I've been watching car videos for years, and they'd talk about reading plugs, but never broke it down. I learned more in 5 minutes with this video than 5 plus years of watching car youtubers. Bravo!
The Steve Tech videos are accurate and very informative. Thank you Steve Morris for providing everyone in the automotive world with your wisdom, free of charge.
no truer words were ever spoken. I was taught this back in the 60s by a tune up guru. your exact explanation . All "tune them alls " tune via a lap top and dont wanna get there hands dirty. another good tool is a gas analizer, Co and HC under load tell a lot but most guys cant afford one and they cost a mint these days . I still have my old sun 111 5 and tuned 1000s of edelbrocks and hollys with it and reading plugs . you da man steve. Gawd I wish I were younger,
Gas analyzers have a problem. They measure only what is left over at the end when what you really need is the condition during actual combustion at +/- TDC where the power is actually made. The fuel continues to react even late in the stroke and in the exhaust ports even though it does nothing for power at that point. So they can easily give you a false impression. What you'd really like is a sample taken from the chamber at about 30 deg ATC.
Steve, I think you should do a video on "when to check your plugs". For example, I would make a pass and right at the 1/4 beams, pop the trans in neutral and shut the engine off. Tow back to the pits, let the engine cool and then pull plugs to take a reading. Those (and more details) would really be helpful to your audience (in my opinion) Thanks for all the GREAT videos!
Doesn’t have to be to the 1/4. Can just be a good 1 to 2 gear pull. Pull off to the side of the road shut the car off and pull one of the plug. It’s a tedious process. But I did it. And I noticed a good difference in how my car reacts. Steve is smart af
Excellent video, man. Love it. I used to watch the ol’ timers at the drag strip read there plugs with a jewelers eye loop. Now I know what they were reading.
you know we take it for granted all the time like you said the data but then actually look at the physical spark plug is where you get the most accurate result thank you Steve
Just want to say thanks for putting this info out there this is a great video! I applied this process to the 364ci SBC I built and put in my nissan240sx Ended up taking 2 jets from the primary and 6 from the secondary on a proform 750dp. tuned for the leanest hottest cylinder got it perfect as I could and the old butt Dyno says it picked up 20-30hp everywhere but next trip to the strip will tell. Thanks again bud keep up the great work. I have known about your engines for years but think it's the greatest thing to actually learn something straight from one of the best have a good one brother!
Your vids are awesome. You're my new engine Dad. Thanks for the knowledge man this is solid gold. Watched almost all of the tech vids twice now and I plan on watchin' 'em again and again
Dang Steve, In my 35+ years of tinkering with muscle cars off and on, I've never been told about cutting a plug open to look at the porcelain down inside. Just traded my 2012 Camaro for a 71 with a 383 and carb, so I'm definitely headed to a box store to get a 5/8" deep hole saw. Thanks!
Thread coloring doesn’t really matter. In fact it might add power. It’s using the threads further into the combustion chamber reducing the volume inside. I have about 2 rings on inside the combustion. Just like the this spark plug in the video
Wow thanks. About half of what family members have told about looking plugs has turned out to be true. Now I’m going to go look at what top fuel plugs look like after a run just to see most extreme conditions.
I used to work as a tech for a tuner that would burn the straps of plugs like they owed him money. Over the years I have learned that really good tuners are hard to find.
much respect, but no mention of spark plug heats because that is a lot to do with how much of that strap stays hot and burns that crust off the strap maybe he assumes you've already selected the correct heat of the spark plug but in my eyes it's one of the things you should read and adjust. again much respect as I've learned so much from you videos
Steve, how does the heat range affect this? I would think for the same AFR, you could have different heights of the soot marks with different heat ranges? Does the heat range affect the strap marks too?
