Spark Plug Cleaner

[Nigel Clark]

Has anyone got experience of using a compressed air spark plug cleaning tool that blast cleans plugs with abrasive?

My recently acquired Triumph bike has sooty plugs and I've never found a good way to clean plugs with solvent. Classic bikes can foul their plugs quite easily, especially if not ridden far enough and hard enough to get really hot.

Here's an example of the type of tool I'm considering, this one from Gunsons:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gunson-77111-Spark-Plug-Cleaner-/251672808009?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

Any views please?

Nigel

[Pete Lewis]

have used a small electric grit blaster from the past it worked ok

not sure how it affects the problems we discussed on the centre  ceramic isolator glaze that some plugs have or had 

but they certainly clean things up well 

 how long for Nigel   think youre about to test 

pete

 

[poppyman]

I think you might remember the Champion spark plug cleaner/tester from years ago Pete? They worked ok then but have the quality of plugs gone that bad do you think. We used to have a mini grind stone for cleaning Lucas points as well.

Tony.

[Colin Lindsay]

I've got one of the 12v versions from years ago, seems to clean them but what damage it does to the electrodes remains to be determined.

[Pete Lewis]

yes we had one of those , good to see when the air pressure built up the spark would jump out all over the place  they fetch some silly money on fleabay  like £400-750

[Colin Lindsay]

I mean one of THESE:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Spark-Plug-Cleaner-12v-original-box-instructions-etc-classic-vintage/114551891092?hash=item1aabd32494:g:mP0AAOSwLTZfxlUZ

Not one of THESE:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1930-s-champion-spark-plug-cleaner-Vintage-Restored/402529083839?hash=item5db89a61bf:g:vuUAAOSwoShfoHu1

 

[Nick Jones]

Blowtorch......🙃

[Pete Lewis]

12 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

I mean one of THESE:

yes they are quite good , just a motor with a tough little wheel/paddle that flings the grit around  

at least its as cheap as a set of plugs 

youve got to be nuts to pay  ££££££££££s  unless youre doing plugs all day to make it pay 

 

[Chris A]

12 hours ago, Nick Jones said:

Blowtorch......🙃

Wasn't he the baddie in early bond films? 😈

[RogerH]

14 hours ago, Nigel Clark said:

Has anyone got experience of using a compressed air spark plug cleaning tool that blast cleans plugs with abrasive?

My recently acquired Triumph bike has sooty plugs and I've never found a good way to clean plugs with solvent. Classic bikes can foul their plugs quite easily, especially if not ridden far enough and hard enough to get really hot.

Here's an example of the type of tool I'm considering, this one from Gunsons:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gunson-77111-Spark-Plug-Cleaner-/251672808009?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

Any views please?

Nigel

Hi Nigel,

would it not be best to use plugs that get hotter under normal use. Most plugs have different temp grades in their range.

What plugs do you use at present?

Cleaning is secondary.

I would have though grit blast the ceramic coating would do it no favours at all.

A blow Torch to get it very hot and burn off would be gentler on the ceramic.

 

Roger

[Nigel Clark]

Thank you for the comments. I'm going to try the blow lamp cleaning method first. Don't know why I've never done that before!

As for Roger's suggestion of hotter plugs, classic bike engines such my recently acquired Triumph Trident can be sensitive to plug heat range. Hard riding on hotter plugs has been known to burn pistons! That said, the plugs currently fitted (by the PO) are one step colder than specified, so I will try switching to the correct heat range plugs but no hotter.

Nigel

[Pete Lewis]

so now you need to keep a blowlamp in the panniers  ????

Pete

[poppyman]

29 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

so now you need to keep a blowlamp in the panniers  ????

Pete

Could be handy to burn people off from the lights as well  

Tony.

[ahebron]

I used to invert then fill the plugs with petrol and light them.
Dont know if it cleaned them but it was always fun.
These days I put them into the ultrasonic cleaner for 30 minutes but they do corrode quickly if not treated after removal.

Adrian 

[RogerH]

8 hours ago, ahebron said:

I used to invert then fill the plugs with petrol and light them.
Dont know if it cleaned them but it was always fun.
These days I put them into the ultrasonic cleaner for 30 minutes but they do corrode quickly if not treated after removal.

Adrian 

If you like the odd flame or two try this.

I have a nice little battery powered drill. After doing a particularly dirty job (disintegrated Gearbox) the drill body was covered in the blackest, stickiest muck.

So I cleaned it by spraying it with Brake/clutch cleaner. It came up a treat. However I would now recommend blowing it dry for about five minutes or so.

I happened to turn it on immediately after cleaning. It burst into the most splendid orange flames. 

Lesson learnt

Roger

[Colin Lindsay]

9 hours ago, ahebron said:

These days I put them into the ultrasonic cleaner for 30 minutes but they do corrode quickly if not treated after removal.

Adrian 

Put them back in the engine, the oil will soon stop them rusting... 

[PeteH]

There was one of those "roadside" garages, the type with "swingout arms" over the pavement to refuel cars near us, bit of an "Aladins cave". He had a littte device on the counter in the shop which conected to the Airline for inflating tyres, about the size of a "Sweetie" jar it was, (he even sold sweets!!!.) Push the plug in the top hole press button and Hey presto nice clean plug(s). He`d "do" the bike plug for 2 or 3D (old money). My first 350 BSA, was a real oil burner. I`d likely have him do a couple of spares twice a week or so. Until I eventually did the right thing and "Re-Ringed" the Bike!. You could buy a ring set with a special "oil control ring" and a stepped ring for the top back then. When you needed the bike for work Monday, that was the "answer".

Wouldn`t mind betting the Old petrol storage tanks are still there under the old "Forecourt". With people walking over them daily unaware of the existance?.

Pete

[poppyman]

They would be "cords" rings Pete, diy rebore in a pack.   

Tony.

[Pete Lewis]

cords  still about  http://www.cordsduaflex.com/

Pete

[PeteH]

Eh! Lad!. Nothing new under`t sun!. I expect someone still does "stepped" rings too?. Even "honeing" consisted of very fine wet and dry and Oil!. Followed by a wash with raw petrol.

Pete

[poppyman]

2 hours ago, PeteH said:

Eh! Lad!. Nothing new under`t sun!. I expect someone still does "stepped" rings too?. Even "honeing" consisted of very fine wet and dry and Oil!. Followed by a wash with raw petrol.

Pete

Now't wrong in that lad. Then walk walk home 33mile in us bare feet..

Tony.

[PeteH]

Cue, Hovis Theme. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2AcJSkUw6M

Pete

[Dick Twitchen]

8 hours ago, poppyman said:

walk home 33mile in us bare feet.

You were lucky, you had a home ......!  Cannot remember the rest of the skit but something about cardboard boxes if I recall correctly.

[Colin Lindsay]

Cardboard box? Can't even find one of those these days and I need one to post a gearbox in, too...

[poppyman]

3 hours ago, Dick Twitchen said:

You were lucky, you had a home ......!  Cannot remember the rest of the skit but something about cardboard boxes if I recall correctly.

It was the Yorkshire men Monty python sketch