The Spark Plug Gap Is NOT Critical (With SHOCKING Proof)

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

✅CLICK HERE FOR THE GAP TOOL ➜ amzn.to/3GtaGRq For more videos like this, check out: 👉MORE SPARK PLUG VIDEOS ➜ kzbin.info/aero/PLhORnVQxJe0W-DrJ-ovhgQwIgywPRod4F 👉How to Adjust or Tune the Carburetor on a Leaf Blower ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoizhoyAnqtpga8 👉CORRECT WAY To Tune The Carburetor On A Chainsaw ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2e3Zn2lfL2Wfrs 👉How To Adjust Or Tune The Carburetor On A Weedeater ➜ kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZ7LqYesfLeneck You can connect with Steve here too: ✅Visit Steve’s WEBSITE ➜ www.stevessmallenginesaloon.com/ ✅Visit Steve’s PARTS & TOOL STORE ➜ www.amazon.com/shop/stevessmallenginesaloon ✅Follow Steve on FACEBOOK ➜ facebook.com/stevessmallenginesaloon ✅Follow Steve on INSTAGRAM ➜ instagram.com/stevessmallenginesaloon/ ✅Follow Steve on TWITTER ➜ twitter.com/SteveSaloon

[@d-mack7053]

@Steve Greetings again from Marine City Michigan. And once again absolutely love your channel. Would love to some brewskis with ya!!!!! "D"

[@ramonazteca252]

agree. i have always used a beer can tab. never failed.

[@giggiddy]

@@ramonazteca252 You get it! Thats all Steve was trying to say and it flew over many peoples heads. He only said if it doesn't start, don't spend the day trying to set the plug gap because its probably something else. Then these jackasses are on here talking about multi cylinder race engines with fuel mileage and horsepower ratings. Unbelievable...

[@jvalentine8376]

It's true that a wider gap will also work especially if the engine gives a good strong spark but the larger plasma arch will eat away at the electrodes much quicker . The spark gap is a compromise between the two . That's what I learnt in my motorcycle racing days . If the gap is too small small pieces of vaporized metal and carbon will build between the gap and eventually short it .

[@pabloramos2658]

Good stuff thanks for extra info friend

[@jvalentine8376]

@@pabloramos2658 De nada amigo .

[@warped2875]

Exacta Mundo!

[@doughaber3330]

I raced too and found the same.

[@thomasschwarting5108]

That makes more sense to me!!

[@KensSmallEngineRepair]

Gaps are more important on multi cylinder engines where misfiring can occur. Single cylinders don’t care as much but may lose power and efficiency if too small or large a gap. Cool vid Steve!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

I agree with 100% Kenny!

[@downeastoutdoors8713]

Yep with multiple cylinder, gap is wayyy more important... Rock on kenny!!

[@downeastoutdoors8713]

@@StevesSmallEngineSaloon me too!

[@45NUTS_PART_DEUX]

@@StevesSmallEngineSaloon So According to Ken thier , the whole thing was just a stunt , Looks like the May 2- 4 weekend was one day too long for you

[@bombardiermuskeg5302]

I agree especially on older style ignition systems because there are many more gaps than just the spark plug ei: points gap, distributor to distributor rotor gap, spark plug gap then factor in all the places that you can have a bad connection coil to coil wire, coil wire to distributor, distributor wire to spark plug wire. These all add up and if there is too much gap the ignition system cannot overcome all of them then you have driveability issues.

[@fredsmith5473]

If the gap is too tight the plugs can foul easily and you can have no spark until they are cleaned. Too wide and it may not work with a weak coil. It's not critical but it's best to have them gapped at 25 to 30 thou or what the maker says.

[@ronwatson4902]

You are definately a cool mechanic. I've always been of the same mind. If a spark plug has a gap it's close enough. I run Fram filters in my truck too..No problem in over 50 years. Thanks Steve!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Right on

[@rowdog6376]

Fram for 40 years for me in NZ with no issues either

[@dougaustin1328]

Fram filters are the worst out there according to extensive testing,napa gold was rated one of the highest if not the highest,fram least amount of paper filtering element,bottom of the barrel

[@POOKIE5592]

I would like to see these tested under a load (i.e. some tall grass) to see if there are performance issues with either one. I may try this experiment too.

