hotter plugs in VAC?

Harold Evans · Aug 10, 2018

Greetings, fellow tractor collectors: I'm enjoying my VAC14 tractor as a pleasure ride and not as a work machine. As a result, the plugs sometimes become fouled with carbon because she never gets a good workout. I currently use Autolite 3116 plugs and was wondering if I should try using some spark plugs that are even hotter? I switched to these plugs a few years ago because they were a hotter plug than the ones I was using up to that time.

Now, I'm sure some of you have show tractors that don't ever get much of a workout. What do you do to keep the plugs in those tractors from fouling?

old · Aug 10, 2018

If it where me I would switch to a NGK plug that is a match of a grade or so hotter. I have found that the auto lite plugs do not hold up as well as they did in the past

Harold Evans · Aug 10, 2018

Thanks for your recommendation, old. I will do that, but how can I go about finding four of these that will fit my tractor? I'll try calling some auto parts stores to see if they can research which NGK plugs will replace an Autolite 3116.

L.Fure · Aug 10, 2018

Is it numbers 3 and 4 cylinder that are fouling? That seems to be common with these old tractors. I have had success with pulling the plug wire boot out so that the lead jumps an arc of about a quarter of an inch and leave it that way. Better plugs will also help. I acquired a bunch of Prestolite plugs that Case dealers sold back in the 60's. I put these in my 530 and 300 and haven't fouled a plug since.

buickanddeere · Aug 10, 2018

Problem is not the plugs . The problem is idling around an old worn engine with the coolant temperature below 195F.
Use some heavy straight weight low ash oil, raise the coolant temp and lean the mixture a little .

John Saeli · Aug 10, 2018

Harold: How's your plug wires? They need to be real copper core, not "silicone" or "radio suppression".

Joe (Wa) · Aug 10, 2018

Spark plug number cross-ref for Autolite 3116. click on any part nr for cross-ref to compatible plug number. My bookmarked heat range chart is "error 404"

Joe
http://www.sparkplug crossreference.com/convert/AUTOLITE/3116

old · Aug 11, 2018

My local O'Reilly's has no problem doing that for me but I also have been doing business with them for 38 years so they know me well land know I expect good service. If you cannot find the number let me know by e-mail and I will let you the info. If they where the auto lite 437 plug the NGK number would be 3112. But that if for Ford 8N and Ford 600/601/800/801 tractors

Harold Evans · Aug 11, 2018

Thank you for your suggestions. If you don't mind my ignorance on tractors (that's why I frequent this site - to learn), can you explain how a change of oil viscosity will affect the plugs? Does the
straight weight make the motor run hotter? Also, how can I make the radiator hotter without installing a different thermostat? I'd rather try other alternatives before I go to that trouble. Is this why some
tractors have adjustable louvres in front of the rad? Can I place a piece of cardboard in front of the fins? Adjusting the carb should be pretty simple and I do understand how that would affect the
temperature of the engine.

Thanks again for taking the time to educate me on old tractors.

Harold Evans · Aug 11, 2018

Thanks for your suggestion. Yes, the wires on my tractor were marked as those made for farm tractors. So, I'm sure they are correct. I've been aware of the difference between tractor wires and auto wires for quite some time now, so I'm sure I installed the correct ones many years ago. How would I know if they might need to be replaced? Would a good wire last more than a few years? Mine are probably four or five years old.

Harold Evans · Aug 11, 2018

Thanks for the link, Joe. I will print this list out and take it to my local parts store. I don't have much confidence that the young sales force there will know what I'm talking about. Few of them even recognize the names of my old tractors, and their computers don't usually have them in their databases.

kevinthefixer · Aug 11, 2018

(quoted from post at 15:25:38 08/11/18) How would I know if they might need to be replaced?

If you can see a problem, like cracked insulation or missing boots, replace them. If you can't see one but suspect a problem, use an ohmmeter on each one individually. Copper core wires should have <1 ohm resistance, resistor wires 1000-5000-ish, over 10K or so it's no good. Typically plug wire problems only affect one or two cylinders unless it's the coil wire.

If you really think you want your motor to run hotter, replace the thermostat. CARDBOARD? Really?

Installing hotter plugs is usually not a good idea. Higher combustion chamber temperatures can lead to pinging, valve problems, and/or engine overheating. You haven't said what kind of fouling you are having, could you post a pic of a fouled plug? Usually oil-fouling looks like a grey-white flaky buildup on the ceramic insulator inside the plug, while fuel fouling from a rich mixture is black soot, kind of powdery. English is not really set up for this, which is why I asked for a pic.

John Saeli · Aug 12, 2018

Harold: The best way to check wires is with a continuity tester. Or, move wires from plugs that foul to plugs that don't fowl, and see if the cyl's that didn't fowl before, now do.

hotter plugs in VAC?

Harold Evans

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old

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Harold Evans

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L.Fure

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buickanddeere

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John Saeli

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Joe (Wa)

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old

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Harold Evans

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