Strap marks tell of the ignition timing i.e. the combustion, not heat range or the point of spark. The strap mark will move toward the base or tip depending upon the amount of heat that the engine puts into the plug, not the other way around. So if the engine has too much or too little fuel, it can raise or lower the engine's running temperature in relation to the timing. The fuel readings are on the plug's base ring - put 'How to read racing spark plugs - Dragstuff' into your search engine. There are more things that can change a plug's appearance - please see my reply to @Ben Sinor above.
Nice detail on that. Don't know if I will ever get to the point if cutting into a spark plug, but definitely will be looking a bit harder at them. Who over ....say, 45 years old, does not read a plug?
Hey Steve, appreciate your contribution to teaching us with info we would never find on the internet for free. I do have a couple of questions. Just curious what would be a good exh temp for an N.A, SBC 377 cuin drag motor with a set of hilborn mechanical fuel injectors on meth. The motor seems to want to nose over on the big end would that be the motor going lean. I have not applied what you have in this video but will the next time to the track. the fuel system has a high-speed bypass we can adjust by increasing or decreasing the pressure it pops off along with a jet we can change. The motor does not mis or pop when it noses over. what would be a good exh temp we are seeing temps in the 1100 to 1130 range? what is the difference in reading a gas vs. alcohol motor spark plug ? Thanks for your help in advance.
Yup this is right on. Back in the day this is all we had. Every body ran iron heads so pulling a plug out was no big. Be careful doing that on a hot alloy head.
You pick the right heat range by reading your spark plugs, This video literally answers your question! If you have to ask that question after watching this video you should really not be touching any type of internal combustion engines!
@@EVLS10 Read ' How to read and select spark plugs' by Gordon Jennings.... punch it into your search engine.... and spark plugs are explained, as in how to read them etc etc. In that little article it tells you that the heat range should be hot enough to keep the porcelain clean but not so hot as to cause pre-igntion, and it also touches on how different manufacturers heat ranges are not all exactly equivalent and that will allow you to alter the heat range just a little bit. Manufacturers heat ranges are not all exact - if an auto maker wants a great amount of plugs that need to be slightly different then the manufacturers will make that plug different. So different plug manufacturers make plugs that are slightly different heat ranges to accommodate different makes of vehicles. Heat range is discussed in the article to a greater level..... read it ! It is an old article written for carbed motorcycles but the info is about spark plugs, not motorcycles/cars or cab/fuel injection.... it is about spark plugs - they don't care what kinda engine they are in, they just wanna spark till they die !
@@NeverEnoughPyro40 and it’s blokes like you that discourage others to continue learning. I’m very much a novice of cars in the grand scheme of things but I watched this out of a desire to learn. Keep it positive my dude. We’re not all experts.
@@stevemorrisracing Would this plug reading process apply the same for a turbo motor? For nitrous, does the plug read differently between NA and the hit? Which one do you tune by? Great video btw
What about on a street engine? I get that with a drag car you want to make a WOT pull then check the plug. But that’s not how street engines are driven. How would you recommend this be performed with a street engine? Drive normally, with a couple WOT pulls, then check? Thanks! Loved the video!
Great Video on the plugs!!! How does the heat range effect the function, and how can you read if it´s a too hot or cold plug? Thank you again! :) Br Jonas in Sweden / BBF 429 cui / Hyd rollercam, alu heads, Edelbrock pro flo 4 , in a 1958 Edsel :)
Thank you for sharing ur time Mr Morris I was ignorant now I'm not so much LOL How abt plugs been in my old horse for year , Ny way of telling Ny thing from something like that or just for each run ?
Many years ago when I was a kid and I was just a line mechanic on production cars, I was taught that the soot line would be moved by changing the 'temperature' or length of the electrode ceramic inside the threads. the idea was that a shorter plug could sink away the electrode heat easier than long one. So too much soot, the electrode is to cold ( or short ). No soot, then the plug was too hot (long). whether that is actually true or not was never proven to me since I just used what was called for. But you don't have that restriction. How did you determine what electrode length to use in your engines as it seems like that is a third variable that you have to standardize on in order to use the two tips you just gave.
