HOW TO: Index Your Spark Plugs

[Vadim]

How to: Index Your Spark Plugs

-Overview-

Why do this? Indexing your spark plugs can improve the burn efficiency, thus giving a little better performance and MPG increases.
How does it work? By positioning the open gap towards the intake valves so that they can ignite the Fuel to Air ratio right as they come in.

Please take a look at these examples. (Courtesy of www.pulstarplug.com)

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...27&hl=en&emb=1

As you can see the ground electrode is blocking the fuel expansion, you want it to hit the freshly entered fuel, not the exhaust side where some exhaust gases are still left over.

There are a few ways to improve the spark location, Side Gaping or Indexing. Even with side gaping I would still index them for a more efficient burn.

Originally Posted by CarBibles.com

Now I know a spark is a spark, and any spark in a fuel-air environment is going to make it burn, but if the spark is facing the intake valves, then there's nothing obstructing the mixture from getting at it. In thousandths of a second, this does actually make a difference to your burn efficiency.

You can read more about it here, in the "Keying your spark plugs" section.


-Tools Required-

• Ratchet
• Spark Plug Head for the Ratchet
• Permanent Marker
• 14mm Indexing Washers (I used Moroso 71910 ones that I got of eBay) - This one is not necessarily required.

-There is Two Ways of Doing This-

1. Using what you have (easiest and quickest way) - This method is suggested for our engines.
You can simply find the best index by trying out different plugs in every cylinder and seeing which one would give you the best index.

2. Using special washers designed for indexing - This method didn't work any better then the first one with our engines.
What happens with this method is, you replace the washers that came with the spark plugs with special indexing spark plugs. There are three different thicknesses of the washers, thus they adjust the index as needed by you.

Knowing issue with this method on our engines is, if you have the spark plugs too low, the piston WILL hit it and make a pinging noise! Another issue is if you lift the spark plug too much out of the cylinder, it will not deliver as good of a spark.

In my opinion, save your money and just go with the method number 1.



-Getting Started-
Method 1

1. Take your spark plugs out and find the ground electrode and where it connects to the base of the spark plug. What you want to do is take the permanent marker and draw a line that you will be able to see from the top.
NOTE Only use a marker. Do not use a pencil! The graphite in the pencil can conduct electricity!




2.Try fitting the spark plug and try to get the black mark as close to 6 O'clock, if it is way off, try a different plug or a different cylinder.


3. Reset your ECU so that it can start adjusting to the new spark plug setup. Within a week your car should feel much better. You can reset the ECU by keeping the negative terminal unplugged for about 20 minutes.



Method 2 - Picking up right after you have marked the ground electrode on the Spark Plug.

1. Take off the washer from the Spark Plug, you will be using washers on it anyway

2. Take the spark plug to your car and fit it into the spark plug. Tighten the spark plug and see where the mark shows.




3. Put a washer on the spark plug, and try fitting it and tighten it.

Washers:





4. You will have to keep on doing that until you have reached our goal, making the black mark face the exhaust valves.
NOTE Sometimes you will have to just pick up a different spark plug and work with it. This is usually the case if you require to use more then one washer.




5. Thats it, now you probably will not end up with a perfect index every single time, so if you will have to try a different washer, etc. Well the only problem is, the washers don't really stay on the plugs and will end up in the spark plug hole...



There is a quick and easy way to fish them out though






6. Reset your ECU so that it can start adjusting to the new spark plug setup. Within a week your car should feel much better. You can reset the ECU by keeping the negative terminal unplugged for about 20 minutes.


Onto the Dyno numbers...
Now unfortunately I do not have a graph for the non-gaped plugs that were just indexed, but I received 2whp by just indexing, then 5whp more by side gaping.

[Benito Malito]

Nice write up. 2 things I'd add. You don't want to be using 5 series you want 6 on any SR20. 7 series for turbo.

I use a little telescoping magnet to go fishing in the plug holes.

So did you get better fuel economy or hp or anything?

[Vadim]

Originally Posted by Benito Malito

Nice write up. 2 things I'd add. You don't want to be using 5 series you want 6 on any SR20. 7 series for turbo.

I use a little telescoping magnet to go fishing in the plug holes.

So did you get better fuel economy or hp or anything?

These are special kind of plugs, so they need to be the 5 series. As in they are not only Iridium, they are also special in a different way hehe

Magnets will work too, but not on the copper gasket, which is the smallest one.

I did this yesterday, so will see in couple weeks, the car felt great, esp at higher RPM's it just kept on pulling strong

[Dustin]

you had me confused in the other thread with the position of the dots.. I've always used the tip of the electrode to mark the dot, not the back.. I thought you did it backwards or something..

I've also never used those indexing washers, I've always just had some copper washers that worked perfect. I may have to pick a set up.

BTW: I just replaced my plugs over the weekend with NGK G power plats.. I was going to go with the cheapest NGKs they had, but they didn't have the standard coppers.. My car had IR's in it which looked like a normal burn, but man.. It's picked up a bit, still getting bad gas mileage though.

