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Farmall & IHC Tractors Discussion Forum
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Spark Plug Preference

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PAULIH300

02-24-2005 18:11:53




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Speaking of spark plugs,brings to mind a question....What brand of tractor plug do you prefer? Champion? Autolite? AC?
What experiences have you had?
Personally,I've never gotten long service from Champions no matter what they were put in.Autolites seem very durable,while ACs are somewhere in between (IMHO).
What are YOUR experiences??




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Steven@AZ

02-25-2005 17:40:52




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to PAULIH300, 02-24-2005 18:11:53  
Bosch in my cars. I think all my Farmalls have Champions in them... get about 500 hours out of them in our 544 before we change them just as a matter of maintenance (equals about 5 years). So far 140 hours on my H with the first set after overhaul, and that has taken 3 years with lots of cold starts and not being fully warmed up before shut down.

Guess I can't really complain about Champs in tractors then... but in the snowmobiles, only NGK will work without fouling, champs cannot handle the oil...

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dr.sportster

02-26-2005 07:42:21




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to Steven@AZ, 02-25-2005 17:40:52  
That would indicate to go one heat range hotter on the Champions .Cross reference is not the exact same heat range between manufacturers.



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ejr-IA.

02-25-2005 09:00:03




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to PAULIH300, 02-24-2005 18:11:53  
To Robbie6 I think 386 autolite



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Bill in NC

02-25-2005 08:56:39




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to PAULIH300, 02-24-2005 18:11:53  
In 1973 I rebuilt my VW motor and put in Champion plugs as per Champion's reference chart. It was a full rebuild including taking the heads to a machine shop sans the original Bosch spark plugs. Six months later I do a tune up on the VW and the first plug feels odd coming out. Lo and behold the darn Champion plug has two extra threads and those two extra threads extended down into the combustion chamber. It was sickening pulling out those "reaming" plugs knowing I'd have to pull the heads, go to a machine shop and put heli-coils in those aluminum heads. Have not knowingly bought a Champion plug since January 1974.

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Doug in OR

02-25-2005 08:14:44




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to PAULIH300, 02-24-2005 18:11:53  
Many here have cursed Champions and I"ve not had the best luck with them in an M. My mechanic says that he prefers not to use Champions, but then tempers that by saying, "they work fine, but you need to find the correct heat range. You can"t trust the cross-reference." With my M, the recommended plug was too cold. Switching to Autolites solved the problem. Had I switched to Champion D23 plugs, I may have gotten along just fine.

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Harold H

02-25-2005 04:56:16




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to PAULIH300, 02-24-2005 18:11:53  
I still like Champions best, Autolite next. Never have liked AC's.

Harold H



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KevinH

02-25-2005 04:13:26




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to PAULIH300, 02-24-2005 18:11:53  
I was told once that plugs with the long insulator and the side fire electrode would produce a hotter spark(autolite 3076) and I have run these ever since no disappointment in all 4 of my farmalls and the A-model. Kevin



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John M

02-25-2005 04:01:21




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to PAULIH300, 02-24-2005 18:11:53  
My preference is Autolites.Only thing I have ever had good luck with Champions in was my ole 67 Glassmaster boat with a 80 Johnson on the back.



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dr.sportster

02-24-2005 20:04:37




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to PAULIH300, 02-24-2005 18:11:53  
Champion I love em,everybody else hates em.Got a tattoo of a Harley-Davidson number4 made by Champion. All plugs are of decent quality.I collect a few old ones and rarely throw them away for some future use.I try to find non resistor types at yard sales for magneto use.Lots of unopened packages to be found out there.Champion Co was always good for plug chart and tuning info over the years even if you liked other brands.

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Mike S 806/H

02-24-2005 19:44:22




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to PAULIH300, 02-24-2005 18:11:53  
Autolite 3116 for my tractors, Bosch for my Pulling Truck, A friend of mine had a spark plug tester that sparked the plug while there was air pressure behind it AC's would stop sparking and glow inside the plug I think it was around 100psi most other brands also did the same but the Bosch kept sparking, These were all new plugs tested



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lumpy

02-24-2005 19:38:29




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to PAULIH300, 02-24-2005 18:11:53  
I run autolite or ac never champion, not even in a push lawn mower. I have a 1998 chevy truck, 350 automatic and put autolites in it and gained a little over 2 miles per gallon. My 2n ford tractor has autolite 437's in it starts in -15 below zero weather. In the spring I put on my 2 bottom plow and go turn some dirt fo 5 or 6 hours never misses a beat.



