North American Turbocoupe Organization



Side Gapped plugs...
Kuch Offline
Senior Member
#1
So after JeffK mentioned running NGK 2238's I went out and bought 8 to replace my older Autolite 104's in the 88. Thinking 8 right, well I took 4 of the best that lined up in the chamber best and also side gapped them after reading about it over on TurboFord. I cut the arm back to even with the edge of the center electrode and gapped them to .028. I spent some time online researching this side gapped thing as I have not heard of it before and it seems that many people running it like that feel it gives more power. Well, I must say, it does feel like it has more power to her. Took her out for a ride tonight and it pulls harder than before. Maybe just me wanting it to work, but damn, it sure feels stronger for maybe 20 minutes of work to cut, file, and gap. Thought I would pass along my thoughts. Anyone else do it on theirs here?
1988 Turbo Coupe, Black/Black, 5 Speed, Moonroof,  T3/T4, ported E6, 255LPH, Kirban, Stinger Exhaust, MGW shifter, K&N, Gillis valve, BP1.5, PIMPx, Koni's
1964 Ford Galaxie 500XL, 390 6V, Big Solid cam, Headers,3.89's, 4 Speed, Vast and fast
1960 Ford Starliner, 292 Y Block, 312 4bbl intake, headers, 3 Speed, slow and low
Mikey97D likes this post
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RC Martin Offline
Posting Freak
#2
Never heard of it, got any good links or articles on side gapping?

I can personally attest to too wide a gap and spark blowout.
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Bright Canyon Red TuTone, Desert Tan Interior; 1 of 7 in this combo in 1984 according to Marti.  1 of 13,361 TCs in 84.
   Rebuilt, 3-Angle Valve Job, SYB37 "OE/Small" Slider Cam
   Full 3" Stinger Exhaust to Flowmaster 40, Gnari FMIC/Recirc/BPV, MBC @ 18psi, RF-E6 Manifold, Remote-Mount TFI, PC1 and Flowed 35# Injectors, Inline Walboro 255HP, Kirban AFPR
   Rebuilt Suspension -- KYB & Energy Suspension
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Kuch Offline
Senior Member
#3
Here is one I read while researching it. http://performanceunlimited.com/document...pping.html
I used a cutoff wheel nice and easy doing the cutting, filed the end smooth with a small file, gapped them , and installed.
1988 Turbo Coupe, Black/Black, 5 Speed, Moonroof,  T3/T4, ported E6, 255LPH, Kirban, Stinger Exhaust, MGW shifter, K&N, Gillis valve, BP1.5, PIMPx, Koni's
1964 Ford Galaxie 500XL, 390 6V, Big Solid cam, Headers,3.89's, 4 Speed, Vast and fast
1960 Ford Starliner, 292 Y Block, 312 4bbl intake, headers, 3 Speed, slow and low
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Jeff K Offline
Administrator
#4
Very interesting! Next plug change I think I will try this.
Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 24 psi, forced air IC, water injection, BPV, Ranger cam, subframes, etc., etc.
86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP N2O, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.
11 Crown Vic Interceptor
14 Toyota Camry (wifes car)
95 Taurus GL Vulcan winter beater
67 Honda 450 Super Sport - completely customized
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Mikey97D Offline
Senior Member
#5
Never heard of sidecutting. Does sound interesting. Thanks for the link.

I remember reading articles long ago about indexing the plugs but I don't remember the direction? Down to the piston with the open plug or towards the head chamber?
1988 TC, 5 spd, Stinger 3" Exhaust, Schneider Roller Cam, -4° Cam Pulley, Cone Filter, Gilles Boost Control Valve set at 17 psi, Walbro 255 lph, CHE Rear Lower and Upper Control Arms, Braided Brake Lines, Hawk HPS 5.0 Front and HPS (F) Rear, CRES Inserts in front calipers, and '93 Cobra Wheels with General 235/50R17 Tires.   
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Kuch Offline
Senior Member
#6
I indexed mine as well, I simply bought 8 plugs and found the four that were best. You want the opening of the plugs to face either the intake or the exhaust valve. Most forums online say that favoring the exhaust is best, but to me just facing them towards the interior of the chambers works. You can see in my pic that one is facing out, and the other facing towards the inside. You can make a sharpie mark on the ceramic part of the plug to be able to see which way they face when installed, basically if the gap faces the inside, it's good enough.


