TR tuneup Spark plugs

I just removed one spark plug......insulator cracked.......gap at >.045 inch......moderately black, but not wet. These are definitely used up.

The plug is a Champion A6G. I will be replacing the plugs with NGK D8EVX, per the Plug Club. is this a good choice?

The manual calls for a gap of .023-.027 inch. Where should I set them at?

When installing plugs, I usually place a few drops of oil on the threads of the new plugs. Any better method?

What should the torque be? I have read that on a new plug, one should tighten it more, then loosen it, and re-tighten......to a slighlty lesser figure. These plugs do have washers.

I'm shocked your engine still has Champions in there...wow. expensive and a royal PITA to find and honestly not worth the trouble to look for, with Bosch & NGK both makng plugs at least as good if not better than the champions.

I gap to spec 0.27 with a Gap Pliers Tool that gently squeezes every electrode exactly the same. With good wires & mixture set correctly you don't need to play gap games.

I use a small amount of anti-sieze on the threads, dab on the finger tip and spin onto the threads.

I think torqueing plugs is dangerous and installs them to tight. I have used the same procedure for 30 yrs without a single incident, start by hand, run them down with a 3/8ths ratchet until snug, then 1/4 to 1/2 turn...to squish the sealing washer.

I firmly believe in feel for loosening & tighening on many fasteners....admittedly feel takes practice and experience and the "ability to feel correctly" {}...but for cam covers, plugs, other small or delicate fastners a torque wrench can easily be to much leverage for a small nut or bolt, plus...how many torque wrenches are really accurate at the lowest end of their range? or calibrated even once a decade? So a miss calibrated torque wrench can burn you on the little stuff very easy. Now if you're using a 1/4 in., Inch Pounds Torque wrench on the little stuff (like I do) then that's different, much smaller tool, much less leverage to get carried away with and better "feel" on small fastners.

HTH's

JRV: I bought the car from a the original owner, who let the Ferrari dealer do EVERYTHING on the car for the 10 years that he had owned it.....I bought it 1998.......he now has a 333 SP (along with an F40 (with about 40K miles), and a 355 for his wife, which the dealer services all his cars completely!!!!! He does have money!!!!

I bought the car with 45K miles on it.....now close to 70K. I was told that he had about 5 major services on the car while he owned it.....he would have them pull the engine EVERY time he would see a drop of oil on the ground.....he was VERY fussy....if one shock leaked, he would replace all 6. When I bought it, it was on a rack, with the engine out.....he was upgrading the differential to a 512TR differential. This is all to my benefit.......this car ran GREAT since I bought it.....I'm only replacing the plugs out of guilt......and I have nothing else to do at the moment. And this is the car I couldn't sell last Fall!......glad I decided to keep it.

I pulled all the plugs......all moderately black....and NONE wet.

Thanks for your help.

JRV,
What is your opinion on use of platinum (and iridium) plugs in carb cars? The rumor is that the platinum plugs require more voltage to fire than the copper core plugs and thus will foul more easily in points type ignitions. Any truth to this?

David,

The best 'no foul' plugs ever invented are Bosch Platinums. We ran them exclusively in Carbed Race Engines for years. DPO 5's for carbed/Mechanical injected engines with points or without.

Anti Sooting, Self Cleaning...

as for the rumor....well...the x-spurts spreading the rumour have scientific data being reviewed by plug manufacturers and the SAE right? {}

Rich Running/Oil Burning fouls plugs, bad ignition systems prevents plugs from firing in the first place. Platinum, Iridium fine wire plugs will fire in the most hostile enviroments and severe duty across the largest spectrum of use.