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Loren

02-24-2005 18:40:51




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to PAULIH300, 02-24-2005 18:11:53  
When I was a kid running a Honda single I found a big difference between a Champion and any other brand. Don"t know if they"ve gotten any better but several new out of the box wouldn"t run. Several more would run poorly. One time with a miss we ended up trying a used Autolite we dug out of the dirt and cleaned, ran great. I won"t run Chump plugs unless it"s an emergency.



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PAULIH300

02-24-2005 18:54:30




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to Loren, 02-24-2005 18:40:51  
A lot of trouble with Champion came about when Cooper Industries sold out to Federal Mogul.This was about the time fuel got seriously reformulated and their plugs seemed the hardest hit by the new stuff.One small engine dealer around here got so miffed by lousy J8C plugs failing in Tecumseh snowblower engines he sold/serviced he sent thru the mails a newsletter condemning the use of Champion plugs.He openly cursed the things and said he would use anything but.I also know a car/truck garage that will never use a Champion ever again (guess they had tons of problems back in the day and it cost them $$ dearly in comebacks).
Seems everything Federal Mogul touches turns to crap.Of course,the whole company isnt doing too well financially.....

I have had bad Autolites too....
bought 8 of them years ago at a department store and the car ran terrible.Seems 4 of the 8 had problems.Cracked insulators,broken resistor,and one strange one that made a noise when it fired! (no kidding....it actually "hummed" when it fired!).I figured they sent the factory seconds to the department store.(I hear NAPA and Western Auto used to get relabled AC and Champions when they failed to meet the company's quality standards to put their own name on..sold as economy "private label" plugs).
By the way,Autolite makes the plugs for SplitFire.They only weld on a different ground electrode.

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CNKS

02-24-2005 18:35:26




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to PAULIH300, 02-24-2005 18:11:53  
No difference, heat range is more important than the brand.



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dr.sportster

02-24-2005 20:12:23




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to CNKS, 02-24-2005 18:35:26  
Exacalacaly the basic construction is all the same.Sometimes the installer cracks the porcelan on any new plug without realizing thats why its missing.Seen mechanics do it.



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Curt (806 guy)

02-24-2005 18:22:46




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to PAULIH300, 02-24-2005 18:11:53  
In my opinion, I dont think there really is any one of them that sticks out in my mind as being really bad. The Case IH dealer will sell you AC plugs, I havent had any problems with them. I always used champion otherwise, havent had any problems with them either. One mechanic that I knew swore by Autolite spark plugs, but I didnt think they were really any better.



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Diesel Don

02-24-2005 19:37:15




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to Curt (806 guy), 02-24-2005 18:22:46  
I only use AC or Autolite plugs in my tractors, NGK's in chainsaws or 4 wheeler. I haven't had very good luck with Champion plugs either.



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w gatewood

02-24-2005 18:19:59




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to PAULIH300, 02-24-2005 18:11:53  
autolite



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napaguy

02-24-2005 19:05:25




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to w gatewood, 02-24-2005 18:19:59  
i have to agree with cnks.i used to sell ac for a gm product, motorcraft for fords, and champion for chrysler and imports. then we had an ignition clinic and the guy held up a plug(champion i think). he said"you have all heard this plug will be ok in a dodge but not in a ford" he looked at it for a while , then said"how does it know what you are putting it in?" it made me think.i had a chevy truck that had always been run with ac delco plugs. i put a set of champions in it and ran them about 40,000 miles with no problems.i guess it is really just a matter of personal preference. napaguy

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Robbie6

02-25-2005 06:00:05




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to napaguy, 02-24-2005 19:05:25  
Anyone know the Autolite equivalent for a Champion D21? I wanna try some, just to see if there is a difference.
Robbie



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PAULIH300

02-25-2005 09:46:01




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 Re: Spark Plug Preference in reply to Robbie6, 02-25-2005 06:00:05  
Try this..



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