Attached Files Image(s)
   
1988 Turbo Coupe, Black/Black, 5 Speed, Moonroof,  T3/T4, ported E6, 255LPH, Kirban, Stinger Exhaust, MGW shifter, K&N, Gillis valve, BP1.5, PIMPx, Koni's
1964 Ford Galaxie 500XL, 390 6V, Big Solid cam, Headers,3.89's, 4 Speed, Vast and fast
1960 Ford Starliner, 292 Y Block, 312 4bbl intake, headers, 3 Speed, slow and low
Mikey97D likes this post
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RC Martin Offline
Posting Freak
#7
The concept makes sense, like a van degraph growing an arc. Seems like electrode life can only be worse though, and why are there not any performance plugs made like that then..??
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Bright Canyon Red TuTone, Desert Tan Interior; 1 of 7 in this combo in 1984 according to Marti.  1 of 13,361 TCs in 84.
   Rebuilt, 3-Angle Valve Job, SYB37 "OE/Small" Slider Cam
   Full 3" Stinger Exhaust to Flowmaster 40, Gnari FMIC/Recirc/BPV, MBC @ 18psi, RF-E6 Manifold, Remote-Mount TFI, PC1 and Flowed 35# Injectors, Inline Walboro 255HP, Kirban AFPR
   Rebuilt Suspension -- KYB & Energy Suspension
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BigJake Offline
Member
#8
I've been using NGK JR9C in my Suzuki dragbike for decades with lots of nitrous too and they work great.

Don't know if NGK makes them for the 2.3 ?

[Image: P1060376_zpsk29xxeem.jpg]
1987 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe 5 speed Boosting 25 PSI with Boport/Stinger parts !
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anasazi4st Offline
Senior Member
#9
(05-23-2020, 12:56 PM)RC Martin Wrote: The concept makes sense, like a van degraph growing an arc.  Seems like electrode life can only be worse though, and why are there not any performance plugs made like that then..??

That’s a very good point.

While I agree that it sounds like a great concept and seems to make a lot of sense, why aren’t performance plugs made like that?

I used SplitFire plugs for years until they stopped making them, likely because the sales dropped as our Turbo Coupes slowly started disappearing from the roads. I thought they produced more power and all that comes with that (more horsepower, better fuel economy, easier starting, etc.) I still have a couple of sets with some life left.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, the side electrode was split into two parts over the center electrode, hence the name SPLIT Fire. It looked like the letter Y. But even these weren’t true side-gapped plugs, the center electrode was just more exposed to the combustion chamber than traditional ones.

Other than the eventual wear on the center electrode I can’t think of a good reason.
Another proud dues-paying member.

1987 Turbo Coupe w/T5OD, 8.8 axle, grey smoke; most options. Got it in 1991 with 41K miles: 3 turbos, 2 heater cores, 3 T5OD full rebuilds, 6 clutches, 1 head gasket, 2 Teves II ABS units, etc. later....
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anasazi4st Offline
Senior Member
#10
(05-23-2020, 07:21 PM)anasazi4st Wrote:
(05-23-2020, 12:56 PM)RC Martin Wrote: The concept makes sense, like a van degraph growing an arc.  Seems like electrode life can only be worse though, and why are there not any performance plugs made like that then..??

That’s a very good point.

While I agree that it sounds like a great concept and seems to make a lot of sense, why aren’t performance plugs made like that?

I used SplitFire plugs for years until they stopped making them, likely because the sales dropped as our Turbo Coupes slowly started disappearing from the roads. I thought they produced more power and all that comes with that (more horsepower, better fuel economy, easier starting, etc.) I still have a couple of sets with some life left.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, the side electrode was split into two parts over the center electrode, hence the name SPLIT Fire. It looked like the letter Y. But even these weren’t true side-gapped plugs, the center electrode was just more exposed to the combustion chamber than traditional ones.

Other than the eventual wear on the center electrode I can’t think of a good reason.

So, after posting the above comment, I decided to do an Internet search for side gapped plugs. I found quite a few pages on how to do it, etc., but I didn’t see one where they are offered that way for sale.

I did find this page ; what I found interesting were the replies in the Comments section—generally not positive, at least not for everyday use.

I’m posting this here for the purpose of further discussion. In case the link does not work, here is the actual URL: https://www.instructables.com/id/Save-Ga...Gapping-S/
Another proud dues-paying member.

1987 Turbo Coupe w/T5OD, 8.8 axle, grey smoke; most options. Got it in 1991 with 41K miles: 3 turbos, 2 heater cores, 3 T5OD full rebuilds, 6 clutches, 1 head gasket, 2 Teves II ABS units, etc. later....
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