MTFCA Forum

Folks,

A few weeks ago I got the T running for the first time in years. I only let it run a minute due to not having a radiator on right now. I pulled the plugs today and took pics of them. They don’t look like I expected from seeing pics of normal engine operation spark plugs.

I’ve read a few posts and such about looking at your plugs to determine what’s going on with the engine and will read again now that I’ve looked at mine. However, does anyone want to share their experience and say what the plugs look like to them? I don’t know if it’s a factor that the engine didn’t really get hot due to only running for a brief time. Maybe they’d look different in that case?

Thank you for your time,
Darin

Darin

running a little rich at idle, and maybe a litte oil blowby, but a minut of running makes for a bad comparison...

Show us again after you have the radiator on and it has to run up to temp a few times. Right now with that little bit of run time, would not tell us anything in the overall picture except maybe, a little extra oil in the cylinders from rebuilding and or a little rich, but again to early to really tell.

FWIW I've seen worse, but as both above said, looks a bit rich, once you've run it say a good 20 miles at typical highway speed then look at it. Adjust ur carb so that when you lean it down til it starts running "funky" at a slightly fast idle then turn to rich just a wee bit and go drive the crap out of it. Bet the plug will be clean. Number one plug tends to foul a bit more due to that cylinder being cooler from being so close to the fan.

Certainly does not look to bad at all. It is too early to tell though. Get her out and driver once you have it all put together. That will tell you the real story. It will also take time to see how well your carb and timer are all working. It is good to see another T on the road. Best of luck.

Here's my take on checking your spark plugs periodically: Don't do it. Makes me think of constantly checking the inside of the refrigerator to make sure the light went off. If the car runs fine then why do it. Plugs usually look inconsistent anyway. #1 is usually sootier than the rest as it runs a little richer than the others. If they look oily then maybe you're burning too much oil, which you probably would know already from the exhaust. If the look white & dry then maybe you're running too lean, which you should know by the anemic performance of the engine.

The unleaded gas with 10% alcohol does not burn plugs as light brown as you were used to in the days of lead. Black is more common, looking like they are running richer than they actually are. Plugs also short out more easily with the black coating on the porcelain. Switching the dead plug to a hot cylinder will often bring it back to life, allowing the coating to burn off. It may be a bit hard on a coil, but letting the plug sit and spark for a few seconds wil also burn the tip clean. Let it burn till the tip smokes.

Probably did not get hot enough to burn the carbon off the electrode. Check again after 100 miles. Make sure the mixture control is set correctly. Shut off the engine after traveling at normal speed and as you as soon as you stop. Don't let it idle. As others have said, if the engine is running OK the plugs are probably OK.

Not bad.
Never be afraid to adjust the carb setting and listen to him.

Duey, check your PM's. Plug looks ok.

As I always say, I'm no expert, but heres the #1 plug from my 25/26 Fordor after a good 500 miles since last check and cleaning. Earlier I was running it a bit richer, so leaned it down some and this is how it looks. #2 plug was even cleaner.