Saving Old Seagulls

Anyone have any idea the dates that this spark plug was manufactured? seems to make a lot of sense to be able to pull a plug apart to clean. Unfortunately this one has had pretty hard life on a seagull but with immersion in molasses and copious amounts of penetration oil and heat I managed to get it apart. Will the performance be the same as a D 16? What makes one plug better for heat while another for cooling running? As you can see it is very basic in construction.

I had the same plug on my OP and on a James scooter in the 1960s. 30s to 70s.

I posted before that I have this original plug on my '71 Silver Century and find it performs better than a new D-16 or the NKG ones (which I keep as spares).
So easy to clean!

The dimensions of the insulator and the metal conductor core determine the heat range of the plug. Short insulators are usually "cooler" plugs, while "hotter" plugs are made with a lengthened path to the metal body, though this also depends on the thermally conductive metal core.

Excellent info, thanks guys. Might hunt around for some NOS.

About early 1930s them plugs were built. Champion has been going for just over 100 years now. You can still buy that type of plug new (New old stock) dont know what there worth. It would be good to have a spark plug that can be pulled apart and cleaned as such. But if you have dramas out on the water you need to have a spare ready to go. Trying to pull a plug out and stripping it down out on the water would almost be like threading the needle on a sewing machine with the motor still running .

Found an Edison-Splitdorf. About 1935 I think. Bit early for a SD but it has the correct thread.

Where there any English spark plug manufacturers?

Lucas. Dont know if they still make them or not. They used to do 3 electrode type plugs to. But if there plugs are anything like there electrical components you will be rowing home.


Ps. Didnt villiers make there own spark plugs as well.

KLG spark plugs.

I have a KLG M50 spark plug on a very original SD.

It has even a 'Broad Arrow' stamp on it and the original bakelite KLG plug cap.

Jan

I might keep an eye out for the KLG.

I note there are three Com 8's in the States on Ebay. Interestingly they don't appear to come apart.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VINTAGE-CHAM ... 3ccdaf7cd6

Hugz wrote:I might keep an eye out for the KLG.

I note there are three Com 8's in the States on Ebay. Interestingly they don't appear to come apart.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VINTAGE-CHAM ... 3ccdaf7cd6

Hmm...and by the shipping charges each plug must weigh at least a pound!

I didn't think that KLG plugs were that old and have never seen them before until recently, I pulled a couple from a vintage outboard not so long ago.
The plugs are in better condition than the outboard was, an M-50 and M-80 plug.
Nice set of KLG plug caps with them though.

Jan wrote:KLG spark plugs.

I have a KLG M50 spark plug on a very original SD.

It has even a 'Broad Arrow' stamp on it and the original bakelite KLG plug cap.

Jan

Is that it Jan



Looks like a galvanised tank, could be another variation.

H-A

Yes that is the one.
The tank isn't galvanised but has a layer of tin or lead, never seen this before.
Jan

Maybe an owner did it to make it last longer