how critical is the spark plug gap setting? i can not remember the last time i changed plugs or changed the gear oil on this motor, but i did so just a rew days ago even though i have had no trouble with the engine starting or running for the last 5 or 6 years.
the gear oil looked ok, not cloudy, found a few very small metal chunks, and when i measured the amount drained it was very close to the amount indicated in the manual. I pumped the unit full of 90 w outboard gear oil, replaced the plug, and all went ok.
the fuel filter looked fine. All the lines, rubber fuel line, steering cables, etc. all look clean and nice.
when i went to autozone to get replacement plugs , NGK B8HS, they only had ONE PLUG !!!. I need two for the Mariner. They said that they had a Champion that cross indexed as a replacement if i wanted to try it. They also found another Autozone that had 9 of the type i needed, so I went to the other autozone. Turns out they did have some NGK B8HS plugs, but only had 1 of the Champion replacements. I decided to get two sets of the NGK's, since they seem to be in short supply, as do the replacement Champions. Other people with this same engine may run into this same situation.
The original plugs look fine. clean, no carbon, and both autozones said replacing them was fine, but that just a good wire brushing would be fine, and just put them back in. But I want to put new ones in any way.
And so here is my problem. The manual says the plugs should be gapped at .024 inches. I measured the gap on both of the plugs i just took out, and they both measure .034 inches. This seems like a big big difference to me.
i am no mechanic and have not done any auto work since I had a 1949 plymouth.. they were easy to change plugs and do some work on, but I have not done that kind of stuff for a long long time. However, spark plugs have not changed a lot in 50 years. getting to them in these new cars and trucks in the problem. My question is, how has the Mariner been running so well for the last five years or so if the spark plug gap is .034 instead of the recommended .024.
I am going to gap them at .024 and see how it runs, but I am just curious about the large difference in the gap and whether anyone else has run into that.
Also wanted to point out to others looking for used motors that I personnaly experienced the fact that spark plugs for Mariners of that vintage may be going to be in short supply.
I would appreciate any comments on the spark plug issue before I install the new plugs. Thanks for any help..jwl
the gear oil looked ok, not cloudy, found a few very small metal chunks, and when i measured the amount drained it was very close to the amount indicated in the manual. I pumped the unit full of 90 w outboard gear oil, replaced the plug, and all went ok.
the fuel filter looked fine. All the lines, rubber fuel line, steering cables, etc. all look clean and nice.
when i went to autozone to get replacement plugs , NGK B8HS, they only had ONE PLUG !!!. I need two for the Mariner. They said that they had a Champion that cross indexed as a replacement if i wanted to try it. They also found another Autozone that had 9 of the type i needed, so I went to the other autozone. Turns out they did have some NGK B8HS plugs, but only had 1 of the Champion replacements. I decided to get two sets of the NGK's, since they seem to be in short supply, as do the replacement Champions. Other people with this same engine may run into this same situation.
The original plugs look fine. clean, no carbon, and both autozones said replacing them was fine, but that just a good wire brushing would be fine, and just put them back in. But I want to put new ones in any way.
And so here is my problem. The manual says the plugs should be gapped at .024 inches. I measured the gap on both of the plugs i just took out, and they both measure .034 inches. This seems like a big big difference to me.
i am no mechanic and have not done any auto work since I had a 1949 plymouth.. they were easy to change plugs and do some work on, but I have not done that kind of stuff for a long long time. However, spark plugs have not changed a lot in 50 years. getting to them in these new cars and trucks in the problem. My question is, how has the Mariner been running so well for the last five years or so if the spark plug gap is .034 instead of the recommended .024.
I am going to gap them at .024 and see how it runs, but I am just curious about the large difference in the gap and whether anyone else has run into that.
Also wanted to point out to others looking for used motors that I personnaly experienced the fact that spark plugs for Mariners of that vintage may be going to be in short supply.
I would appreciate any comments on the spark plug issue before I install the new plugs. Thanks for any help..jwl