[@grungemunkey]

Would love to know your findings

[@jasoncobbb5029]

..Still waiting for the tested vid under load! I will watch and like.

[@docg3562]

Still waiting under load😢

[@dougaustin1328]

Yep!underload will tell all,please be 100percent thorough..no power at those Xtreme gaps and probably higher fuel consumption

[@vanderpoolfarmsl.l.c.9983]

I am always amazed at how many people talk about changing their sparkplugs every year or even less. My 2011 ford Ranger with 32000 miles on it has a replacement recommendation of 105000 miles. I am however happy that they support our sparkplug manufacturers and keep them in business.

[@benbaselet2026]

It's good to know that the gap isn't that critical! The specs sure are splitting hairs usually. But. Now I want to see Project Farm test a variety of different gaps for fuel efficiency, torque and how they perform after a longer duration and get sooty :-)

[@thomasschwarting5108]

Yes, that would an interesting test.

[@bobjob98yoohoo60]

I would absolutely like to see a vid on this.

[@mrzee1958]

THIS VIDEO IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE! I have a John Deere lawn tractor which has a briggs Vortec twin cylinder 20 hp motor. Hard to start (winds over about 15 seconds before starting on full choke and after it warms up to pull choke down, it will idle roughly and then die in about 10 seconds (like it runs out of gas). (valves are set correctly!) I just replaced plugs and gapped at 45. (way to high) and it wouldn't even start! Pulled the plugs and re gapped at 28 and it fired right up, runs and idles smoother than ever! YES, spark plug gap DOES matter on a small engine!!! (Maybe a LOT more important on a multi cylinder engine (like some comments have said) (thanks Ken) YOU should have made that clear in the video!!!!

[@thatoutdoorguy271]

Hey Steve I have a old tiller that has been sitting for about a decade. I got the flywheel loose but when I turn it I think it’s hitting something and preventing it from moving any further. I moved it backwards and the valves move but it stops at the same point. I don’t know what’s going on. Do you think you might have a solution?

[@rickwashek478]

Good one Steve. I would not have known that until you showed us. I never really worried about having gap perfect. I just usually guess at it I basically make sure gap is reasonable. Just like when I sharpen a blade I never worry to much about the balance. I hang it on nail and if it's fairly level I go with it.

[@RepairGang]

Glad you made this video I thought about it but I was afraid people would call me out

[@OldJoe212]

Good video. However, I've been pulling, cleaning, and re-gapping my plugs for nearly 50 years without a problem, so I think I'll continue. In doing so, my plugs seem to last about 25 years.

[@mikespain8655]

Spark plugs usually last a long time. People throw away perfectly good plugs, and put in new ones all the time.

[@mannys9130]

