Side Gapping Spark Plugs

[mensoft]

Hi All,

Has anyone done this ?

http://performanceunlimited.com/documents/plugsidegapping.html

is it really works Side Gapping Spark Plugs ?

[MasterDon]

My mechanic used to do this before I went on a trackday.Bugger used to pull the electrode so far sideways and split it.Yes the car felt somewhat smoother and a little bit more powerful(might be placibo)...but since I switched to multi points and iridiums there was no need for that anymore...

[Rumesh88]

It works to the extent that you achieve when you replace your standard plug with an iridium, a platinum or a multi-electrode spark plug but with a trade off. The idea is that when you have a small area of the center electrode (point on the top circumference of the center electrode closest to the top electrode) exposed to the shortest path between the two electrodes for the ignition voltage, it produces a more consistent and predictable spark. Then why don't OEMs do it? The small area of the center electrode gets wasted away in a short time requiring you to re-gap the plug often unless the center electrode is made with a special materiel. This is why OEMs have resorted to iridium or platinum center electrodes when making it thin and pointed. Side gapping is good for ad hoc racing applications (I didn't mean F1 class) and perhaps for your weekly runner but IMO not for your daily runner.

Edit: In case if you want to try this out, never use an abrasive wheel to cut the top electrode as explained in the web link given above. The particles trapped inside the plug will eventually fall to your cylinder surface and shorten its life.

Edited May 26, 2014 by Rumesh88