Publisher's Note: Welcome to our fourth edition of Tech Tips Tuesday on "AMSOIL Spark Plug: Enhancing Engine Performance and Efficiency".  We'll be re-publishing an edition of AMSOIL Tech Tips for you every Tuesday.  Click on the Blog Category "AMSOIL" to see everything published to-date.

AMSOIL Spark Plug: Enhancing Engine Performance and Efficiency

John Gardner: Spark Plugs Can Tell You a Lot About What's Going on Inside of Your Engine. Welcome to this AMSOIL Tech Tip. We're going to talk about spark plug gapping and reading spark plugs. Let's start out with gapping.

Well, it's important to gap a spark plug because the spark plug has to deliver the spark inside your cylinder under harsh conditions, and this gap has to be proper. Now, there are two ways you can use a wire feeler gauge like this to go in there and gap it. Also, you want to gap it first when you install it, and or if it's worn for a while, go ahead and set that gap. Then, you can use one like this; you go through there following your manufacturer specification for gapping a spark plug.

Now, the important part is reading that spark plug. When you pull it out, you can see right here there's a normal one, there's one with pre-ignition right there. Now, that's advanced timing; it's way hot. That's going to be a hot condition, mechanical damage, something hit the spark plug, and then you have the carbon fouling. Carbon fouling is usually a rich condition, oil fouling; you're getting oil into that cylinder.

Now, check out the two there: overheating and torched seat. Think about that, overheating, torched seat, and pre-ignition is all because of heat and heat-related things going on inside of that cylinder.

Now, whether it's a car or a two-stroke cycle, heat's going to happen in that cylinder, isn't that right, Len?

Len Groom: That's correct. And, you know, we're looking at a string trimmer here, and you'd be surprised at how hot these things actually get. You wouldn't think about it; it's just a small piece of lawn and garden equipment, but the spark plug temperatures on these things can exceed 500°F. And when we get to those temperatures, deposits become likely. So, you want to make sure that you're getting an additive in your fuel. And for that one, it would be the AMSOIL Quick Shot. Mix it in, uh, per the directions on the back, depending on the fuel tank size, and it'll help minimize any deposits on piston crowns, combustion chambers, your spark plugs, and the ringlands.

John Gardner: If you've ever been in the hot Florida sun trying to start one of these things, that's an awesome tech tip. So, get you a little Quick Shot, put it in your two strokes, for cars as well. Make sure you check them out on the website.