@@mikespain8655 I'll posit that replacing a spark plug for only a few dollars is well worth it to eliminate the possibility that there are minor issues with the plug that sap performance and increase emissions. A thermal stress crack in the porcelain, conductor, and/or suppression resistor can form from the extreme thermal cycling that a plug sees. It's possible that there's a well-formed tracking pathway or a few small pathways that developed over time which can't be fixed and will always partially (sometimes completely) divert electrical energy away from the electrodes. That reason also justifies regular replacement of spark plug wires or coil pack boots because tracking burns/melts them and the track can never be fixed. It's possible that there's internal corrosion which increases the resistance of the plug's guts themselves. It's quite often that a plug has a ring of rust around the place where the porcelain meets the metal body. As the plug wears, all of the sharp corona discharge points wear away because the spark jumps from the highest and closest one first until that place has been vaporized, and it carries on until the surfaces of both electrodes are rounded and polished smooth. This is undesirable because the spark forms easiest and it is most efficient maintaining the ionized arc when those sharp corona points are present and utilized. That is why platinum and iridium plugs have a very tiny, sharp needle point for both electrodes as well as using the very arc erosion resistant platinum and iridium metals. Those plugs maintain a pointy, hard tip/edge which presents a fantastic corona breakout point for the spark to jump across and stay concentrated and very hot during the full duration of the coil's magnetic field collapse. In a combustion chamber at TDC compression, the air is much more dense than air at atmospheric pressure and it's more difficult to form a spark. You can actually see this by using a scope to plot the primary and secondary waveforms. The strike voltage peak will be higher. Having that sharp corona breakout electrode is much better than a rounded arc-polished electrode surface even if the latter is gapped correctly again. A poor electrode form will cause spark to be delayed in timing and it'll be wimpy, which affects power and emissions. Most new cars today are equipped with iridium or platinum plugs, and they are long service life plugs due to their wear resistance. My Toyota for example, calls for NGK Laser Iridium plugs at a 120k mile lifetime. I changed them at 60k. Why? The 4 of them were $40 from the dealer and I always do perpetual maintenance that preserves the efficiency of combustion as well as reducing the amount of engine oil burned in order to prolong the life of the catalytic converter which is a big expense that plagues older cars. The dreaded P0420. 🙀 $40 in nice new plugs was worth it to make sure the fuel:air charge is ignited as best as possible just like when the engine was brand new. This also involves MAF sensor cleaning, throttle body cleaning, fuel injector cleaning or replacement, AFR and O2 sensor replacement, thermostat replacement, and the use of quality gasoline. Most of that doesn't apply to a lawn mower engine of course. In fact, most of this won't apply to a flathead mower engine except when tracking or corrosion gets really bad and causes misfires, or decreases power and fuel economy enough to be noticeable. I just want to offer up reasons why "good" plugs being thrown away aren't always "good" despite appearing to be in one piece, and that being penny wise but pound foolish is not a very good strategy when maintaining a piece of very expensive machinery.

[@yakncast7530]

@@mannys9130 Dayum. You got a publisher for that book? Lol. Jk

[@fredsmith5473]

Most people are very quick to change the spark plug if the machine is even slightly difficult to start. The problem is more likely to be caused by something else such as stale gas, or a blocked spark arrester. A genuinely bad spark plug is rarely if ever the problem. If the plug is sooty, it's easy to clean. I find spark plugs don't often need replacing and last for years. I can't really see the point of the video, as it's so easy to set the correct gap with a feeler gauge or an accurately measured piece of card, and having a gap which is much too small or too big is asking for problems somewhere along the line.

[@G-FORCEEE]

@@mannys9130 That's pretty interesting stuff, but pretty useless in a real life troubleshooting. I just ground the plug against the engine and crank. If I see spark it's fine. Personally I think It's a waste to replace something that works fine. If it's working it ain't broke. Guess that's what comes from me being a country guy, on the farm you just gotta simply make things go XD

[@steveosullivan5262]

Saw this video and needed to so some weed whacking. It was sputtering a tad and not the same power I was accustom to. Boom what a difference a fresh plug makes on an old machine. Once again I have followed the same over wintering routines that Steve has recommended over the years. Mainly storing with fresh gas and starting at least once a month. Cold damp spring in Oregon this year, yet the yard equip. still humming along. Thanks Steve, my stuff is old from the early 2000's, still doing the job.

[@markluxton3402]

LOL your stuff is old....early 2000's. I am running mostly small engines from the early 1960's. I do have some new stuff though. Generator, snowblower, and cheap line trimmer is newish. My Yard Machines line trimmer is crap, I should never have even consider buying this. Thought the price was right for a straight shaft trimmer with clutch. Fixed up a friends trimmer the other day, smallest of Stihl curved shaft trimmers, and very hard used. WAY better, way more power, way less pulling binding grass out of the cracks; and I now see the price is about the same as what I paid for what appeared to be a higher end type machine. I don't think I can even replace the trimmer head with a better one. Damn thing is head on by a friction/jam washer. Some of the older stuff was made way better, but there is some decent manufactures of small engine equipment today too.... I will never buy anything from Yard Machines again though. My trimmer has only a few hours on it. Only changed the line once. I will junk this before spending any money fixing/replacing parts, and I can tell it will not last. I have an old Homelite line trimmer someone gave me several years ago, that I haven't gotten around to rebuilding the carb, replacing the primer bulb and maybe the gas lines and filter as well. Now I am planning to get this running before my crap Yard Machines trimmer falls apart. I bet this old Homelite beats the pants off my new trimmer.

