Allan, et Listers,
You guess right that "indexing" means pointing all the plugs in the right
direction. So what is the "right" direction? As I think you see from Tim's
post, down - i.e., towards the top of the piston is the best direction. I
have no idea if this is just generally the right direction, or whether
perhaps pointing a bit toward the intake might be even better. However,
unless you hand pick the plugs, some may end up with the gap pointing
toward the combustion chamber wall, or whatever is the worst orientation.
Maybe some others on the List with dyno testing experience can comment on
what's the best orientation for Windsor heads and how much effect it has.
Being a dyed-in-the-wool experimentalist, I'd just love to get my hands on
a dynamometer and start doing systematic tests to get answers to questions
like this. But there's an awful lot of parameters involved in even the
simplest test, so it would be very time consuming to do it right. From what
I've heard from Tim and others ore-or-less anecdotally, variations in plugs
regarding brand, orientation, etc. are on the order of 1% effects, so
probably aren't something most casual drivers would worry about. However,
when lot's of bucks are involved based on differences of inches after 500
miles of racing, then 1% starts to sound real important. Also, since a lot
of manufacturers are installing 100k mi plugs in new cars, a 1% effect
might be worth the effort in this case too.
I can say that from now on, with the Tiger, I am going to start "indexing"
my plugs; especially if I decide to spend over $50 for a set of those
super-bitchin NASCAR NGK's that Bill Martin is using.
Well Allan, TTFN,
Bob
At 03:41 PM 6/3/99 -0700, Allan Connell, Jr. wrote:
>Tim and the List,
>
>To quote Forest Gump, quoting his Mom: "Stupid is as stupid does."
>
>That aside, when you talke about "indexing plugs," does that mean that you
>try and get them so that the electrode is pointing in the same direction?
>For instance, the contact bar over the electrode points fore and aft??
>
>Thanks for the clarification. BTW, welcome aboard Tim!
>
>Clueless in Sandyeggo (sorry Bob....)
>
>Allan
>
Bob Palmer
UCSD, AMES Dept.
rpalmer@ames.ucsd.edu
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