Pre smog (you MUST remember those days) cleaning the plugs was a fairly common
part of a tune up, even if you didn't replace the plugs. I remember doing that
as part of tune ups in Charlottesville in the early 60's when I worked at Fred's
66. We also held a light up to the air cleaner to see how dirty is was and
vacuumed the cars for free. In a university town full of partying students, that
part was hell.
Chip Brown
Bob Nogueira wrote:
> -- [ From: Bob Nogueira * EMC.Ver #3.1a ] --
>
> Okay while everyone is thinking sparks and such let me ask a question of the
> old timers .
> My sweet wife bought me an old Champion Spark Plug cleaning machine, the
> kind with a hole to stick the dirty plug and pressing a lever sand blasts
> the tip clean ( she didn't know what it was but " it looked like something
> that the Duchess might enjoy ")
> It works well but in using it I had a question come to mind. Given the cost
> of new plugs why would anyone want to clean an old one ? I mean the labor
> charge to clean the plugs has to be greater than the cost of buying a new
> plugs . Were plugs real expensive back in the good old days ?
> Secondly, part of this magic machine is a chamber to mount a plug ,
> pressurize the chamber and fire the plug . The only measuring tool attached
> is a pressure gauge but there is a mirror to see the plug fire.
> What is this feature all about ?
>
> Thanks
>
> Bob Nogueira '' who now doesn't feel all that old "
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