[@jdprice3043]

thank you for your help

[@pauldiesel4582]

Good video Steve! I agree with your points. I have never seen anyone start or experienced myself starting a neglected engine and worried about the spark gap, short of extreme fouling or damage. If it sparks it will ignite!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thank You...

[@demigoddee]

Hi Steve question: I have a ryobi 2 cycle switchable tool used for gardening. A trimmer and weed wacker two attachments. Had it for a year and a half. Problem is the clattering sound. Sound is coming from back end of the tool opposite the attachment end. What’s going on?

[@travisbeck342]

So I was just talking about plugs today. I was trying to.find out why it is important to use the "correct" I normally just Find a new one that looks like it and I have not had a problom yet. What can happen not using what th we oem recommend? Thanks so much for your chanel. I have learned a ton from you and fix things I normally get for free. Im getting pretty confident in my work for the most part, and what to look for because of you

[@riverrat1149]

As a kid, we used to mix gas with used engine oil to run our two-stroke dirt bikes and go cart. Used to have to check the plugs often. LOL. I think knee-jerk check the plug comes from the early two strokes fouling plugs.

[@phildelgiudice3448]

Amazing you still generate content Steve. We appreciate you out there!!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thank You...

[@NXT_LVL]

Small engines yes... EFI with a system that adjust fueling and timing based on gap, air etc Just replaced my plug in my truck. .040 gap is what it requires, it came out at 0.0625... lean popping and running hot. Not lean enough the melt a piston or burn a valve... thanks to the EFI and the O2 sensors which was reading "lean" and throwing fuel at it like bailing water out of a sinking ship. I'll let you know what the next full tank gives me for Milage increase from the 13mpg

[@rickypsencik5947]

I'll keep that in mind.

[@phartharder]

Retired automotive instructor.... like he mentioned it can lead to damaged components. Electricity will take the path of least resistance... the ignition module and coil will increase spark output in order to jump a wide gap... this can lead to premature ignition coil damage however if you have a bad connection or damaged plug wire insulation most ofter it will cause the spark to jump to ground before it reaches the spark plug... you can also read the increased kv voltage on an oscilloscope.. if an engine is burning a little oil you can open the plug gap up which will increase spark voltage and may help keep the plug from oil fouling... only recommend on an old worn engine....

[@tihspidtherekciltilc5469]

Excellent. Now play with coil gap as I've found makes a huge difference.

[@KensSmallEngineRepair]

Coil gap affects timing

[@AJRestoration]

@@KensSmallEngineRepair Coil gap does nothing, I have gapped engines coils and some I intentionally gapped wrong, It runs the same all round. I did this with Honda's, Briggs, Tecumseh, Onan, Robin, and many more, It does not matter.

[@KensSmallEngineRepair]

@@AJRestoration so if I gapped a Briggs coil at say 60 thou (0.060) the timing wouldn’t be slightly retarded and result in a weaker spark?

[@AuMechanic]

​@@AJRestoration He is right that it will change the base ignition timing, however that wont stop the engine from running, it just wont have quite as much power. The coil low tension is charged faster the smaller the gap, just as it charged faster as RPM rises which results spark timing advancing as RPM rises, it does that by design. When the module senses the coil is fully charged it opens the circuit and coil HT sparks. So the smaller the air gap is the more advanced the base timing is. If you set it too wide it will just retard the ignition base timing a bit and so spark will be a bit late and thus you loose some power. Would it be enough to notice it ?, maybe not.

[@Mark_Nadams]

Great info Steve. Now I feel justified for not worrying about my single cylinder engine spark plug's gap all these years. What was today's brew?

[@MissouriOzarkHillbilly]

If everything else is right, then the plug gap is just a suggestion. However, a weak coil will rear its ugly head if the gap is too much. Likewise, if the motor is using oil, a small gap will foul more easily. I have some old outboards dating from the 1920's through the 1950's. The factory spec on oil ratio is 1/2 pint of oil per gallon of gas. One goes so far as to require 1 full pintg per gallon-yes, an 8 to 1 ratio. Somehow, I don't think these motors would run very long with plugs gapped at .010

[@mrzee1958]

THIS VIDEO IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE! I have a John Deere lawn tractor which has a briggs Vortec twin cylinder 20 hp motor. Hard to start (winds over about 15 seconds before starting on full choke and after it warms up to pull choke down, it will idle roughly and then die in about 10 seconds (like it runs out of gas). (valves are set correctly!) I just replaced plugs and gapped at 45. (way to high) and it wouldn't even start! Pulled the plugs and re gapped at 28 and it fired right up, runs and idles smoother than ever! YES, spark plug gap DOES matter on a small engine!!! (Maybe a LOT more important on a multi cylinder engine (like some comments have said) (thanks Ken) YOU should have made that clear in the video!!!!