Thank you Steve for that very informative video! You're the best , nobody else puts that content out there! I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU SIR, if I may. how do you decide on heat range for a spark plug? I would think that the particular build, forced induction, N/A, nitrous, type of fuel, would be part of the deciding factor?! Thank you for your time Steve!
Are you referring to a standard engine that could be found in an every day vehicle or a custom built engine from a performance shop? Your engine builder will tell you which spark plug he recommends you to try first!
I see in a lot of you videos where you can see the afr's on the screen. Most seem in the 12.?. Is this an area of fueling you shoot for to start? Or where you end when reading a plug. I race at over a mile in elevation and it seems more like 11.2 to 11.5 run the best at the track. Thoughts
I did some looking into this on TH-cam, my porcelain is completely white, and my strap is almost a zinc color goldish. I’m not sure what this means but there is no carbon buildup whatsoever after some hard driving on a big block Chrysler. I’m worried I’m too lean since I saw no carbon buildup.
Serious question . cross this over to a atv set up questioning the mid range with a adjustable needle . can the plug check still be done with a mid range chop ?
Steve, can you put that used plug you read back in and read it again and get an accurate reading? say on the dyne, make another hit, shut It down and be able to see your adjustment/tuning?
The best spark plug reading video I’ve seen, thanks for explaining and cutting the threads off. Now I know what to look for.
Right, this nailed it.
Short, simple & perfect. Excellent job Steve
I've been watching car videos for years, and they'd talk about reading plugs, but never broke it down. I learned more in 5 minutes with this video than 5 plus years of watching car youtubers. Bravo!
never have I seen a better video or heard a better explanation on spark plug reading. Really Cool Steve!
Great info as always. Could you touch on how/if different heat range plugs would have an effect on reading?
Yes, i would like to know more about that too :)
Me too. I assume the colder the plug is the better it is in the higher rpm’s.
The Steve Tech videos are accurate and very informative. Thank you Steve Morris for providing everyone in the automotive world with your wisdom, free of charge.
no truer words were ever spoken. I was taught this back in the 60s by a tune up guru. your exact explanation . All "tune them alls " tune via a lap top and dont wanna get there hands dirty. another good tool is a gas analizer, Co and HC under load tell a lot but most guys cant afford one and they cost a mint these days . I still have my old sun 111
5 and tuned 1000s of edelbrocks and hollys with it and reading plugs . you da man steve. Gawd I wish I were younger,
Gas analyzers have a problem. They measure only what is left over at the end when what you really need is the condition during actual combustion at +/- TDC where the power is actually made. The fuel continues to react even late in the stroke and in the exhaust ports even though it does nothing for power at that point. So they can easily give you a false impression. What you'd really like is a sample taken from the chamber at about 30 deg ATC.
Can you make a video about Methanol tuning? Ideal lambda targets and what makes methanol different to tune. Thanks
Yes please, also why don’t nitrous guys run meth, seems they run some sort of gasoline.
@@jcnpresseryou don’t need nitrous with meth. You can run nitrometh. Best gas out there
Steve, I think you should do a video on "when to check your plugs". For example, I would make a pass and right at the 1/4 beams, pop the trans in neutral and shut the engine off. Tow back to the pits, let the engine cool and then pull plugs to take a reading.
Those (and more details) would really be helpful to your audience (in my opinion)
Thanks for all the GREAT videos!
Doesn’t have to be to the 1/4. Can just be a good 1 to 2 gear pull. Pull off to the side of the road shut the car off and pull one of the plug.
It’s a tedious process. But I did it. And I noticed a good difference in how my car reacts. Steve is smart af
The algorithm at its best I was just setting timing on fresh rebuild marine BBC. Going to pull a plug and see how I did. Thanks Steve
Thanks for this video, finally a clear visual explanation of what lean really means! Subscribed
Excellent video, man. Love it. I used to watch the ol’ timers at the drag strip read there plugs with a jewelers eye loop. Now I know what they were reading.
