What to do...

[Frankenchevy]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but R44t is one step colder than you’d want for a stock engine from this era. Probably not critical, but I believe R45 is the heat range you want.

 

[Rusty Nail]

I concur yet pretty sure 44s were OE.
I dont believe thats it either.


I really am not familiar enough with his troubles to comment, I havent been following to close. Will check back later I got some more notifications to check but I suspect the install.
I bet u got a loose plug(s).

 

[Snoots]

I run R46TS gapped at .045 with NO problems.

 

[Rusty Nail]

My money is on at least one cracked insulator.
Better pull them plugs back out and I bet you check the gap this time..
thats all. something u just got done touchin.

 

[Frankenchevy]

I run R46TS gapped at .045 with NO problems.

Which is even hotter yet. Helps keep them clean, right?

 

[80BrownK10]

Yea the plug heat range is just side conversation here. OP don't worry about this too much. They just won't clean up as well and of there the other way and too hot you could get mis fire of dieseling BUT your no where near an extreme and don't need to worry.

I agree it's something you touched would be my guess. Could you have bumped a loose distributor and changed the timing? Cap not secured down tight? Plug wires not in the right spot? Bad plug , or cracked insulators?

 

[Rusty Nail]

*45

R45TS in my chebbies but I have recently backed off of .045 gap after an easy decade and went back to .035, regardless of how "hot" I think the ignition parts are or claim to be.

Not sure how that's doin yet - will advise.
Not convinced I like it though, .040 may beckon the call.

damn jukebox!

I don't even LIKE PANTERA.

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heat range indicates duration of spark, not the actual temperature

 

[thecantaloupeman]

Yes. The Arctic Silver is just better.
These modules also need the electrical connection to ground through the bottom (or mounting screws) to the dizzy. Silver lowers the resistance for that connection which reduces heat.

Does it have to be silver or could I buy any thermal compound? I know they use it for computers. Thermaltake makes some and Corsair I think. Lots of computer part companies. Does anyone have any experience with the other brands? It’s a nice day to work on my truck today and this paste from amazon comes on Friday.


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[Snoots]

Use it.
Just a thin coat is all that's needed. Don't goop it on.

 

[Frankenchevy]

heat range indicates duration of spark, not the actual temperature

I thought it had to do with the insulator nose length, which in turn dictates how fast or slow heat is transferred to the cylinder head...

 

[Snoots]

Found this:

The operating temperature of a spark plug is the actual physical temperature at the tip of the spark plug within the running engine. This is determined by a number of factors, but primarily the actual temperature within the combustion chamber.
There is no direct relationship between the actual operating temperature of the spark plug and spark voltage.
However, the level of torque currently being produced by the engine will strongly influence spark plug operating temperature because the maximum temperature and pressure occurs when the engine is operating near peak torque output (torque and RPM directly determine the power output).

The temperature of the insulator responds to the thermal conditions it is exposed to in the combustion chamber but not vice versa. If the tip of the spark plug is too hot it can cause pre-ignition leading to detonation/knocking and damage may occur. If it is too cold, electrically conductive deposits may form on the insulator causing a loss of spark energy or the actual shorting-out of the spark current.

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A spark plug is said to be "hot" if it is a better heat insulator, keeping more heat in the tip of the spark plug. A spark plug is said to be "cold" if it can conduct more heat out of the spark plug tip and lower the tip's temperature. Whether a spark plug is "hot" or "cold" is known as the heat range of the spark plug. The heat range of a spark plug is typically specified as a number, with some manufacturers using ascending numbers for hotter plugs and others doing the opposite, using ascending numbers for colder plugs.

 

[Rusty Nail]

uh huh.
@Frankenchevy ...yessir, some ****...
higher numbers burn longer for more ignition advance.
the letters are the tip/ insulator style or whatever. Some other difference.
I can remember the R45TS used to be something different, it wasnt always them letters because WE used to run different plugs and by we I mean every reader of this thread, but whenever that change happened I already knew that it was the plug I wanted to run at +1000 feet in a SBC. So I just started using the new number t45ts..
The engine didnt change, what they call the spark plugs DID, however. Aluminum heads are different.
You don't remember when platinum plugs busted onto the scene and disrupted that entire industry?
I was working at Andy Granatelli's Tune-Up Masters around then.

So?

So it's no different than H-Pipe location or how long of a header collector is best...not any different really.

If you can't fix a Honda, you ain't much of an auto mechanic. Youknowwhatimsayin?
Pretty much all the same. There are many.

In most applications haha...our 30-40year old trucks probably have the right ones in em already lmao. Indexing aint gonna make a crap light to light even if it does add one horsepower. WASTING TIME costs money.
If you live in a colder climate , or use forced induction/power adders, you'll need a colder range (often smaller number) spark plug because less ignition timing and lower operating temps.

But reallly it aint gon make much a sh*t.
As long as you run SBC iron heads the TS tip is what u want.
BUT , for example, the aluminum Corvette heads for the Camaro use a 43 some other tip letters because the spark plug length and its colder because aluminum. it gots an L.
Whatever. it's a square. I'm too tired to argue again over $10 worth of spark plugs lmmfao.

 

[SirRobyn0]

Okay update here: I was driving to work this morning and let it warm up a while. The first time I stopped at a light it stumbled upon accelerating and had almost no power. Did it at every light after that. This problem seems to be worsened by the cold. Now I’m not so sure it’s the ignition module.


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Sorry about not commenting sooner, we had a big storm here and I was without power for 7 days. If you haven't put the module on yet please do so then you can at least eliminate that. When it was acting up how was the idle? I'm starting to wonder if you have a fuel issue going on too.

As for heat ranges, various incarnations of the 350 called for 44's. 45's, or 46's, often dictated by emissions equipment or lack there off. The funny thing is most non-emission 350's called for 44's the coldest plug, cat equipped trucks usually 45's or 46's. I'd say run what it calls for, unless there is a reason to change. If unknown what it should run start with 44's, a colder plug my foul easier, but to hot of a plug could cause pinging, run on.

Guy's I doubt one cracked plug insulator would cause "almost no power", his symptoms sound more severe than one cylinder. But since your still having issues it's probably best to put them out, inspect and gap. You maybe able to get a clue by looking at any deposits left on the plugs.

 

[thecantaloupeman]

Sorry about not commenting sooner, we had a big storm here and I was without power for 7 days. If you haven't put the module on yet please do so then you can at least eliminate that. When it was acting up how was the idle? I'm starting to wonder if you have a fuel issue going on too.

As for heat ranges, various incarnations of the 350 called for 44's. 45's, or 46's, often dictated by emissions equipment or lack there off. The funny thing is most non-emission 350's called for 44's the coldest plug, cat equipped trucks usually 45's or 46's. I'd say run what it calls for, unless there is a reason to change. If unknown what it should run start with 44's, a colder plug my foul easier, but to hot of a plug could cause pinging, run on.

Guy's I doubt one cracked plug insulator would cause "almost no power", his symptoms sound more severe than one cylinder. But since your still having issues it's probably best to put them out, inspect and gap. You maybe able to get a clue by looking at any deposits left on the plugs.

So I took apart the distributor and check this out. That module looks old as hell. Everything is super dirty too. I bought some electric parts cleaner to clean it out a bit and my arctic silver came too. How does everything else look though?

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[legopnuematic]

Your mechanical advance weight bushings look completely worn out, like haven't been in existence since Reagan and Bush was in office.

They should be tight on the posts like these.

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Not egg shaped like these.

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