New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-23
Poor Spark Plugs
Make Any Engine
Go Bad

Consider the spark plug. Lots OF
things that go wrong with an automo-
bile are due to this piece Of mechan-
ism, but it isn't every manufacturer OF
a motor car part who is willing to
stand up and say right out that It is
the piece he makes that is at fault.
Which comment is occasioned by a
statement from Albert Champion, who
has been making plugs a great many
Years. on the subject, Putting the
Blame for Bad Running Motor Where
IL Belongs"
Champion was attending conference
called by a motor car manufacturer
who was trying to iron out some me-
chanical troubles. There were present
carburetor, ignition system and spark
plug men. in an entirely natural way
each fellow was trying to shift the
blame TO some one else, until Champion
got I'D and said: Gentlemen, if each
of US had the nerve TO admit how bad
we are, for we all have our weaknesses,
| think the manufacturer who has
brought us together would be alarmed
to learn how badly he was up against
il to make a good car with the material
available" Which encouraged the
others present to start in telling their
real names. with the result that all the
cards were put on the table.
Few motorists pay attention to spark
plugs, unless they become fouled and
have to be cleaned, taking this part OF
the car for granted. How much the
spark plug is responsible for engine
troubles can be CLEANED from Cham
pion's further remarks:
"The greatest trouble in all cars,
and we have known it for years, was
really due to the quality of insulation
used in the manufacture of plugs, al
lowing the leakage Of so much current
that instead of live, hot spark being
delivered there was only small, weak
one.
when one stops TO consider that
there is electric leakage through the
coil and the wiring, as we'll as through
| the insulation of most plugs, it is
no wonder, with the whole combina-
| ton, that you get very small spark
| carburetor will deliver a much more
easily ignited gas than poor one, but
with the poor grade of gssolene we
are getting to-day it is absolutely es-
sential that big, hot spark be deliv-
cred to ignite the gas, especially in
! the winter, when a very rich mixture
has to be used to start the motor.
"One must also acknowledge that a
perfect mixture of air and gas is not
| secured through the entire range OF
speeds by any one carburetor. When
the motor is throttled down in heavy
traffic, for instance, there is a greater
accumulation of gas than when run
ming freely. Then, as the throttle is
opened quickly to get away, the motor
misses badly and the car jerks along
until finally the mixture has adjusted
itself and the motor Is hitting on all
cylinders.
This is where the dealers in cars
and the service men blame ignition
and the carburetion, particularly the
carburetion, as little adjustment OF
the carburetor usually gives relief for
4 short time. This is also where the
difference in the performance Of spark
plugs becomes a factor. II the insu-
lstion on all spark plugs were good ell
If the spark would be delivered and
facilitate the ignition Of the gas under
these varying conditions.
eve know that carburetion conditions
vary with the change Of speeds and
with the change Of weather from time
to time. We know when the csrburetor
has been adjusted to throttle down il
will not operate as we'll at high speed,
and when it has been adjusted for one
temperature it will not perform cor
rectly at. another temperature. We
know that good plug is one that de-
livers q spark which will ignite the gas
under all the different conditions when
other makes fail.
"An insulation which will deliver all
the spark all the time will give a
smoother running motor and relieve
the driver of all these snnoyances. His
car will not run right until he gets the
proper plug-the plug that delivers the
spark which is needed to ignite the
gas under all conditions"