The Sparkplug. You're on. There was a time auto parts stores handed these out, Champion,
Best video on how to read plugs 👍 Thank you Steve.
Learned something new. I always learned to inspect the tip, electrode, and threads when tuning. I need to do more. Thank you.
I learned completely different information about reading plugs. Thank you
I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge on these videos I’ve never seen it explain this well before thank you
Great content sir! Thank you for the education. Headed out to the garage to cut apart all my plugs right now.
you know we take it for granted all the time like you said the data but then actually look at the physical spark plug is where you get the most accurate result thank you Steve
More please. There’s got to me more to this. Thanks Steve. Best plug video I’ve seen.
Back in the day, you'd look at "base ring" condition to assess carb mixture too. 👍 great vid Steve.
Very nice explanation! Congrats
Just want to say thanks for putting this info out there this is a great video! I applied this process to the 364ci SBC I built and put in my nissan240sx Ended up taking 2 jets from the primary and 6 from the secondary on a proform 750dp. tuned for the leanest hottest cylinder got it perfect as I could and the old butt Dyno says it picked up 20-30hp everywhere but next trip to the strip will tell. Thanks again bud keep up the great work. I have known about your engines for years but think it's the greatest thing to actually learn something straight from one of the best have a good one brother!
Master engine builder/ tuner right there. Thank you Mr Morris.
Your vids are awesome. You're my new engine Dad. Thanks for the knowledge man this is solid gold. Watched almost all of the tech vids twice now and I plan on watchin' 'em again and again
Top vid Steve.
Thanks for this.
I would love a how to tune a carburetor video from you as well.
Dang Steve, In my 35+ years of tinkering with muscle cars off and on, I've never been told about cutting a plug open to look at the porcelain down inside. Just traded my 2012 Camaro for a 71 with a 383 and carb, so I'm definitely headed to a box store to get a 5/8" deep hole saw. Thanks!
Man expand on this please. Heat range, thread coloring. Cruise tuning would be cool also.
Thread coloring doesn’t really matter. In fact it might add power. It’s using the threads further into the combustion chamber reducing the volume inside. I have about 2 rings on inside the combustion. Just like the this spark plug in the video
Very well explained Can't explain it any better than this video
Wow thanks. About half of what family members have told about looking plugs has turned out to be true. Now I’m going to go look at what top fuel plugs look like after a run just to see most extreme conditions.
Great video, please make another one . Talk about heat range , Gap and boost. Thanks
Steve Thank you for that info I'm trying to tune my new carbs on my roots blower buy the spark plug on my 5th set of spark plug change almost there.
This was the best video I have ever seen explaining this!!!!
Thanks steve, this information is gold.
Thank you so much. This is a EXCELLENT tech video.
If this legendary engine builder is gonna give me tips on ANYTHING automotive I'm downloading that video for future reference lol.
Why not just subscribe.
Excellent and clear cut video. Thanks Steve! 👍
Good time rich video. 😎
I used to work as a tech for a tuner that would burn the straps of plugs like they owed him money. Over the years I have learned that really good tuners are hard to find.
Man best video i have seen on this topic
much respect, but no mention of spark plug heats because that is a lot to do with how much of that strap stays hot and burns that crust off the strap maybe he assumes you've already selected the correct heat of the spark plug but in my eyes it's one of the things you should read and adjust. again much respect as I've learned so much from you videos
Great video! Thanks, im going to try it for the first time tomorrow
great information. thanks. what about seing when you need a "hotter" or "colder" spark plug?
Good video but forgot about how to determine heat range.
Also, what's your thought on champion or Autolite racing with cut back ground?
This method is so cool.. can't wait to try it out. Thanks
Steve, how does the heat range affect this? I would think for the same AFR, you could have different heights of the soot marks with different heat ranges? Does the heat range affect the strap marks too?
Strap marks tell of the ignition timing i.e. the combustion, not heat range or the point of spark. The strap mark will move toward the base or tip depending upon the amount of heat that the engine puts into the plug, not the other way around. So if the engine has too much or too little fuel, it can raise or lower the engine's running temperature in relation to the timing. The fuel readings are on the plug's base ring - put 'How to read racing spark plugs - Dragstuff' into your search engine.