[@AJRestoration]

The same goes for points gap and the flywheel to coil gap.

[@marksmith9295]

Good video Steve. Could you do a followup video showing proper use of spark testers and maybe recommend a decent brand? Thanks

[@johncollins8304]

Yeh, and clarify that they're not testing spark plugs: they're testing the ignition system up to but not including the spark plug... I think! At least I'd like that to be clarified for me! Thanks Steve, from France.

[@marksmith9295]

Good point John. I should have expanded on your note as well as I often check for spark by grounding the ignition lead with a tester. I found the automotive type dont work that well for two stroke engines.

[@Saxondog]

Nice to see you back on KZbin Steve.

[@CalkoLouie]

Steve you proved you point, now I had nothing better to do so I wanted to check my 2016 Accent`s spark plugs Believe or not I could not find it in the owner`s manual what should the gap be? what you think the gap was about .037" so I left the way it was.

[@Musicjunkie1933]

Hay steve i have a motor off a snowblower 5hp tecumseh points look brand new yes had them off there clean and gaped no spark how do i test points and the coil to see if any good and how do set coil on those in side flywheel ? Thanks

[@lemonbomber1]

I have a feeler gauge and the coin shaped gauge. So I have the right equipment. For the last 30 years I have used those tools AND I have on my Ski doos and wheelers and chainsaws and mowers and many outdoor pieces of equipment run into many many situations where i did not have access to those tools and gapped the plugs by eyeball and never had a problem. I bet its been ten years since i gap measured a plug. Long ago after "field" repairing some toy I never went back and remeasured because they have run fine! This seems to be a conspiracy by the gap tool makers to sell a pice of equipent that modern engines do not even care about any longer. One adjust ment to the next when I have gap tested them has never seemed to make any difference, Thanks for confiriming my suspicions Steve! Good work.

[@jimcharb4230]

Steve you're the spark that ignites all these vids.

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thank You...

[@appleztooranges]

Is the torque of 13 to 14 ft-lbs critical to place spark plug inside an engine?

[@billsmith2212]

I had a 7 HP Briggs & Stratton . The gas was in over the winter . I flushed the tank , line , removed and cleaned the carb . I put in all new gas . I cleaned the plug, it was not wet with gas . No start . The gap was .025 . I regapped the plug to .030 . It started on the first pull .

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Uh Huh

[@giggiddy]

It was a coincidence.Truthfully, .005 of an inch will not create a spark/no spark scenario in a small engine. These are not alcohol burning multi-cylinder race engines. Thats what Steve was trying to say and many totally missed his point.

[@billsmith2212]

For whatever the reason , that was the last thing I did to get it to run . Again , the plug was not fouled or wet with gas . And I did give it about a dozen pulls with the plug out in case there was fuel in the cylinder .

[@mrzee1958]

THIS VIDEO IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE! I have a John Deere lawn tractor which has a briggs Vortec twin cylinder 20 hp motor. Hard to start (winds over about 15 seconds before starting on full choke and after it warms up to pull choke down, it will idle roughly and then die in about 10 seconds (like it runs out of gas). (valves are set correctly!) I just replaced plugs and gapped at 45. (way to high) and it wouldn't even start! Pulled the plugs and re gapped at 28 and it fired right up, runs and idles smoother than ever! YES, spark plug gap DOES matter on a small engine!!! (Maybe a LOT more important on a multi cylinder engine (like some comments have said) (thanks Ken) YOU should have made that clear in the video!!!!

[@gdupler1966]

It is funny how many commenters don't understand the spirit of this video. Really appreciate this and all your helpful videos!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

I agree!

[@andersforrad]

Great video Steve - and what a great Husqvarna mower- swedish power 💪 enjoy the weekend!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thanks Andy!

