Clean and reuse fouled plugs

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RockinRobin

RockinRobin

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Have you ever cleaned and reused fouled plugs? My idle mixture was extremely rich and by the time I caught it the plugs were very black but not pitted or anything.
If you do clean fouled plugs what do you use to clean them. Don't want to throw away $175 worth of plugs if they can be saved.
 
If they still jump a spark (sooty plugs usually do), just run em and flog on the engine to burn them off. The tips are "self cleaning" after all.
You can also clean them with a torch. There are sparkplug media blasters out there too.
If they're too fouled to spark, then media blasting or torch is the better way to go.
If they're iridium or platinum, then a soak with oven cleaner or solvent is the better choice. A nylon bristle brush would help in that case.
 
With all the kids go carts, minibikes, weedeaters, chainsaws, tillers and the what nots I could not afford to be without one of theses. Just check for lodged sand down deep inside the plug.
Air Spark Plug Cleaner
 
If you're going to blast them, use soda. It turns to dust and is blown out easily.
 
I used to have an ancient spark plug cleaner back in the day that worked with compressed air and cleaning media, it was metal and glass and did a really good job of cleaning plugs. Harbor freight sells a modern version for $20 that seems to work well. Here is a video on it:
 
^^You can still buy them, import, from "you know where"---China, ebay

I've actually had poor luck. Outboard 2 stroke plugs. Soaked them in acetone, carb cleaner (you know how weak THAT is nowadays) starting fluid, I don't remember what all.
 
67Dart273 said:
^^You can still buy them, import, from "you know where"---China, ebay

I've actually had poor luck. Outboard 2 stroke plugs. Soaked them in acetone, carb cleaner (you know how weak THAT is nowadays) starting fluid, I don't remember what all.
Click to expand...

Two strokes always seem to do a great job of absolutely killing the plug, LOL.
Same experience with 2t lawn and garden equipment..
 
Always. Used these in high school. Bought this when my kid had a two stroke bike with expensive plugs.

image.jpg
 
LOL... thank god you're not buying aviation plugs, 2 per cylinder at $50US each. You clean'm and reuse'm.... but if you drop them once, you drop them a second time right into the trash!
 
RockinRobin said:
Have you ever cleaned and reused fouled plugs? My idle mixture was extremely rich and by the time I caught it the plugs were very black but not pitted or anything.
If you do clean fouled plugs what do you use to clean them. Don't want to throw away $175 worth of plugs if they can be saved.
Click to expand...
In my lawnmower, sure.
I prefer not to reuse them in carburetor vehicles because they don't clean up completely and become partially unreadable. As others have said.. they'll still work though..and that machine thing from 50 yrs ago would help.
 
Used to do it "all the time" back in HS auto shop with a special purpose sand blast cabinet just for doing that.
 
The Harbor freight one works decent. Just blow out the media with compressed air.I wouldn't just tap the plug to get it out like in the video.
 
Dana67Dart said:
Back in the day it was standard operating procedure
Click to expand...
I can remember in the early ‘60’s that my Uncle had a spark plug cleaner at his service station. He would have a pile of old spark plugs there and I would clean them. I was probably around 10 at the time and the thing that intrigued me the most was his single post lift.
 
When my son was into jet skis, I had a couple of harbor freight spark plug cleaners. Worked great. Plugs fouled a lot & are usually right on top, so it was easy to change.
 
When I used to race snowmobiles fouled plugs were pretty common. A spray with staring fluid, wire brush and lay 'em on a defroster vent of a running pickup until the next heat. Usually worked fine....
 
Oh I forgot because I forget, if you get your tune up where it's supposed to be the plugs will clean themselves
 
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