Karl McColl
Well-known member
Has anybody used the HF media spark plug cleaner? I need something to clean up fouled race plugs. Breaks my heart (and wallet) to throw out $35 plugs.
cleaning plugs
- Thread starter Karl McColl
- Start date
Karl McColl
Well-known member
I'm trying to improve on the wire brush and emory paper technique I use on my mower plug.
Karl McColl
Well-known member
Gotta blow em out before they go back into the motor.
Karl McColl":fz9fj0ns said:
I was always told to never use sand/silica or glass bead on anything that goes inside the motor because no matter how hard blow it off or clean it, the sand/silica or glass beads can embed itself in aluminum and the porcelain on the spark plugs. The soda and walnut shells are soft and break up or burn up inside the motor. The silica or glass bead will not.
Matt Blehm
Moderator
this is why I run $2.59 NGK coppers. dirty? fouled? showing some wear? chunk 'em!
Paul Pineider
Well-known member
Jesse diagnosed my fouled plugs from 150 yards away at HPR. He told me to get a Northern tool or similar spark plug cleaner. He said he had a mult-step process that started with a media blaster style cleaner. Hopefully he will share that with us when he comes down from his two wins at HPT!
JessePrather
Well-known member
Hate to tell you this Ron but I've been using glass beaded cleaned plugs forever. My dad still does this process after about 35 years of racing. Here's the process:
Glass bead the entire tip of the plug and especially down inside at the bottom of the porcelin. When you've completely cleaned all debris, carbon, etc., take them out and go right into the solvent tank. Soak and clean inside and out of the entire plug completely. Then I blow them out with compressed air. Next I put them in the sink and use a hose on them with water. Blow them out again. Lastly, I use brake clean inside and out very completely and blow out again. This is what I have always done and it works great. I don't throw away plugs until they start to show some actual wear on the tip, usually a year or two of running.
Good luck!
Glass bead the entire tip of the plug and especially down inside at the bottom of the porcelin. When you've completely cleaned all debris, carbon, etc., take them out and go right into the solvent tank. Soak and clean inside and out of the entire plug completely. Then I blow them out with compressed air. Next I put them in the sink and use a hose on them with water. Blow them out again. Lastly, I use brake clean inside and out very completely and blow out again. This is what I have always done and it works great. I don't throw away plugs until they start to show some actual wear on the tip, usually a year or two of running.
Good luck!
Karl McColl
Well-known member
Thanks all.
I've been glass (silica) bead blasting spark plugs for many, many years.
Be careful and don't over linger, best to use old/used media in clean blasting systen (never exposed to paints or plastics). Knowing that residual grit may by left behind I always use a hot solvent ultrasonic bath (like laquer thinner) to remove residual grit ... this is a must to clear tight spaces. Final clean is solvent (like electronic cleaner ... no residue) followed with directed compressed air blast dry.
Microscope inspection under UV light shows no insulator or electrode damage and no residue, with even tiny electrodes.
I wouldn't use with plated electrodes.
Be careful and don't over linger, best to use old/used media in clean blasting systen (never exposed to paints or plastics). Knowing that residual grit may by left behind I always use a hot solvent ultrasonic bath (like laquer thinner) to remove residual grit ... this is a must to clear tight spaces. Final clean is solvent (like electronic cleaner ... no residue) followed with directed compressed air blast dry.
Microscope inspection under UV light shows no insulator or electrode damage and no residue, with even tiny electrodes.
I wouldn't use with plated electrodes.
Aircraft mechanics also commonly media blast airplane engine plugs. I agree totally with the need to clean out the grit thoroughly, and also agree that not using this on aluminum pistons etc is a good idea, but there is nothing soft on a spark plug for the grit to embed itself into. Race plugs do seen to have some pretty tight recesses though.
Karl McColl":lnkkx48i said:
Bought one yesterday on sale for $9.99. I was disappointed with the results. Used the recommended 90psi max setting and blasted for a good minute or so with both settings on the HF unit. The plug did not come out nearly as clean as I would have expected. Ended up using carb cleaner and a wire brush to finish them. I'm thinking about buying some different media?
Randy Canfield
Well-known member
I've been using one for years. Mine, and maybe all of them, works much better in the horizontal position. I just clamp the hose end in a bench vise with a slight upward tilt so as to not spill too much abrasive. It also seems to work better on 3/4" reach plugs if they are only inserted about half way and rotated while blasting. Maybe 4 -5 seconds blast in each position. It does leave a bunch of abrasive in the plug and on the threads, so I just hose each plug off with directed brake clean, then blow for several seconds with an air gun. For me it is far quicker than firing up my bead blaster.