Dear List:
The '74 Midget is running again, after about ten days of puzzlement. I was
getting spark at the plugs, timing was within a couple of degrees of
correct, the firing order was 1-3-4-2, and fuel was being delivered to the
cylinders, as evidenced by the fact that the plugs were soaked with
gasoline. Plug gap, point gap were both correct, at .025 and .016, and the
condensor was new.
While about to give up, I gave a local parts vendor a call to ask his
opinion, and to order the jets that I thought that I needed. He inquired as
to which spark plugs I was using. They were the NGK Copper sort, (thanks,
Frank) which had been giving excellent results, and good fuel mileage. This
fellow said that it is a frequent problem with Coppers that once they get a
good soaking in fuel, they almost never produce a good spark, even if
cleaned. Try Platinums, he suggested, and since I had a set in the glove
compartment, I did, and sure enough, the car fired right up.
Has anyone else ever heard that Copper plugs can be permanently fouled by
just a good soak in raw fuel? What's so different about Platinums?
Regards,
Charles
'74 Midget
'68 Sprite
Bloomfield, NJ
cdsorkin@ix.netcom.com
"How about we duck inside for a Hen?"
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