on something (carefully!), then reset the gap with a wire gauge. No BS, either, LOL. I even asked them about this once and the guy was laughing when he told me how he did it. Now, I'm not talking about large gap changes, and if you want to go from 50 to 30 or something like that, you want to try to make the ground electrode parallel with the flat end of the center electrode if you can, which can be a little difficult to do with the little bendy tools made to bend the ground strap. Careful not to crack the insulator if you use one of those.

As far as the copper center goes, that is pretty much industry standard construction just because it conducts so well. The electrodes are still some harder metal like tungsten (center) nickel (ground) or else platinum or iridium.

bombebomb

Not sure what your asking but "I think" your anwser is this this is from the haynes book.

Engine from front to back driver side 1,3,5,7 now on the distributer, plug 1 goes on the bottom of the distributer, plug 3 goes on the 2ed from the top of the distributar so from bottom to top of the distributer it should be 1,7,3,5.
Hope thats what you was needing.

micfly83

Yup I figured it out

Got all the plugs in except for the one nearest the alternator

It seems pretty impossible

I think I need a swivel of some sorts...

bombebomb

We did mine without a swivel, no idea how, we had to put the socket on the plug, then an exstenion then the ratchet, of course we then got it stuck and could not get the ratchet out or the socket.

micfly83

Yea we sorta tried doin that, but it was the last plug we did, and we were losing a lot of blood and decided to stop.

I think a swivel would be perfect, because its not quite as long as the extension and I could move it to an angle so that it wouldn't hit the exhaust manifolds

I think I've heard people taking off the alternator, but we started doin that but figured it was a bad idea because we weren't really touching it when trying to remove the plug.