Spark plug cleaning

[76zimmer]

I have re-used a couple sets of plugs, for my motorcycle, and Vette. I sandblast them at work for nuttin'. Physically the plugs look great but maybe running a little on the rich side, so I clean them up and keep them for the next change or keep them in the saddle bags for a spare set.
Any one experienced any drawbacks to doing this?

 

[Element]

Since new ones only cost $1.75 each, I've never kept the old ones. The electrode will slowly erode and wear down, so simply cleaning them off won't "fix" them, as it were.

 

[76zimmer]

Well these plugs only get 5-10K on them....and the electrodes actually have the squared off look to them still, like I said they physically look great, including the porcelain. I just make sure they are blown out good with compressed air, put a little anti sieze on them and run em.

 

[dyeager535]

If they look fine, they are. At least the wear portions. If the internals/ceramic are messed up (and they are quite fragile actually) you'd likely not know it by looking.

Also, any sort of abrasive could be looked at as a bad idea, as any that doesn't come off when you clean it, will come off inside the engine.

I did it when I had an engine that burned oil on a cylinder, but with a good engine, they shouldn't need cleaning. If it's bad enough to need the plugs cleaned, you probably aren't going to hurt it much re-using plugs.

 

[Thunder]

Cleaning spark plugs is a waste of time. Why bother? They are cheap. Just buy some . You can clean all you want.. Spark plugs wear out on the inside. As they get older heat effects the metals on the inside of the plug increasing resistance and weakening the spark. All the cleaning in the world will not help that.

 

[1979jimmy350]

i clean the ones for my harley, it likes to run rich somtims and fouls the plugs out, so i just heat them up with a propane torch and burn off the carbon build up and they are as good as new