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spark plug gap increase?

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george w View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote george w Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/22/2014 at 5:58am
Will the stock tach work with the Petronix setup ?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ddfarm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/22/2014 at 7:00am
Yes mine does.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 6PakBee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/22/2014 at 11:47am
There is an excellent article on spark plug gap by Jacobs Electronics that I can't find at the moment.  From memory I want to say that even with the best ignition they say that 0.065-0.070 is pushing it.  With the Petronix, this is what is on the Summit website.  Take it for what it is worth.

What should I gap the spark plugs with a Pertronix Ignitor system?

There is no set specification the spark plugs should be gapped at when using an Ignitor system. However, in most cases increasing the factory recommended gap by .005" improves engine performance.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bigbad69 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/23/2014 at 8:09am
I recall the plug gap recommendations were included in instructions with the Pertronix I module I installed. Even with the Igniter coil, they said to use the standard .032 gap.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FuzzFace2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/23/2014 at 10:26am
Originally posted by 6PakBee 6PakBee wrote:


Just remember that spark gap controls the system voltage. Wider gaps require more voltage to establish an arc. The greater voltage with a wider gap increases the stress on ALL of the components in the system, wires, cap, coil, Go slow. If you hit the limit on some component, you many get misfiring/cross-firing, and all the other undesirable results of too much gap.
the big one is the module! When GM first came out with HEI the plugs were gaped at something like 70 IIRC. They would go thru modules all the time till they found the cause and closed up the plug gap.

Originally posted by 6PakBee 6PakBee wrote:

There is an excellent article on spark plug gap by Jacobs Electronics that I can't find at the moment.  From memory I want to say that even with the best ignition they say that 0.065-0.070 is pushing it.  With the Petronix, this is what is on the Summit website.  Take it for what it is worth.

<h1 ="h1 tech-answer">
                        What should I gap the spark plugs with a Pertronix Ignitor system?
                    </h1>
                    <div ="right-now-faq">
                        


                            There is no set specification the spark
plugs should be gapped at when using an Ignitor system. However, in most
cases increasing the factory recommended gap by .005" improves engine
performance.
                        


                        
                    


Jacobs Electronics I have not heard of Dr. Jacobs in years.
I have one of his books that I used when I first got in to hot roding electric IGN. I just packed up all my books for the move and gave it a quick run thru.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JERSEYJOE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/25/2014 at 3:22pm
Just set it at .040 and forget it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ddfarm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/25/2014 at 4:19pm
Thanks, I have set them at 40 and will try them out that way.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ccowx Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/25/2014 at 10:24pm
Interestingly enough, I checked on the NGK website and they suggested that for high compression and forced induction engines REDUCING the plug gap to make it easier to ignite the denser fuel air charge. I also was looking at the old "Performance American Style" and it suggest using the Mallory system and gapping the plugs to .028".  Bear in mind that this system is probably similar in spark energy to a lower end electronic system. 

Any thoughts, Guys?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Boris Badanov Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/25/2014 at 10:57pm
Funky thing about air, and a fuel air mixture
that as pressure drops it becomes easier to jump a given gap.
Conversely as pressure rizes it becomes harder to jump the same gap.
 
In the late 1930's it the air craft engine designers had to pressurise
magnetoes to prevent cross firing. The problem was not solved till low tension (voltage)
magnetoes were developed with the high voltage coils on the plug "boots".
 
Higher the compression or boost the closer the gap needs to be.
 
I would gap it at stock. Wider gap gains you nothing if the fire is getting lit on time every time.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Schurkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/28/2014 at 11:44pm
Originally posted by gwryder gwryder wrote:

I put a Petronix II with a Flame Thrower coil (1.5 ohm). I wired 12 volts direct to the coil and regapped the plugs to .040. I didn't notice any difference in power. I think I could go with more gap, but .005 increase was enough for a start.

GMs HEI had gaps as large as .080 at one time.  This was an EGR-polluted, lean-fuel-mixture emissions engine.  This was not a performance engine.

Even so, the .080 gaps would cook the in-cap coils, overheat the high-resistance carbon button between the coil and the rotor, melt the distributor cap, and cause all sorts of evil.

Keep in mind that the GM system was "High Energy" because they ran on battery voltage (which means ~14+ volts when the alternator was charging) and the coil primary resistance was about half-an-ohm.  If you are using a ballast resistor, OR a coil with more than half-an-ohm of primary resistance, you won't have the sort of "fire-power" that the GM HEI has.  With an "real" HEI, I don't use a gap of more than .045.  I wouldn't go that wide if the coil has higher resistance, or runs with lower voltage.

Originally posted by FuzzFace2 FuzzFace2 wrote:

the big one is the module! When GM first came out with HEI the plugs were gaped at something like 70 IIRC. They would go thru modules all the time till they found the cause and closed up the plug gap.

The large spark gap caused problems with the coil, cap, carbon button, and rotor.  The modules were fried by the damaged ignition coils.  The very early GM modules had some problems achieving sufficient RPM for performance use.  The later module, including the one sold today, are much superior.
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