Side gapped spark plugs (mod)
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,266
Likes: 0
From: Allen, TX, USA
Side gapped spark plugs (mod)
Anyone ever hear about this?
They grind back the the finger to expose the electrode...
This is from the 'world's largest engine link in another thread...
http://performanceunlimited.com/illu...parkplugs.html
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 16,483
Likes: 1
From: The Only Corvette in Gila Bend, Az.
St. Jude Donor '09
Re: Side gapped spark plugs (The Dude)
What do you think those little teeny cutoff wheels for your Dremel are perfect for? Yes, this is an old, old trick.
Yeah! What he said.. :iagree:
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
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From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Re: Side gapped spark plugs (DeenHylton)
Never heard of this before. I may have to give it a try. Why not cant hurt too much can it.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,266
Likes: 0
From: Allen, TX, USA
Re: Side gapped spark plugs (MYBLU71)
Well I presume that this shortens the life of the plug - not that plugs are expensive,
but at 1 hr to replace them, its a pain...
Anyone measure any gains doing this - the page mentioned better performance, etc.
Is this strictly a race technique or street too?
Abby Normal
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 53,305
Likes: 92
From: Press "2" for English
Re: Side gapped spark plugs (adam)
adam, i've heard the same thing. i've wondered about running this on the street too. i've thought about giving it a try but figured it's not worth the hastle when i'm already running .080" gap. who's running this on the street and how long? any adverse affects?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,700
Likes: 3
From: Lebanon KY
Re: Side gapped spark plugs (adam)
i've never heard of this either. the page above says:
sounds good to me :yesnod: but is it ok to do it to a street car :confused:
"Side Gapping" has been a well kept secert for many years in the racing circles. this will substantially increase horsepower, torque and fuel economy with no sacrafice to your wallet.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 242
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From: Port Orchard Washington
Re: Side gapped spark plugs (adam)
Did this to my drag camaro in the mid eightys. Lost a tenth in the quarter mile but it caused the electrode to wear quicker and I was replacing plugs too often (headers were a pain).
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 16,945
Likes: 9
Re: Side gapped spark plugs (Cali,77,L-82)
You will most likely only see a gain if you have a very high compression and huge domes where the actual flame front shrouding by the electrode is substancial. In a somewhat normal engine side gapping is a nice thing to do and allows you to accurately set the gap. Rremember the gap is the shortest distance between the 2 poles, like this:
some spark plugs can be gapped like this:
.. grr.. pic doesn't appear AGAIN. URL: http://www.crossfire.homeip.net/twinnie/gap2.jpg
[Modified by Twin_Turbo, 1:20 PM 5/8/2003]
some spark plugs can be gapped like this:
.. grr.. pic doesn't appear AGAIN. URL: http://www.crossfire.homeip.net/twinnie/gap2.jpg
[Modified by Twin_Turbo, 1:20 PM 5/8/2003]
Pro
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 708
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From: Renton Wa
Re: Side gapped spark plugs (Cali,77,L-82)
Well yes they do give a bit more power but do shorten the life of them considerably. mainly make a set and use them for racing only. Many people actually go a step further and cut the electrode off at the bend, and then just push the side in closer. This way yo have a complete open kernal. As for those 4 electrod crap spark plugs. Why waste the money? you are only blocking more of the kernal from the mixture. And it's not going to spark to all 4 points. Even if you managed to have it spark to all 4, That would not be a good thing. All that means is the the current is 4 times weaker when jumping the gap. In reality the spark is only going to jump the closest gap and it will always be that one. If it mis fires, It's not going to go to the next closest. cause after all. if it's not going to make it past the closest gap, why would it make it past the second closest. All in all, A good set of NGK's should do the trick.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,825
Likes: 56
From: Shawano WI
Re: Side gapped spark plugs (adam)
I have done test with this on the dyno on both mid-compression motors (10-1 to 12-1) and on high compression motors (13-1 to 16-1) and could not find any measurable horsepower differences. This seems to be an old urban ledgend that won't go away.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 16,945
Likes: 9
Re: Side gapped spark plugs (WashingtonRacer)
Many people actually go a step further and cut the electrode off at the bend, and then just push the side in closer. This way yo have a complete open kernal.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,266
Likes: 0
From: Allen, TX, USA
Re: Side gapped spark plugs (WashingtonRacer)
There is some value in 4 electrodes - the spark will jump to the closest gap, TRUE.
But a sharper edge is closer than a rounded discharged away edge.
So, with 4 electrodes, you have 4 times the contact area of a single side gapped
electrode. But as to the effectiveness of the spark, others have said no.