Topic: Spark Plug Cleaning Protocol

[nopivnick]

If in a pinch, are isopropyl alcohol and a clean tooth brush acceptable and/or at all effective for cleaning spark plugs?

[El Taco]

Sounds like it would. A pocketknife does wonders though. You gap should be good if your electrodes are parallel.

[Bob Wessner]

The only 'not good' way to clean them is with a wire brush of some sort. The wire brush many transfer metalic particals to the insulator on the center electrode and then become conductive.

[TwoTired]

Most of the deposits don't remove easily with a solvent.  Some kind of mechanical abrasion is usually necessary.  Wire brush, sand blast, etc.  If they are oily, though, alcohol will help.  The center insulator must be clean.  If carbon builds up on the insulator, the spark takes the carbon path instead of the air path between electrodes.  That's carbon fouling and it gets you no effective spark.