Cleaning Spark Plugs is a Simple Job...

I found some small wire brushes about 3/8 inch dia that could
be chucked into an electric drill and slowly rotated in the threaded
hole to clean the crud out of the threads.

I pump compressed air into the cylinder through one plug
hole while picking the crud out of the threads of the other. This makes
sure the stuff doesn't lay in the cylinder and get into places it
shouldn't. Got to wear goggles while doing it, and a respirator is a
good idea, since the dust has lead in it.
Chunks of the stuff have caused problems when they break
off in flight: they can foul a plug or get under a valve and reduce
power. Not a good thing if you're just lifting off.

Dan

Good idea using a gun cleaning brush & an air blast.

Which also brings to mind a thought that John Thorp expressed many
years ago. If compression is going to be measured, remove the bottom
plug first so crud doesn't fall on an open exhaust valve sealing
surface. Then rotate the engine to TDC before removing the top plug.

On 25 Sep 2005 19:26:01 -0700, "nrp" wrote:

snip
One minor additional thing - Occasionally also clean the sparkplug
helicoil threads in the cylinder. Somewhere (a surplus tore as I
recall) I found some small wire brushes about 3/8 inch dia that could
be chucked into an electric drill and slowly rotated in the threaded
hole to clean the crud out of the threads.

Champion useta sell a thread chaser for this purpose. Looked a lot
like a spark plug, had cut-outs in the threads to catch the crud. SOP
was stick a finger full of grease into the cut-outs to help it
"stick".

TC

In article ,
wrote:

On 25 Sep 2005 19:26:01 -0700, "nrp" wrote:

snip
One minor additional thing - Occasionally also clean the sparkplug
helicoil threads in the cylinder. Somewhere (a surplus tore as I
recall) I found some small wire brushes about 3/8 inch dia that could
be chucked into an electric drill and slowly rotated in the threaded
hole to clean the crud out of the threads.

Champion useta sell a thread chaser for this purpose. Looked a lot
like a spark plug, had cut-outs in the threads to catch the crud. SOP
was stick a finger full of grease into the cut-outs to help it
"stick".

TC


I don't see why you couldn't make a chaser out of an old plug, using a
Moto Tool to cut the tapping slots.

On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 02:35:01 GMT, Orval Fairbairn
wrote:


I don't see why you couldn't make a chaser out of an old plug, using a
Moto Tool to cut the tapping slots.

umm errr-that's what I used before one of my employers bought me the
jen-yoo-wine article. Actually, I used a new plug that I had dropped
and subsequently busted the guts out of so somebody else wouldn't try
to stick in in an airplane.

A very important part of Jay's plug-cleaning story was
solvent-cleaning after grit-blasting. Since OSHA didn't spend a lot of
time in the hangar, I allegedly used a highly toxic low-flashpoint
solvent drained out of a nearby sump drain into a cut-down oil bottle.

Had a customer ask me why I was wasting my time (and his money)
rinsing the plugs. Showed him the grit in the bottom of the bottle and
asked him if he really wanted it inside his engine...

TC

But for the love of Orville, paint the top of the sonofoabitch red or
somebody will try and use it in an airplane as a spark plug. GUARANTEED.

I've got two of them around here. One with a narrow slot for fairly clean
helicoils and one with a Tijuana whore's slot for absolutely filthy
helicoils.

Toecutter's comment about grease in the slot is right on. However, wipe the
helicoil out after you do the cleaning or the grease will stick the next
plug tighter than Tilly's titty.

I switched from the graphite thread lube to the copper loaded stuff and have
found an absolute order of magnitude of ease of removal. Any other
comments?


Jim



"Orval Fairbairn" wrote in message
news
In article ,
wrote:

On 25 Sep 2005 19:26:01 -0700, "nrp" wrote:
Champion useta sell a thread chaser for this purpose. Looked a lot
like a spark plug, had cut-outs in the threads to catch the crud. SOP
was stick a finger full of grease into the cut-outs to help it
"stick".

TC


I don't see why you couldn't make a chaser out of an old plug, using a
Moto Tool to cut the tapping slots.