Reusing spark plugs?

Hi all,

Is it acceptable to reuse spark plugs? All the plugs I've used (NGK's, Bosch's) have captive crushable washers. I've been using new plugs every time I do a tune up because I can't get the old washers off and don't know where to find new ones anyway. It starts to get expensive, especially in the cold weather (they foul easily 'cause of the choke and the short-ish trips). What is everyone else doing?

-Chip

'56 ghia, '66 beetle

Reply to
Chip Keller
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You should never reuse sparkplugs! actually i always keep a set of good used ones in my toolkit just incase i need one for some reason.

Reply to
Exille

Never reuse a sparkplug ? Why's that ?

I've been cleaning and reusing plugs for years without a problem.

Randy

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Reply to
RSMEINER

On 10 Apr 2004 16:50:44 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@aol.comcrap (RSMEINER) ran around screaming and yelling:

Randy, sparkplug manufacturers will recomend that you never reuse a plug that has the crush seal washer...wonder why? because they also sell the washers separately...hard to find, but they do...it is good practice to replace the washers, but there have been millions upon millions of plugs removed and reinstalled over the years with no problem....i do it... JT

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

Reply to
Douglas

You cannot set the choke to run leaner. You can set it to open earlier, but nonetheless I know that Randy is fully aware of choke issues. Most of us have at some time had fowled plugs and removing them, cleaning them and reinstalling is better than throwing out otherwise good plugs. I don't know where the heck I got them, but I had a fistfull of plug washers that fit the 'fat' plugs. _That's_ what we need. (It's not hard to remove the old crush washers and fit new ones. A bit of a pain, but what isn't?)

Reply to
jjs

It's not me with a choke issues, it's whomever I was replying to.

Randy

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Reply to
RSMEINER

Thanks for the responses. John, or anyone else, any idea where you picked up those crush washers? unFLAPS doesn't have them, nor does aircooled.net or the other online places. TIA,

-Chip

'56 ghia, '66 beetle

Reply to
Owokie

Any idea what the purpose of the crush washers is ?

Randy

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Reply to
RSMEINER

Uh... to sell sparkplugs? More likely to keep the plugs in with only 10 pounds of torque, and to allow for differences in the seating area?

Reply to
jjs

On 10 Apr 2004 23:32:26 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@aol.comcrap (RSMEINER) ran around screaming and yelling:

same as the other crush gaskets on the engine...to seal.... JT

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

Could be. I don't know. Maybe. I never use them.

Randy

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Reply to
RSMEINER

Reply to
ilambert

....

Ref:

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" A hot spark plug has a much slower rate of heat transfer and is used to avoid fouling where combustion chamber or cylinder head temperatures are relatively low. "

If you are fouling because of choke and short trips you can switch to a hotter plug.

(I did this with a motorcycle that kept fouling 'cause of the short jaunt to school -- then took a long trip on the hot plug and melted the electrode)

Reply to
Mike Andruschak

Kids! Doesn't anybody walk anymmore?

Reply to
jjs

Yeah -- 15 miles back. I stopped walking when I got my bicycle in '51. Stopped bicylcing when I got my car in '62.

Reply to
Mike Andruschak

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