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Cleaning spark plugs

why would you throw them away? you look at the electrode for flatness. if they are rounded off you lift the tab get a small file and file them flat. then regap after the cleaning of course. you need a spark plug cleaner machine though. it sandblasts the plugs. plus it will also check the firing. they say do not use a wire brush as it will scratch the porcelen and carbon up that much faster. when i worked in the GM garage i saved lots of plug that after doing a tune up they were garbage bound. i have a 2013 jeep here with 250,000 km. and still original spark plugs. but with the carburators plugs did not last nearly as long. lucky to get 20-30,000 miles. and with todays engines the plugs are clean and no need to clean them. a spark plug is good till there is no electrode left. reminds me of my uncle changed plugs just to change them ,... i would take his old ones and use them in my tractor lol.
 
Until the late 80s I was routinely buying new plugs for vintage tractors, keeping the old fouled ones in a plug box.

After buying an inexpensive plug blaster from J. C. Whitney about that eime, I haven't bought a tractor spark plug since.

Dean
 
The plugs I use for 2 cyl JDs I clean .
Wire brush lightly then wash them out with carb cleaner, lastly burn out the solvent with propane torch. They are kinda expensive and several of my old slappers burn oil. Have read bad things about sandblasting.
 
the sand is very fine is that is what it is for. they always told us never use a wire brush. they scratch and corrode that much faster. plus you tell me how a wire brush will get inside there and remove the carbon? wont happen unless soaked in carb cleaner.
 
im not either,... just giving info as i was taught .if the instuctor said dont use a wire brush then ok,... do as you please when you leave class. hummm. we were also showed right in class how to clean a plug and regap them just as i said. just passing info along that i did not make up but learned over 40 years ago.
can u use a wire brush sure to get by, but its not the proper job.
 
I practically never buy spark plugs. I sandblast them and then file the electrode with a point file and re-gap them. Works like a new one.
 
Its just as important to clean the threads as the electrodes. It needs to make a good ground. Clean the threads on the wire wheel.
 
When I worked at a Ford dealership, we always cleaned (sandblasted) the plugs before putting them back in, IF we happened to of taken them out for something. Head rebuild, compression test, or what ever.
However, if someone was getting a tune up, we always replaced plugs with new ones.
Management was probably just pushing parts sales. I have run same plugs personally,, way beyond recommended tune up time.
 
Normally I wire brush the threads, and use a torch to burn off the carbon on the electrode. Then regap and file if necessary. Briggs and stratton had an article in a service bulletin at one point saying not to sandblast them. Apparently, the sand gets stuck in the plugs, and falls down into the engine and scores up the cylinder.
 
Wire brush the threads, no problem. Clean the insulator with a torch set as lean as possible, re-gap and use. Haven't bought a plug in a long time.
 
S Cummins,

Take a torch to it. Heated up brush it off with a hand brush.

Repeat process. It will come pretty clean.

Guido.
 
If it's a somewhat recent plug install I'll clean them. If I'm near the shop I use the wire wheel on the bench grinder. In the field or in a bind situation, it's usually the best wire brush that's on the truck, wipe the electrode and tab off on my shirt button flap, then check gap on it.
 
Good evening, SVC and all: I had a chance many years ago to pick up a Champion spark plug cleaner/tester. Service stations used to have one; it has a cabinet bigger than a breadbox, on tubular legs. I can sandblast the plug, then test it in a chamber and add air pressure to see how it performs. The high voltage system in it is actually a model T coil. AFAIK, it does not leave sand inside the plug.

Dennis M. in W. Tenn.
 
i picked up a spark plug cleaner from harbor freight last year and a can of abrasive. basically a mini sand blaster. works good, no complaints.
 
That is what I have , the champion tester. And no sand is left
in the plug. That sand is so fine even if you has a couple
granuals I am sure it would be blown out the exhaust. It is not
like reg. Sand blasting sand
 
(quoted from post at 03:30:53 11/21/21) i picked up a spark plug cleaner from harbor freight last year and a can of abrasive. basically a mini sand blaster. works good, no complaints.
Click to expand...
bought that same one a few years ago. After sandblasting I clean it with carb spray and blow it out real good with compressed air.
 
Before I figured out why my terramite was carboning up one plug, I bought a cheap spark cleaner for HF. It works great.
Same with Farmall C.

I figured the cause, and got both working right.

I'll clean plugs on mowers and old tractors.

When I comes to vehicles. use new plugs.
 
I have had a harbor freight plug blaster for 20 years. I never buy plugs. I work on a lot of small engines and it saves a ton of money. Never had a problem.Now all my freinds have them after they see mine. You never have to go to the store to spends $$ and time on plugs. Blasting them is instant.You wont see a plug blaster in a local parts store. I wouldnt wire wheel plugs as it leaves metallic on the porcelain and can arc the patch of the metallic.
 
I let my nephew use my 12V spark plug cleaner one time. After he cleaned the plugs, he dumped the sand out on the ground! Ha!
 
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