Spark plugs that complicated?

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Turdcelbrother
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My tercel:: 1987 tercel 4wd sr5

Spark plugs that complicated?

Post by Turdcelbrother »

Hey I've been searching the forum for the ideal spark plug and wire, I can gap them and what have you. But I am seeing a lot of extra stuff and I'm fairly newbie with this stuff. Do I have to orientate the plug a certain way? How do I have the spark plug pointing the exact way that is ideal as some people on here are saying. Is this a must?
It's an 87 4wd tercel m/t. I would just like some info on it and if I can just take the plugs out the package and huck em in.

Thanks
Andrew
xirdneh
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Re: Spark plugs that complicated?

Post by xirdneh »

All I do is check the gap and adjust to .040 if needed.
Never heard of orientation.
I worry more about getting plugs out that seem stuck. If I get one like that I work it out by going back and forth and squirting light oil around base. Over and over
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
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Petros
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Re: Spark plugs that complicated?

Post by Petros »

No, they are not that complicated.

I have never heard of orientating spark plugs either, and I once worked for a fully sponsored professional racing team. the side electrode pretty much stops at its location when it is at the correct torque and there is not much you can do about it. Have people actually suggested you ship the spark plug to get it in a "correct" location? never heard of anyone ever doing that.

there are only a few things to worry about:

1. the correct type (there are currently several different type of spark plugs used on modern cars, but our vintage Tercels use conventional spark plugs), the correct heat range (the number on the plug), and the correct gap.

2. that it is kept fairly clean so the spark does not short out through the grit.

3. and it is torqued properly. It helps to lube the spark plug threads with anti-seize compound so you can get it out next time easier. Truth is most people do not use a torque wrench on spark plugs, even professional mechanics, so it just has to be tight enough to seal and stay in place.

If your wires are good no reason to replace them unless they are suspect, I have found the factory wires last many many years. All of the aftermarket economy "OEM"wires are crap, not nearly as good as the real factory wires. They can break down and cause miss in less than a year of use, they are junk and not worth saving a few bucks. But there are a lot of good quality "premium" after market spark plug wires out there, they claim they are better than factory spec. but I think that is marketing BS. NGK makes some decent spark plug wires, and there are others too.

good luck.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
Turdcelbrother
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Re: Spark plugs that complicated?

Post by Turdcelbrother »

Thank you for the infomation guy! Really appreciate it.
Would a convential spark plug be considered copper? Or platinum?
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Petros
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Re: Spark plugs that complicated?

Post by Petros »

either, but frankly I have not found the platinum plugs worth the extra money, they do not last much longer and I could find no noticeable difference in their performance.

I just get regular NGK copper core spark plugs for my cars. I found they last the longest and are relatively inexpensive. all other brands I have not found last as long.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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ARCHINSTL
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Re: Spark plugs that complicated?

Post by ARCHINSTL »

The proper term for "orientating" spark plugs is "indexing."
A treatise: http://www.eatonbalancing.com/2009/06/1 ... -indexing/
To me, it seems like solution in search of a problem, as does Petros.
Tom M.
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Petros
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Re: Spark plugs that complicated?

Post by Petros »

Thanks Tom for the link, it is an interesting concept. but to me it seems this is delusional thinking, as if home tuners have discovered something the big automakers have not. the big car companies have such deep pockets when it comes to research, if this had any merit, they would find a way to automate the process so they can squeeze a bit more efficiency out of the engine. if what this supposedly solves is true, than it means not only less efficiency, it also means more emissions. government regulations for cleaner exhaust would have forced them to use this in their new cars. It would also seem simpler to just redesign the spark plug to not have the spark shielded on one side, in fact they make such spark plugs, but no one uses them, I would guess they have no advantage.

what is stated is true, bad spark plug placement in the cylinder will reduced efficiency. But no modern engine maker would allow this to happen, competition and regulations for economy and lower emissions would prevent that from happening in the last 20+ years. On older slotted engine designs this might be true there is not much we can do about it. the real problem with our engine design is the 8 valve head, uneven fuel air mixture because of a single carb, and the poor uneven cooling of the head. our solution would be to swap in a 4age or 4afe. But I do not think the problem with our engine is spark plug placement, it is rather valve placement and uneven cooling, in addition to using a single carburetor. One good reason EFI is much better.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
atoyta
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Re: Spark plugs that complicated?

Post by atoyta »

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Petros
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Re: Spark plugs that complicated?

Post by Petros »

well I beg to differ with NGK on the anti-seize: I have had their spark plugs get really stuck in the heads of Tercels, and aother all aluminum heads, so much so I thought I was going to rip the spark plug apart, or badly damage the head, to get them out. They last so long that people will run the same spark plugs ten plus years, that plating does not help. One time I had to use a big breaker bar and really heaved on them hard, and it "squeaked" and moved a bit. I soaked them with penetrating oil, including putting oil down the carb to try and get the inside of the spark plug soaked in oil. I just kept working them back and fourth, with much effort on the big breaker bar, until I got them out. this one one time I wish I had a spark plug tap available to chase all the threads in the holes.

You will not damage the threads by using anti-seize, in an aluminum head you have to do what you can to protect the threads, a small amount of anti-seize is the best way. If you are so anal retentive to use a torque wrench on the head you can back off the torque value 5 lbs, but frankly I do not think it will matter enough to cause any harm. it is not like getting even compression on a thick gasket like the head or exhaust manifold gaskets.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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