Happy with .035" gap

Heads, valves, pistons, rods, crankshaft, etc...

Moderators: Helpinators, Moderators

Post Reply
FG!!
Second Gear
Posts: 257
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2003 8:46 pm
Location: Seattle USA
Contact:

Happy with .035" gap

Post by FG!! »

I gapped my NGK BKR6E11's down from the reccomended .040" to .035" and am happy with the results. Less detonation and the powerband moved in the rpm range a bit. I'm all stock. Plugs look good so far, but I wanna take a look after a month or so.

Let me know if you try and how it works for you.

Please use a spark plug gap tool, and not the little little disk kind. The shim or wire style are the ones you want. I like the shim style. Should feel a light drag, not pinching at all and always in contact. I'm writing this out because I don't want any reports of people using dimes, or zipties, or whatever :wink: .

I just did a quick search and it looks like we've covered it before, but I wanna see who else is running with a tighter gap.
92ss, 66bsa thunderbolt, 92miata, 06wrx
morgie
Third Gear
Posts: 743
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 12:55 am
Location: Quebec City / Canada
Contact:

Post by morgie »

I'm still stock-gap, but yesterday i bought new plugs for some testings :

1 set of "7" heat range NGK (bkr7e11)
1 set of "6" heat range NGK (bkr6e11)

the 6 i plan on running them at a smaller gap. I'll let you know of the results ! :)
morgie
'98 4Runner V6 Manual 4x4.
FG!!
Second Gear
Posts: 257
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2003 8:46 pm
Location: Seattle USA
Contact:

Post by FG!! »

Okay, it's been a month. I pulled my plugs out and they looked good, nice light white powder all over. At this point .035 feels kinda sluggish to me now. It is nice being able to pull to redline at full throttle though. No detonation whatsoever.

I went and bought a new set and gapped them to .038 and put them in yesterday. Seems to be working good so far.

This car is the most sensitive to spark plug gap that i've ever owned, though it is my first turbo car. The gap that works best for any other car will probably be different, depending on the condition of the rest of the ignition system. I want to try that grounding mod next.
92ss, 66bsa thunderbolt, 92miata, 06wrx
IggDawg
Knowledgeable
Knowledgeable
Posts: 382
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2002 12:00 pm
Location: Sterling, MA
Contact:

Re: Happy with .035" gap

Post by IggDawg »

FG!! wrote:I don't want any reports of people using dimes, or zipties, or whatever :wink: .
hey, a ziptie was all I had :D . I emasured it out on a ruler and it was fine :D . The engine ran nicer than before :p

damn, legacy's gone and I still have to come back here to defend my honor :lol:
IggDawg is cool.

-IggDawg

1994 Barcelona Red SVX LSi.
1990 CRX Si (for sale)

I know a little about Subarus.
FG!!
Second Gear
Posts: 257
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2003 8:46 pm
Location: Seattle USA
Contact:

Post by FG!! »

bah!

went back to .044", works just as good.

i must have done something else between then and now.

this experiment is over :(

sorry to waste your time.
92ss, 66bsa thunderbolt, 92miata, 06wrx
boostjunkie
Knowledgeable
Knowledgeable
Posts: 1770
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2002 3:20 pm
Location: Owings Mills, MD
Contact:

Post by boostjunkie »

Isn't the recommended gapping between .39 and .43?
[url=http://www.angelfire.com/md3/91turbolegacy/images/On_the_Lawn.jpg]1991 Legacy Turbo (RIP)[/url]

[url=http://www.angelfire.com/md3/91turbolegacy/images/Summer_Car_Wash3.jpg]2000 Celica GT-S[/url]
eastbaysubaru
Knowledgeable
Knowledgeable
Posts: 1312
Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2002 10:44 pm
Location: Northern Sonoma County
Contact:

Post by eastbaysubaru »

Yes.

-Brian
'04 PSM FXT
FG!!
Second Gear
Posts: 257
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2003 8:46 pm
Location: Seattle USA
Contact:

Post by FG!! »

ngk recommends .044, so yes, close enough.
92ss, 66bsa thunderbolt, 92miata, 06wrx
Post Reply