Honda Car Forum

Hi group,
I replaced the spark plug of my 2000 civic with DENSO: KJ16CR-L11 spark plugs. I forgot to adjust the spark plug gap and fitted the spark plugs as I got it. The car is running smoothly and no problem both in high rev and low, or in high speed , low speed or in acceleration is noted. Apparently, they are in the right gap , i.e. 0.04". Do I need to take the spark plugs apart again to find the actual gaps? I am worried that it might develop some problem later on.

Thanks for the help,
SB

Even though they come adjusted, for what ever is the specification, it
is a good idea to check the gap, before you screw them in -- always. In
any case, since it is bothering you, why don't you pull them apart and
check them, and put'em back.

In article <d3bpqo$fv1$1@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>,
"Subhabrata Bhattacharyya" <sb4st@virginia.edu> wrote:

> Hi group,
> I replaced the spark plug of my 2000 civic with DENSO: KJ16CR-L11 spark
> plugs. I forgot to adjust the spark plug gap and fitted the spark plugs as I
> got it. The car is running smoothly and no problem both in high rev and low,
> or in high speed , low speed or in acceleration is noted. Apparently, they
> are in the right gap , i.e. 0.04". Do I need to take the spark plugs apart
> again to find the actual gaps? I am worried that it might develop some
> problem later on.
>
> Thanks for the help,
> SB

It's always a good idea to check them. They're only set to the
approximate gap size.

You can fry your ignition system if the gap is much too large (over
voltage at high manifold pressure). It might fire during the
compression stroke if it's much too small (coil charging). I don't know
what happens, if anything, if it's just a little off.

Well, if the ignition wire has too much resistance and the spark is at
correct gap then it's the same as having normal resistance and having the
gap a little too big. So I don't think a tiny difference will make much
difference because it depends on other things in the ignition system as
well, particularly how much voltage it's sending, resistance in wires, etc.

"Kevin McMurtrie" <mcmurtri@dslextreme.com> wrote in message
news:mcmurtri-9795D0.14155110042005@corp-radius.supernews.com...
> In article <d3bpqo$fv1$1@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>,
> "Subhabrata Bhattacharyya" <sb4st@virginia.edu> wrote:
>
> > Hi group,
> > I replaced the spark plug of my 2000 civic with DENSO: KJ16CR-L11 spark
> > plugs. I forgot to adjust the spark plug gap and fitted the spark plugs
as I
> > got it. The car is running smoothly and no problem both in high rev and
low,
> > or in high speed , low speed or in acceleration is noted. Apparently,
they
> > are in the right gap , i.e. 0.04". Do I need to take the spark plugs
apart
> > again to find the actual gaps? I am worried that it might develop some
> > problem later on.
> >
> > Thanks for the help,
> > SB
>
> It's always a good idea to check them. They're only set to the
> approximate gap size.
>
> You can fry your ignition system if the gap is much too large (over
> voltage at high manifold pressure). It might fire during the
> compression stroke if it's much too small (coil charging). I don't know
> what happens, if anything, if it's just a little off.

"Subhabrata Bhattacharyya" <sb4st@virginia.edu> wrote in
news:d3bpqo$fv1$1@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU:

> Hi group,
> I replaced the spark plug of my 2000 civic with DENSO: KJ16CR-L11
> spark plugs. I forgot to adjust the spark plug gap and fitted the
> spark plugs as I got it.



Leave them alone. They're already pregapped to 1.1mm (.040"), which is what
the "L11" means.

I can't find what Denso's codes mean, but if they're platinum or iridium
coated, gapping the is a bad idea. The plating is thin and easily damaged
by forcing a gapping tool between the elctrodes.

Spark plugs are made to tolerances down to a thousandth of an inch. Why
does everybody figure the makers suddenly got sloppy with one single
dimension? The only way the gap is going to be off by any meaningful amount
is if the plug gets dropped with the protective cap removed.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

TeGGer® wrote:
> "Subhabrata Bhattacharyya" <sb4st@virginia.edu> wrote in
> news:d3bpqo$fv1$1@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU:
>
>
>>Hi group,
>> I replaced the spark plug of my 2000 civic with DENSO: KJ16CR-L11
>> spark plugs. I forgot to adjust the spark plug gap and fitted the
>> spark plugs as I got it.
>
>
>
>
> Leave them alone. They're already pregapped to 1.1mm (.040"), which is what
> the "L11" means.
>
> I can't find what Denso's codes mean, but if they're platinum or iridium
> coated, gapping the is a bad idea. The plating is thin and easily damaged
> by forcing a gapping tool between the elctrodes.

that's correct. never wire brush plugs either as it leaves traces of
metal on the insulator & weakens the spark.

>
> Spark plugs are made to tolerances down to a thousandth of an inch. Why
> does everybody figure the makers suddenly got sloppy with one single
> dimension? The only way the gap is going to be off by any meaningful amount
> is if the plug gets dropped with the protective cap removed.
>

Thanks a lot TeGGer and everybody.
That helped a lot,
SB



"TeGGer®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
news:Xns9635666EC15Ftegger@207.14.113.17...
> "Subhabrata Bhattacharyya" <sb4st@virginia.edu> wrote in
> news:d3bpqo$fv1$1@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU:
>
> > Hi group,
> > I replaced the spark plug of my 2000 civic with DENSO: KJ16CR-L11
> > spark plugs. I forgot to adjust the spark plug gap and fitted the
> > spark plugs as I got it.
>
>
>
> Leave them alone. They're already pregapped to 1.1mm (.040"), which is
what
> the "L11" means.
>
> I can't find what Denso's codes mean, but if they're platinum or iridium
> coated, gapping the is a bad idea. The plating is thin and easily damaged
> by forcing a gapping tool between the elctrodes.
>
> Spark plugs are made to tolerances down to a thousandth of an inch. Why
> does everybody figure the makers suddenly got sloppy with one single
> dimension? The only way the gap is going to be off by any meaningful
amount
> is if the plug gets dropped with the protective cap removed.
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

TeGGer® wrote:
> "Subhabrata Bhattacharyya" <sb4st@virginia.edu> wrote in
> news:d3bpqo$fv1$1@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU:
>
> > Hi group,
> > I replaced the spark plug of my 2000 civic with DENSO: KJ16CR-L11
> > spark plugs. I forgot to adjust the spark plug gap and fitted the
> > spark plugs as I got it.
>
>
>
> Leave them alone. They're already pregapped to 1.1mm (.040"), which
is what
> the "L11" means.
>
> I can't find what Denso's codes mean, but if they're platinum or
> iridium coated, gapping the is a bad idea. The plating is thin
> and easily damaged by forcing a gapping tool between the elctrodes.

While using a gapping tool on a platinum plug isn't recommended, I
find that the platinum points on a Denso plug are rather thick and
durable.

> Spark plugs are made to tolerances down to a thousandth of an
> inch. Why does everybody figure the makers suddenly got sloppy
> with one single dimension? The only way the gap is going to be
> off by any meaningful amount is if the plug gets dropped with
> the protective cap removed.

The manufacturer's typically recommend that the gap be checked
before installation except for platinum/iridium plugs. They
warn against it, but have regapping instructions which state
that a round gapping tool should not be used.

<http://densoiridium.com/installationguide.php>

BTW - Denso now makes a single-tip Iridium plug called "Iridium
Power". It's their standard U-groove ground electrode with an
iridium center electrode. They still have their "long-life"
iridium plugs.