Just absolutely weird spark plug stuff


 
LMichaels

LMichaels

TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
So as many here know I'm moving towards all battery powered yard equipment (except of course no way I give up the mighty Kubota). So, I did end up selling my gas engine snow blower last week. Guy comes to view it, wants to see it run. I oblige. One tug and it fires right off. Like always. I demonstrate the functions, he's happy, has his brother come with pickup truck and off they go (only a couple miles from my house). They unload it, and he wants to demonstrate his new "treasure". He can't get it to run. Well yesterday I go tohis house to "demonstrate" how to run it, and I can't get it to run. I got gasoline coming out of the muffler, from trying, gas contaminating the engine oil. So I tell him bring on back, and if I can't get it to run, I'll return his $$$ and keep the machine.
I had a "hunch" so before he brought the machine over I went and bought a new spark plug. As I've seen s&*t like this twice before. Once on my Allis Chalmers garden tractor and once on that little Honda lawn tractor I had. On the Allis, I'd been out sweeping and chopping leaves, stopped it to take a break and get a leaf pile burning. Went back to the machine DOA. Refused to start. Pulled the plug, tested it. No spark.
Had a similar thing happen to the Honda. Out chopping up leaves the day before. Finished the task, put the machine away. Next day went out to do more of the same. Machine is coughing, sluggish, just not "right". Pulled it into the garage, cooled it down, pulled both spark plugs, checking compression and all is good. Plugs looked like new. Ran to store, bought some new ones, slapped them in, boom, fired up running like the finely tuned little machine most Honda engines are known for.
So this is the 3rd time (all 3 BTW) at same time of year and under same circumstances. Spark plug(s) ok one minute DOA the next.
 
That is pretty strange. I've never had that happen before, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I'm glad you figured it out without too much aggravation.
 
Agreed, rather odd. Don't think I've ever seen a spark plug fail like that. Having said that, I probably go get a spare plug for the snowblower, even though I run ethanol free gas and run it dry every time (fuel shutoff.) Both the snowblower and the lawnmower are 15 years ago, and start easily (knock wood.)
 
Yeah, I buy ethanol free as well. Only because it stores a little better than with "juice". If I used enough fuel to need multiple cans throughout the year, I would not bother with E free. Not worth the expense or trouble to find it. Most stations around here (save for Costco and Quick Trip) are in the lower $3.+ range. Costco and QT about $2.85. In any case it would not make any difference in spark plug life.
I can't help but wonder if the vibrations of small engines ruin them quicker. Like in the case of the Allis that thing was a 40 cu in single cylinder. That big one lunger had to give the plug a beating.
 
I just do not burn enough fuel in small engines to buy anything but ethanol free gas, I can't remember the last time I burned 3 gallons in a year. The station less than half a mile away has a dedicated pump for it.

You may be on to something with the vibration theory. It may also be heat cycling in an air cooled engine. FWIW, your Allis engine is nearly the same exact displacement as a Suzuki 650 Savage (single cylinder.) The joke used to be that you could use a #10 juice can as a piston in a pinch.
 
JKalchik said:
I just do not burn enough fuel in small engines to buy anything but ethanol free gas, I can't remember the last time I burned 3 gallons in a year. The station less than half a mile away has a dedicated pump for it.

You may be on to something with the vibration theory. It may also be heat cycling in an air cooled engine. FWIW, your Allis engine is nearly the same exact displacement as a Suzuki 650 Savage (single cylinder.) The joke used to be that you could use a #10 juice can as a piston in a pinch.
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I used to go through a lot of gasoline around the house. What with that old Allis, and basically everything I owned being gasoline fueled. Heck the Allis could run through over a gallon to 2 on one yard work foray. Whereas the Kubota just sips diesel. Still having most of a 5 gal container left from last year! Really amazing how it just sips it. So back when I was going through 15 gallons or more per summer I still have most of a 2.5 gal container leftover from last year. So now it pays to buy the E free fuel. But when you burn through it fast I found no difference in performance or service life by spending the extra $$$ on it. I think a lot of issues blamed on it are over blown or caused by something else. But that's just me
 
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