There are more things that can change a plug's appearance - please see my reply to @Ben Sinor above.
Heat of plug is read by the color change on the threads.
Nice detail on that.
Don't know if I will ever get to the point if cutting into a spark plug, but definitely will be looking a bit harder at them.
Who over ....say, 45 years old, does not read a plug?
Hey Steve, appreciate your contribution to teaching us with info we would never find on the internet for free. I do have a couple of questions. Just curious what would be a good exh temp for an N.A, SBC 377 cuin drag motor with a set of hilborn mechanical fuel injectors on meth. The motor seems to want to nose over on the big end would that be the motor going lean. I have not applied what you have in this video but will the next time to the track. the fuel system has a high-speed bypass we can adjust by increasing or decreasing the pressure it pops off along with a jet we can change. The motor does not mis or pop when it noses over.
what would be a good exh temp we are seeing temps in the 1100 to 1130 range?
what is the difference in reading a gas vs. alcohol motor spark plug ?
Thanks for your help in advance.
Right on Steve your the man and thank you for the info !
Perfect explanation.
First 👍's up Steve M thanks again for taking us all along with you for the rest of the story
Yup this is right on. Back in the day this is all we had. Every body ran iron heads so pulling a plug out was no big. Be careful doing that on a hot alloy head.
Awesome video. 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾
I need to start cutting some plugs up.
very nice. very clear. you made it easy to understand. cheers steve
Great explanation, but having different plugs to show the different examples would be nice 👍
How does this change if you have the wrong hear range? and how do you pick the right heat range? Awsome stuff
You pick the right heat range by reading your spark plugs, This video literally answers your question! If you have to ask that question after watching this video you should really not be touching any type of internal combustion engines!
@@NeverEnoughPyro40 he actually didn't address the issue of heat range but please keep telling people they are stupid and shouldn't even try to learn.
@@EVLS10 Read ' How to read and select spark plugs' by Gordon Jennings.... punch it into your search engine.... and spark plugs are explained, as in how to read them etc etc.
In that little article it tells you that the heat range should be hot enough to keep the porcelain clean but not so hot as to cause pre-igntion, and it also touches on how different manufacturers heat ranges are not all exactly equivalent and that will allow you to alter the heat range just a little bit.
Manufacturers heat ranges are not all exact - if an auto maker wants a great amount of plugs that need to be slightly different then the manufacturers will make that plug different. So different plug manufacturers make plugs that are slightly different heat ranges to accommodate different makes of vehicles.
Heat range is discussed in the article to a greater level..... read it !
It is an old article written for carbed motorcycles but the info is about spark plugs, not motorcycles/cars or cab/fuel injection.... it is about spark plugs - they don't care what kinda engine they are in, they just wanna spark till they die !
@@NeverEnoughPyro40 and it’s blokes like you that discourage others to continue learning. I’m very much a novice of cars in the grand scheme of things but I watched this out of a desire to learn. Keep it positive my dude. We’re not all experts.
Great video
Hi, You should have shown them a plug light and how it is used other then that excellent!
Doesn’t the 1st color of the threads mean something too? Can you touch on this. And this is a great video. Thanks for taking the time to do it
I just learned how to read a spark plugs!!! Thank you!!!!!! Awesome!!!!!
Sweet share it
To everyone you know
@@stevemorrisracing Would this plug reading process apply the same for a turbo motor?
For nitrous, does the plug read differently between NA and the hit? Which one do you tune by? Great video btw
I'd like to see this again with samples of the failures and an ideal burn, including the heat range.
You have an excellent channel, thanks for sharing
What about on a street engine? I get that with a drag car you want to make a WOT pull then check the plug. But that’s not how street engines are driven. How would you recommend this be performed with a street engine? Drive normally, with a couple WOT pulls, then check? Thanks! Loved the video!