[@chrisburgess7657]

If only I had a dollar for every customer that said it only needs a spark plug Thanks for the entertainment Steve Cheers Chris at cutting edge Australia

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thanks mate

[@benbaselet2026]

Just add that dollar to the price list and charge it ;-)

[@SkywalkerTibor]

@@benbaselet2026 good one :)

[@chrisburgess7657]

@@StevesSmallEngineSaloon Cheers Steve we say "crack one for me" in Australia meaning enjoy a beer for me when you are not able to be there to enjoy one with you keep up the great work and crack one for me tnx mate

[@seanfraser9162]

Dude, love your channel. Im in BC too (east kootenays) and finding a deceny small engine repair guy is a crap shoot. Youve put me on the right path more than once. Cheers, bud.

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thank You...

[@BepinGovind]

Love how you crack the can in the end ......

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Right on

[@Ronick-Q-46]

Nice one Steve, I did think the gap was important than what it is. 👍

[@davidbell4069]

Your standing there of course it's gonna stay running. Try putting under load and cut thick grass.

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

The whole video is about will it start or not!

[@Aerzon1v1]

​@@StevesSmallEngineSaloon If your standard for whether or not spark plug gap matters is simply whether an engine will start and run under no load, I think you're a tad goofy.

[@outdoorfreedom9778]

Thanks Steve. I knew it wasn't critical but I had no idea you could open it that much. I have closed them tight though but that is a story in itself!!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Glad to help

[@montegb2951]

Maybe on a Honda gap doesn't matter.... But I bought a Toro early this season. Trouble with warm engine restart. Gap was almost nonexistent, regapped plug, runs like a jewel now. Took about 12 seconds to fix..... thanks for the video, but I'll keep checking plug gap anyways.

[@mrzee1958]

THIS VIDEO IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE! I have a John Deere lawn tractor which has a briggs Vortec twin cylinder 20 hp motor. Hard to start (winds over about 15 seconds before starting on full choke and after it warms up to pull choke down, it will idle roughly and then die in about 10 seconds (like it runs out of gas). (valves are set correctly!) I just replaced plugs and gapped at 45. (way to high) and it wouldn't even start! Pulled the plugs and re gapped at 28 and it fired right up, runs and idles smoother than ever! YES, spark plug gap DOES matter on a small engine!!! (Maybe a LOT more important on a multi cylinder engine (like some comments have said) (thanks Ken) YOU should have made that clear in the video!!!!

[@jessemixon3135]

I like your 10,20,30 rule sir, so far I’ve not seen a small engine that didn’t run well on a .030 plug gap

[@auderitepenguin9350]

i gapped a weedwacker plug to spec and it felt ok but would just eat through a tank of gas then i tried a gap that you said then it seemed to have more power and it was more fuel efficient

[@lindab2062]

Wow thanks, I really thought it was critical to hit that gap pretty close. Now I know.

[@patthesoundguy]

I agree it's not that crucial. Only in a few cases have I seen it matter some. Like in the 1986 Chevy Celebrity I used to have that had early fuel injection on a four cylinder, it called for .060 gap and I was told by someone in the know that the larger gap for for the leaner mixture and he told me that an .030 gap would mean horrible misfires. Also when I was into 2 stroke Honda scooters we found through experience that the Honda spree liked an .025 gap over the .028 or larger. Those things only liked the stock NGK BPR6HS plugs as well, they were very finicky that way. Other than that most stuff doesn't care, just like you showed. I had a late 70s 5 HP Briggs on a rear engine rider that the gap was almost closed and the plug was loose and the thing still mowed 6 foot tall grass with no issues.

[@mrzee1958]

THIS VIDEO IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE! I have a John Deere lawn tractor which has a briggs Vortec twin cylinder 20 hp motor. Hard to start (winds over about 15 seconds before starting on full choke and after it warms up to pull choke down, it will idle roughly and then die in about 10 seconds (like it runs out of gas). (valves are set correctly!) I just replaced plugs and gapped at 45. (way to high) and it wouldn't even start! Pulled the plugs and re gapped at 28 and it fired right up, runs and idles smoother than ever! YES, spark plug gap DOES matter on a small engine!!! (Maybe a LOT more important on a multi cylinder engine (like some comments have said) (thanks Ken) YOU should have made that clear in the video!!!!

