Funny
#1
Funny
I just ran into something I had never seen before. I was working on a snowblower. Just trying to do a "quickie" fix for a customer as we will most likely only have 1 or 2 more "plowable" storms this season.
Snowblower won't start. Pull the spark plug (FireSpark brand), gap is good, color looks good, connect wire, ground the end, pull the rope, nice blue spark. Pour an oz of gas down the plug hole, install the plug, pull the recoil, nothing. Repeat. Nothing.
Pull the plug. Wet. Blow it off, check it for spark-great spark. Install. Pull it over. Nothing. Compression is 80lbs. well lets try a new (champion)spark plug. Pull it over. Runs like a top!!!
Now I start looking over the FireSpark plug closer. Holding it upside down and looking thru a magnafing glass, it still looks good. Turn it right side up and look ove the insulation thru thr magnafing glass. No cracks-nothing. I put it down on the bench to answer the phone. I go back and look at it again with the magnafing glass while it is sitting on the bench and I see the problem. The insulator tip is up against the ground electrode. I pick it up to look at it upside down, and now the insulator is where it should be. Turn it as you would install it, the insulator drops down. First time I have ever seen this. Not really surprised since it is a cheap no name spark plug. And this is why a cheap spark plug is NO bargin!!
Snowblower won't start. Pull the spark plug (FireSpark brand), gap is good, color looks good, connect wire, ground the end, pull the rope, nice blue spark. Pour an oz of gas down the plug hole, install the plug, pull the recoil, nothing. Repeat. Nothing.
Pull the plug. Wet. Blow it off, check it for spark-great spark. Install. Pull it over. Nothing. Compression is 80lbs. well lets try a new (champion)spark plug. Pull it over. Runs like a top!!!
Now I start looking over the FireSpark plug closer. Holding it upside down and looking thru a magnafing glass, it still looks good. Turn it right side up and look ove the insulation thru thr magnafing glass. No cracks-nothing. I put it down on the bench to answer the phone. I go back and look at it again with the magnafing glass while it is sitting on the bench and I see the problem. The insulator tip is up against the ground electrode. I pick it up to look at it upside down, and now the insulator is where it should be. Turn it as you would install it, the insulator drops down. First time I have ever seen this. Not really surprised since it is a cheap no name spark plug. And this is why a cheap spark plug is NO bargin!!
Last edited by GregH; 03-10-10 at 06:15 PM.
#3
Ha! Yep, I've scratched my head over the same exact problem before. Doesn't happen often for sure.