Hotter spark plug

Bob Reineke · May 2, 2013

I have a 1941 farmall H which uses a autolite 3116 spark plug. Does any one no where I can find a hotter plug for this tractor. The champion crossed referance one is no hotter.

The Red · May 2, 2013

Bob I have had real good luck with AC 386 plugs. Got rid of all the Champions.

John T · May 2, 2013

Best I recall the Autolite 3116 is in the vicinity of the heat range around a 386 or hotter 388 Autolite. However its a non resistor plug I believe which Id especially recommend if you had a Magneto Ignition.

Other things which can help if fouling is a problem for which youre seeking a hotter plug is to use hotter thermostats (if a T stat tractor) or radiator air deflectors or shutters etc TO RAISE THE OPERATING TEMPERATURE,,,Dont run the carb richer then necessary,,,,,,,,Use wire core plug wires, keep the ignition well tuned.

John T

David G · May 2, 2013

I would agree with John T, warmer engine makes for less fouling.

I put thermostat in my H, runs much better.

old · May 2, 2013

Why do you want hotter??? Does it use a lot of oil or what?? You can only go so hot before doing so causes many other problems like holes burned in the pistons and or burnt valves.

Bob Reineke · May 2, 2013

OK thanks for the tip

Bob Reineke · May 2, 2013

Ok thanks for the info

Bob Reineke · May 2, 2013

OK thanks for your input

Bob Reineke · May 2, 2013

Ive tryed about everthing I can, and gas keeps fouling the plug once it runs a short time

rustyfarmall · May 2, 2013

(quoted from post at 13:36:58 05/02/13) Ive tryed about everthing I can, and gas keeps fouling the plug once it runs a short time

If the carburetor is set so rich that one plug is getting fouled, ALL of the plugs would be fouling.

I'm wondering if maybe the tractor does not get worked hard enough? Possibly the cylinders are all sooted up and it is a piece of that soot that comes loose, and THAT is what is fouling the plugs?

I will suggest starting it up, and then take it out and make it WORK. HARD. Put it on the road in 5th gear and pull the throttle back. Take it up and down a few hills. Don't stop until after the heat gauge has moved into the "run" zone.

Janicholson · May 2, 2013

I have substantial experience with single plug fowling. It has always been an issue with oil. Stuck rings and over oiling of the walls, or worn ring lands pumping oil up top where it fowls a plug, or moderately worn valve guides. The guides are nearly cost free to fix with umbrella seals under the retainers. and that should be task #1.
The other issues are rebuild time.
A warm engine that has been leaned (as you indicated earlier)Will vaporize fuel readily. Oil has both ash, and metallic compounds it it that are nearly invisible but conduct electricity down the center electrode fouling the plug. Jim

GRAPE-DRANK · May 2, 2013

You can use any spark plug you want. Richardson Engineering And Machining.

Sparkplugadapters.com

They have all the specs for Farmalls or whatever else.

Bob Reineke · May 2, 2013

Thanks

Bob Reineke · May 2, 2013

OK thanks I'll try that. It doesn't get worked hard
at all.

Bob Reineke · May 2, 2013

Thank you for that good information. I'll try what you suggest

old · May 2, 2013

Yep hard work maybe the ticket. You also might try a quart of ATF to say 3-5 gal of gas to help clean out carbon in the cylinders. Also when was the last time you cleaned the air cleaner oil tub and refilled it with new oil. I have seen so many of them that did not get serviced that they had water and so much dirt in them that the carb had to run rich

Bob Reineke · May 2, 2013

Thanks for the tip. The oil in the filter is clean just changed it recently.

GordoSD · May 2, 2013

Gas can't foul a plug. Oil or soot will foul one. What is on the plug? Black greasy residue or black carbon soot? And is it on ther electrode or the insulator?
You need to determine wheter you have a fuel probllem or an oil problem. Then go after that.

hoof print · May 2, 2013

3116 is a hot plug. Your probably running a little too rich

Bob Reineke · May 2, 2013

Its clear and wet and smells like gas. No soot or oil residue

gbs · May 2, 2013

does it smoke if so it's oil related a hotter plug or oil fowlers will help don't worry about getting ones that are to hot not likely to happen contrary to beliefs,we use to run a lot of 366 & 427 powered chevy trucks the boys at the shop would tune them up using the coldest plugs they could they would run worked fine on the road,but about 2 day's on the job idling and short trips they would start fowling plugs and skipping,i got to where i kept the highest heat range i could buy on the truck when one started acting up ,i'd replace them with the hot ones NEVER burned a piston but that stopped the fouling,if the trucks had been used on the road the colder ones would have been fine,if the plugs burn black there to cold,light brown,tan to grayish white ok,chalk white is to hot,when the 5/8 plugs came out i had a lot of problems with fouling using champion plugs,got better service from ac,best from autolite,don't want ngk in any thing motorcycle broke me from them

GordoSD · May 3, 2013

If it is clear and wet and smells like gas it is probably gas. But that plug is not fouled. It is wet because that cylinder is not firing.
Start the tractor, listen to it run. Now disconnect that "fouling plug" wire. Bet there isn't any differenc.
Now check for big blue spark on that plug. Got one?

Bob Reineke · May 3, 2013

It's NOT firing and has what looks like a strong spark but it's not blue. Iv'e checked the points the distributer cap, wire all looks good.

John M · May 3, 2013

Bob, pull the plug wire off just enough so that the metal end on the wire and the metal either on the cap or the plug end dont touch, say like 1/8 inch. See if it still does it. Im betting on a bad cap. Those cracks can be hard to see.

GordoSD · May 3, 2013

Replace the wire, replace the plug. Start new thread, "no fire one cylinder"

Indiana Ken · May 3, 2013

You stated you have checked the wires, distributor cap etc. I have had carbon tracks on coil towers and inside distributor caps, they are hard to see and inside the cap they can prevent firing on a single cylinder. I have had bad wires that looked good and actually checked good with a ohm meter. Checking the spark by pulling the wire and watching the spark jump to ground does not always mean it will fire inside the cylinder under compression.

If your other plugs look good, if it were me, I would replace the distributor cap, rotor and wires with new ones. If that does not fix the problem then I would look else where. Good luck.

Bob Reineke · May 3, 2013

Thanks for the info

Bob Reineke · May 3, 2013

OK I'll try that, thanks

300 dave · May 5, 2013

hi, my 2 cents- belated- you might want to check the rockers/valves etc,just quickly. make sure they are all working:correctly. I went through a similar hot plug quest on a 350U backhoe. It fouled #2, then other 3 within 2-3 hours. Turns out the woodruf key on the camshaft gear wallered out, and this also banged out the cam lobe,which wore a huge groove in the rocker arm shaft and bent the push rods. All this and she ran like a beast.
Dropped oil pan to check rod knock and decided to do complete overhaul. Then found all the other stuff.

Bob Reineke · May 5, 2013

Thanks

Hotter spark plug

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