'32 4CYL Engine with high compression - Spark Plug Advise Please

[sandbug]

Hello,

Looks like even though this is not a fathead, it is a 1932 4CYL B Engine.

It has a Snyder 6:1 high compression cast iron head, Weber carb, FSI Ignition, Red's exhaust headers and smitty exhaust muffler. 12 Volts, negative ground. I was getting pre-detonation knock on late 2nd gear, and third gear, and now that I am putting in 91 octane, it is not doing the banging anymore. I'm also adding a lead additive, and Mystery oil on fill ups.

I was running Champion W16 Y plugs and they seem to be okay, but what spark plugs would be best for my setup? Thanks!

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[Dan McEachern]

Bigger question is what is your timing set at. The ping could well be that you are running with too much total spark advance.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by sandbug

Hello,

Looks like even though this is not a fathead, it is a 1932 4CYL B Engine.

It has a Snyder 6:1 high compression cast iron head, Weber carb, FSI Ignition, Red's exhaust headers and smitty exhaust muffler. 12 Volts, negative ground. I was getting pre-detonation knock on late 2nd gear, and third gear, and now that I am putting in 91 octane, it is not doing the banging anymore. I'm also adding a lead additive, and Mystery oil on fill ups.

I was running Champion W16 Y plugs and they seem to be okay, but what spark plugs would be best for my setup? Thanks!

[Randall]

I've had good results with autolite 3076

[sandbug]

When I put it altogether, I sent the distributor to FSI so they could set the curve. It’s somewhere at 25 deg @ 2000 RPM.

[Dan McEachern]

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Ok, so the distributor itself will advance around 25 degrees, but the total depends on what you are setting the initial advance at, as the total is the initial timing plus the centrifugal advance in the distributor. Most find that 25 degrees total is just about what most motors like, so you really need to know more about what your initial (static) timing is being set to.

[J Franklin]

Just retard the spark a tad until you get no more pinging. The plugs look fine. I set my gap a bit closer (In model A) to .025, but I think that is the setting for a B engine.

[drolston]

Old school/shade tree approach.

I prefer to time my V8 by ear, as that accounts for everything, including fuel, altitude, compression, etc. Sounds like you need to retard the spark so that you can accelerate hard on regular gas with little or no ping/spak knock. On the B engine, the upper plate may be moved to advance or retard the initial timing to suit conditions. Each hash mark on the screw tab is equal to 2 crankshaft degrees. Move the plate clockwise to advance the timing, and counter-clockwise to retard the timing.
Try retarding the spark by one mark (2 degrees). Then take it out and floor it in second gear. If no knock, you are done. If still some pinging, retard another 2 degrees and try again. Until you get little or no pinging on the fuel that you regularly use (no reason for anything over 87 octane).