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spark plug gap

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WTB72GTS View Drop Down
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    Posted: 13-September-2010 at 9:09AM
Noob question I know but its nowhere on autolite site, on the plug box, and they cant answer me at autozone, whats the spark plug gap supposed to be?????
 
the first thing that comes to mind is .035 but I'm not sure. Its a 351C, they are Autolite double platinum APP25's. someone end my search so I can change my plugs please!
Zak

1972 Gran Torino Sport Formal Roof, 351C 2V bored .030
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote picon3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-September-2010 at 12:33PM
I just did this last week.  Pulled all the plugs and regapped them @ 0.35.  I'm the autolite double platnium plugs that I bought from Advance Auto.  Hope that helps.  Paul~
1972 GTS 351CJ-4V black/black
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-September-2010 at 1:59PM
I have always seen/heard platinum + points = no no.
Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WTB72GTS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-September-2010 at 2:08PM
could you expand on that Psquare? or anyone for that matter
Zak

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-September-2010 at 2:26PM
Well I know a few people that ran plats on cars with points and for some reason the points wore out REALLY fast afterwards. 
Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1
'I also have some left over potatoes-I understand you can generate electricity from them'- Foote500
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 302ford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-September-2010 at 5:05PM

My buddies and myself have always ran regular plugs in our 5.0's and strokers. Mind you, they are not ignition systems with points. But we've seen no advantage to running them in power, driveablility or reliability.

79 LTD II 408/TKO/3.7's

11.78 117.3mph. drag radials
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Regul8r Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-September-2010 at 5:19PM
love a good set of Autolites!
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WTB72GTS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-September-2010 at 10:07AM
could this possibly be a cause?

from Cycle Magazine http://www.fatbaq.com/mainpage.phtml?topic=plugs


Platinum and gold-palladium alloys can survive the combustion chamber environment as very small wires, and in that rests their great advantage. 

Electrons leap away from the tip of a small-diameter, sharp-edged wire far more willingly than from one that's fatter and rounded. So the fine-wire plug requires less voltage to form a spark than one with conventional electrodes, and the difference becomes increasingly biased in the former's favor as hours in service accumulate and erosion blunts the iron-alloy electrodes. 

There are, of course, drawbacks with precious-metal plugs: they are more expensive, and they are very sensitive to excessive ignition advance. The overheating you get with too much spark lead effects plugs' center electrodes before it can be detected elsewhere in an engine, and when subjected to this kind of mistreatment fine-wire electrodes simply melt. In one sense this is a disadvantage, as it means the ruination of expensive spark plugs. Seen in another way it's a bonus feature: it is better to melt a plug electrode than an engine.
Zak

1972 Gran Torino Sport Formal Roof, 351C 2V bored .030
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WTB72GTS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-September-2010 at 10:15AM
damn. okay, so if platinum plugs do somehow hurt the points, how hard/easy is it to replace the points? I switched out the plugs but the torino is still acting like its been neutered. forget burning rubber, the damn thing barely accelerates at a decent speed! 
Zak

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Eliteman76 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-September-2010 at 5:54AM
I was trying to find the picture of my valve cover sticker, but I also have a couple vintage tune up manuals.
I run a duraspark setup, but I just buy the regular autolights. I change every two years, regardless of miles.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GranTorinoMan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-September-2010 at 12:46PM
Originally posted by WTB72GTS WTB72GTS wrote:

Noob question I know but its nowhere on autolite site, on the plug box, and they cant answer me at autozone, whats the spark plug gap supposed to be?????
 
the first thing that comes to mind is .035 but I'm not sure. Its a 351C, they are Autolite double platinum APP25's. someone end my search so I can change my plugs please!
 
If you have an High Energy Ignition (HEI) you can run a larger gap, I run a .060 gap on my NGK IRIDIUM IX plugs. My car has never run stronger since I switched to NGK from Autolite and I find the don't foul up. If there's no paticular reason to run a points distributor, dump it for an Electronic Advanced Dist.
 
   
 
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