Alan is correct that one benefit of Iridium plugs is a very long service life, which is unlikely to be a major consideration for most of us. The other benefit is that they are better at resisting fouling which is a common problem with older motors and ignition systems. Of course it begs the question as to why that cylinder is misfiring worse than normal. And all engines miss the odd beat, but as long as it's only the odd one, we don't notice it.
And yes he's right that a simple set of points invented at the turn of the last century still work, so do acetylene lamps but I wouldn't use them on a bike if there are better alternatives.
We don't NEED any more spark than just enough to light the fire. It's just that sometimes what you have is not quite enough.
spark plugs
- Alan H
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Re: spark plugs
Not really, I've got 6 in the Santa Fé and they last for 60000 miles!! - Even running on LPG.slosher wrote:Suspect there's a little bit of Haaar Much with your response to iridium spark plugs Al
They wouldn't have known, they were just 'delivery men!'Ask a WW 2 bomber pilot which plug he prefered to have in his engine during a night raid over Germany
Did they have iridium plugs in the 30s & 40s? I don't remember them before the late 1990s.
No electronic ignition in those days - they had a couple of magnetos per cylinder 'bank'.
I've got good lights on all my (bigger) bikes, the 200s are a bit dire, but I don't take them out when it's dark.teazer wrote:And yes he's right that a simple set of points invented at the turn of the last century still work, so do acetylene lamps but I wouldn't use them on a bike if there are better alternatives. :
That's why I run non resistor plugs AND plug caps without resistors for a bigger spark. No fouled plugs on my bikes!!We don't NEED any more spark than just enough to light the fire. It's just that sometimes what you have is not quite enough.
Of course if you use non resistor caps on electronic ignition, it'll knacker it up, so don't be tempted......
Proof that four strokes are over complicated
- slosher
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Re: spark plugs
On return from bombing raids they needed to preserve fuel with the reduction on engine speed resulted in conventional plugs fowling sadly a lot didn't return home (god bless them) They then tried various noble metals for the electrode,iridium being one of them which ended in us winning the warAlan H wrote: Did they have iridium plugs in the 30s & 40s? I don't remember them before the late 1990s.
GT750L
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GT550L
TL1000 97s
T140V
Loctite Trained Engineer (since having the Bonnie)
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Re: spark plugs
We won? You wouldn’t think so!