Date:         Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:49:20 -0700
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject:      Re: Trouble shooting tip? Fouled plugs
Comments: To: Ken Lewis <kdlewis@NORTHSTATE.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

you know what plugs won't foul in my 39 year old carbed Mercedes
...........?
Subaru spark plugs, and Subaru spark plug wires.

we tend to think that one would never put the later style spark plugs with
the 5/8 hex tool size, but the threads are the same     at least in my
application ......
the most common - 14 mm threads, and 3/4 inch < a 356 might use half inch
reach plugs, so perhaps you can't do this > ............those plugs fit just
fine, and where NGK's like say, the PB6ES will foul in that old car very,
very easily ......even used subaru spark plugs and wires, never do.

old cars have very weak ignition systems compared to what we are used to in
more modern cars.
Converting any older carbed car with points igntion to electronic igntion
can really just 'wake up' the car.  Much better cold starting, better
throttle repsonse etc.
your plug wire tester sounds useful and clever  !
scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Lewis" <kdlewis@NORTHSTATE.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, October 23, 2009 6:49 AM
Subject: Trouble shooting tip? Fouled plugs


>     I stumbled upon something that I have not heard anyone else doing and
> may be useful to someone somewhere. I have been having a heck of a time
> getting my 356 running right after going to 1776 P&Cs. It got so bad I
> could
> barely start it.  I suspected fouled plugs but since it is such a pain to
> change plugs in this car I wanted to have some quantitative proof.
>     I just happened to have an old, excessed Biddle Meggar ( similar to
> http://www.jmtest.com/pages/productdetail.asp?ID=112 ) used to test
> insulation in buried cable. You work the crank to generate 500 volts at
> the
> test leads and the instrument converts any leakage current to a resistance
> readings. A regular ohm meter only produces a tiny voltage and will not
> work
> in this application.
>     I hooked one lead to the engine case, the other to a spark plug wire.
> Sure enough, all four plugs were showing less than a meg of resistance.
> New
> plugs showed infinite. Now she fires right up but, still needs work on the
> Webers. But that's another story.
> Ken Lewis
> http://neksiwel.20m.com/
> in statu viae