[Vadim]

Haha yeah, I've seen couple ways to make the marks for indexing... I stuck to marking the ground electrode because when I was indexing the Bosch +2, it was way easier to mark the ground electrodes then to mark the open spaces

I couldn't find any regular washers around the house, so I was like fine I'll spend $20 on something descent

So wait the Iridium's made the car pick up pretty well?

[Dustin]

Originally Posted by CovertRussian

Haha yeah, I've seen couple ways to make the marks for indexing... I stuck to marking the ground electrode because when I was indexing the Bosch +2, it was way easier to mark the ground electrodes then to mark the open spaces

I couldn't find any regular washers around the house, so I was like fine I'll spend $20 on something descent

So wait the Iridium's made the car pick up pretty well?

no, I used G power platinums. The old plugs were iridiums, and looked to be in good condition, but the car is noticeably smoother.

[Vadim]

Ahhh I see, I heard that Platinums were worse at conductivity then the regular ones, so I just ended up getting Iridiums

[daxx]

Indexing, I was looking into this the other day. Good stuff. Others say that indexing towads the ex is better some times. Since you want the combustion process to evacuate towards the ex the fastest way. I also see that having it towards the IN creates a cleaner/faster burn since the ground electrode is not in the way.

OT: seems with the pulstar plug you wont need a aftermarket ign amplifier.

[Dudeman258]

Thats really cool, I cannot believe I have never seen this before. A great small project to do. Appreciate your time to write this up!


Dudeman

[Asleep]

and people say that domestic and import tricks arent the same.
classic example of old school hot rod know-how.
great write up, ive wanted to do this since i used to race volkswagens in the early 90's and never got around to it. i may try it on my sr and ka-t now too.

[Vadim]

Originally Posted by daxx

Indexing, I was looking into this the other day. Good stuff. Others say that indexing towads the ex is better some times. Since you want the combustion process to evacuate towards the ex the fastest way. I also see that having it towards the IN creates a cleaner/faster burn since the ground electrode is not in the way.

OT: seems with the pulstar plug you wont need a aftermarket ign amplifier.

Interesting idea of having it towards the exhaust valves... that could possibly be the case too?

I do find the Pulstar Pulse Plugs interesting... they cost a little too much though

I did pay $16 per plug for my plugs. I bought the Iridium IX ones, with a Sonic Sound hole, that supposable helps break down the gas... More info on the plugs can be found here

Originally Posted by Dudeman258

Thats really cool, I cannot believe I have never seen this before. A great small project to do. Appreciate your time to write this up!


Dudeman

The first time I've seen this was on the CarBibles.com, it got me interested so I started to researching it more and think even if it gives you a little HP, it's worth it, esp for NA

No problem, my job is to spread the joy amongst the community

Originally Posted by Asleep

and people say that domestic and import tricks arent the same.
classic example of old school hot rod know-how.
great write up, ive wanted to do this since i used to race volkswagens in the early 90's and never got around to it. i may try it on my sr and ka-t now too.

Interesting! I think we should look at any tricks and try them on our cars, I mean what do we have to loose?

Next trick will be Side gapping, that trick has been in use since the 1950's, so will see if it's any good for our cars

[Vadim]

Now one thing though with using indexing washers, you will be changing the distance of the spark plug, how low it is sitting inside the cylinder that is... That may or may not be a good thing hehe.

I heard that there are the longer spark plugs, and that using them in our SR's is not a good idea, because they might get cough by the Piston...

Right now I indexed my plugs on two sets of washers, the original ones and the Indexing ones. I will then try to get rid of the original washers and just use Indexing ones. Will see which setup our SR's like more

[Benito Malito]

I dunno man. Fancy plugs always end up being snake oil in SR20s. We have a heck 'uvan ignition from the factory. I pay $.99 for coppers and swap them every second oil change.

Originally Posted by daxx

Indexing, I was looking into this the other day. Good stuff. Others say that indexing towads the ex is better some times. Since you want the combustion process to evacuate towards the ex the fastest way. I also see that having it towards the IN creates a cleaner/faster burn since the ground electrode is not in the way.

OT: seems with the pulstar plug you wont need a aftermarket ign amplifier.

I wonder which direction you would want to index them for turbo cars. Boost can blow out a spark if you are incorrectly gapped.


ed; Don't get me wrong Vadim. I am intrigued and interested in your efforts.

[Vadim]

No worries Benito Malito, you do bring a good point, boost could possibly put out the spark...

I agree about most plugs being snake oil, not only in SR's. What shocks me is the fact that my Bosch +2 plugs, even though are very frowned upon in our community, work better then NGK's do in my car. At least gas mileage wise. I'm hoping the Iridium NGK's can beat them while being indexed though

[venom2727]

so whats the verdict of this ? doe sit work >?