Terrific video I had no idea. Thank you!!!
Thanks Steve, like others have mentioned before me, how does selecting a particular heat range play into this? Txs.
Great content Steve
Great Video on the plugs!!!
How does the heat range effect the function, and how can you read if it´s a too hot or cold plug?
Thank you again! :)
Br Jonas in Sweden / BBF 429 cui / Hyd rollercam, alu heads, Edelbrock pro flo 4 , in a 1958 Edsel :)
Thank you for sharing ur time Mr Morris I was ignorant now I'm not so much LOL How abt plugs been in my old horse for year , Ny way of telling Ny thing from something like that or just for each run ?
Many years ago when I was a kid and I was just a line mechanic on production cars, I was taught that the soot line would be moved by changing the 'temperature' or length of the electrode ceramic inside the threads. the idea was that a shorter plug could sink away the electrode heat easier than long one. So too much soot, the electrode is to cold ( or short ). No soot, then the plug was too hot (long). whether that is actually true or not was never proven to me since I just used what was called for. But you don't have that restriction. How did you determine what electrode length to use in your engines as it seems like that is a third variable that you have to standardize on in order to use the two tips you just gave.
Trial and error
Hey Cletus, we found your next shirt, "If your tuner isn’t looking at the plugs, he’s just a computer guy"
Awesome thanks Steve
These are so awesome perfect learning tools
Hey steve thanks for info your the man is there a rule of thumb on how to index spark plugs or is it a dyno thing,Kenny from McKinney, texas
Thank you Steve for that very informative video! You're the best , nobody else puts that content out there! I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU SIR, if I may. how do you decide on heat range for a spark plug? I would think that the particular build, forced induction, N/A, nitrous, type of fuel, would be part of the deciding factor?! Thank you for your time Steve!
Are you referring to a standard engine that could be found in an every day vehicle or a custom built engine from a performance shop? Your engine builder will tell you which spark plug he recommends you to try first!
@@NeverEnoughPyro40 did you not read what I posted?!
I would love to know if/how you can decipher the difference between an incorrect heat range plug and tuning issues.
Can you do one explaining how adding or removing timing adds power
Another awesome, to the point, no b.s. proven tip.
Nice very important info
This video is solid gold
Steve do you have any carb tuning videos as well? And by the way this info is gold
Steve thank you for that!
Well explained...Cheers.
Great content thanks for sharing, very informative
I see in a lot of you videos where you can see the afr's on the screen. Most seem in the 12.?. Is this an area of fueling you shoot for to start? Or where you end when reading a plug. I race at over a mile in elevation and it seems more like 11.2 to 11.5 run the best at the track. Thoughts
I did some looking into this on TH-cam, my porcelain is completely white, and my strap is almost a zinc color goldish. I’m not sure what this means but there is no carbon buildup whatsoever after some hard driving on a big block Chrysler. I’m worried I’m too lean since I saw no carbon buildup.
This rocks! Thanks for the video
Steve how does heat range play a factor in that porcelain fat/lean line?A follow Q would be does this also apply to boost thanks for your time sir?
Serious question . cross this over to a atv set up questioning the mid range with a adjustable needle . can the plug check still be done with a mid range chop ?
I finally understand thank you great info
Great informative video! Worthy to put in my like file.
Steve,
can you put that used plug you read back in and read it again and get an accurate reading? say on the dyne, make another hit, shut It down and be able to see your adjustment/tuning?
Great Video!
Thanks!
NICE, excellent video. Thank you
Steve do you follow the same guidelines for methanol?
It seems that pertaining to timing that it's basically centered around combustion temp. Or maybe I'm overlooking something
Does number of valves or the shape of the combustion chamber effect to plug coloring etc?
Awesome video
Thanks for the info!
Awesome SM!
Thanks for the solid info.
Very informative, thank you.
Steve, youre awesome man!!
Steve can you please tell us about header length etc, pulse frequency/scavenge for NA and boosted?