spark plug gap questions

[trader-ray]

I have problem that I can not find the answer to, the sticker on the hood says to gap the plugs at .028 and any of the stores or internet sites for plugs say to gap at .042. I am putting in the same plugs it came with and ran fine, they are a tad bit hotter plug, they are autolite 3924.
My Tracker is a 94, 1.6--16valve with a auto trans and is a 4x4 convertable. I am ready to go do this tune up but am held up right now on this. I am going to test the gap on the old ones and possible split the difference at 7 if no answers. It is between rain fall right now. thanks for any help...

[ranger88den]

Gap is 0.028" for factory specified plugs.

[trader-ray]

Thank you for your fast reply, I am using the autolite plugs, as I have always had good performance out of them. So I should use the Geo Specified gap? It is crazy that all the web sites say to use a .042 I thought cause it is a hotter plug or something. Thanks again.

[jtgh]

never believe any store or plug makers gap size.
heck they can even get the part nums right , who would they get data correct too.
?
would you guess this might be more accurate: from the OEM.
see attached,
i think this is the newest data on sparks for this era.

release data feb. 1996
note grandfathering of cars.

hope this helps.

[jtgh]

its a function of heat, of combustion /compression and spark current.
if gap is too wide it will misfire. (under load will be worse)

more modern cars have a even hotter (power) igntion and some run .050"

what you see , on these useless sites, is what I call data leak.
new car data leaking backwards , into older data. sad really.

always trust OE data.

in 1999 gap went to .040 , until 2002

[trader-ray]

I really hated to ask such a question but I thought the difference was to great not to ask. But let me tell everyone. The tracker ran fine but I wanted to winterize it. Well I thought it ran fine! The wires came off in mostly two pcs. and the plugs were clean but worn pretty good and were burnt out to a 45-50 gap. I did a few other things and I can not believe the difference in the power now. It is like day and nite. I am doing some other things tomorrow that are a preferance to me. I put in the red bulbs in the auto shifter handle and tomorrow I am taking the instument panel off and doing all red in it too. I love the looks.
I have a few other cars and my main car is a 06 Nissan Sentra Spec V. I ordered it off the internet, with all the things I wanted, waited 6 weeks for it. I love that car but I really feel the Tracker is so much more fun to drive PLUS I can tinker with it and do things I cant with the Nissan. Warrenty troubles suck. Anyways, I am doing the dash tomorrow and I need to get the modulater valve on as I dont want to do it in the snow.. Thanks for all the help, this is a great site.

[jtgh]

your right is easy and fun to work on .

hey, thanks for tip on red lamps, im going to try that.
even get those fancy with face gauge overlays.

cheers.

[trader-ray]

No problem on the red bulbs, they have several colors, and they are called mood lights on the package. 1.99 for 2 bulbs. Just to chat some, I have had a sticker that kind of came from the tv commercial about hemi engines, and it says, "Yea, It's a got a Hemi" I have that over the rear plate and I have had more laughs at that and comments and people actually pass me politely instead of laying on the horn. I guess they know I am giving it all it has..

[-Lawless]

Originally Posted by trader-ray

tomorrow I am taking the instument panel off and doing all red in it too. I love the looks.

I did that about two months ago and love it.
To throw things off a bit, I only changed out the two outer bulbs to red and took off the green bulb covers on the two middle bulbs. This gives it a red to white to red fade.

[trader-ray]

That is exactly what I did. I also bought so of that new plastix and cleaned the plastic inside and out and it is like there is no plastic there at all. A rainy day really helps for these projects. lol