[@Pembroke.]

Your right Steve, it's not the spark plug, it just needs a beer 😁

[@alexrivet1732]

All these comments. Did you listen 2:19 ? Damaged vs running are two separate things. A gap isn't going to fix a dead mower. Unless your coil is also buggered. In which case close it down but have the .028 isn't super critical.

[@woodman1701]

I have always been told that if you got a misfire in an engine that a lot of times reducing the gap in an emergency if you have no other spark plug around usually fixes it and I’ve actually tried it once and it did work

[@jimbarron8619]

Great video! Thank you Steve!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

You're Welcome...

[@jamesj.litteriojr.433]

You can widen the gap if you have a high performance coil/coils on a car/truck engine. I went from .044 to .050 on my 2013 Scion TC with Accel Super Coil Packs and it seems to run smoother and better. It pulls a bit stronger too. Probably because there is more voltage from the coils providing a bigger spark. Does that sound about right?

[@RobbiRocks]

Thank you, spark plugs sure have a mystery attached to them.. Also thank you for having no annoying back ground music, Cheers

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

You're Welcome.. .

[@boastyy]

Just watched an excellent video on explaining the workings of the coil. Was a very in depth video showing why they fail, heat, insulation etc. It said having too big of a spark plug gap causes the coil to run hotter. As heat "from the engine" and from the the electricity generated by the coil cause the break down of the insulation in the wires inside the coil and cause them to fail he says the spark plug gap is important.

[@RussellHoughton]

this was a surprise. i dropped a plug not to long ago and the gap closed to around 10 and i didnt notice. it made the engine hunt and after recleaning the carb and changing governor springs i said well that new plug must be bad and there it was almost tuching so i just pulled it apart so it looked good and it ran perfect.

[@TheTruth.K.J.V.]

JUST ONE WORD=EXCELLENT!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thank You...

[@jalleman61]

Yesser it I'll run but is it efficient?

[@jimg8218]

A spark ís a spark,, cheers 😀

[@mrzee1958]

THIS VIDEO IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE! I have a John Deere lawn tractor which has a briggs Vortec twin cylinder 20 hp motor. Hard to start (winds over about 15 seconds before starting on full choke and after it warms up to pull choke down, it will idle roughly and then die in about 10 seconds (like it runs out of gas). (valves are set correctly!) I just replaced plugs and gapped at 45. (way to high) and it wouldn't even start! Pulled the plugs and re gapped at 28 and it fired right up, runs and idles smoother than ever! YES, spark plug gap DOES matter on a small engine!!! (Maybe a LOT more important on a multi cylinder engine (like some comments have said) (thanks Ken) YOU should have made that clear in the video!!!!

[@loyweaver2978]

Had carbon build up on my Toro sp and cleaned it by spraying with circuit cleaner. No scrubbing needed. Let air dry about one minute and screwed back in. Started on first pull.

[@garylawson5230]

I have a 2000 Scag turf tiger Kohler carb engine that dieseling when shut off but runs good idles good. 100 percent 87 fuel no smoking can you help

[@michaelbellwood2349]

Thanks Steve from Michael in Australia

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

You're Welcome...Mate!

[@TheLawnmowerLady]

Say ain't so, Steve 🙀

[@mrzee1958]

THIS VIDEO IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE! I have a John Deere lawn tractor which has a briggs Vortec twin cylinder 20 hp motor. Hard to start (winds over about 15 seconds before starting on full choke and after it warms up to pull choke down, it will idle roughly and then die in about 10 seconds (like it runs out of gas). (valves are set correctly!) I just replaced plugs and gapped at 45. (way to high) and it wouldn't even start! Pulled the plugs and re gapped at 28 and it fired right up, runs and idles smoother than ever! YES, spark plug gap DOES matter on a small engine!!! (Maybe a LOT more important on a multi cylinder engine (like some comments have said) (thanks Ken) YOU should have made that clear in the video!!!!

[@utid1957]

Great troubleshooting tip Steve

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thank You...

[@davidmanieri7695]

Great advice

[@Davidraisedsimmentalcows.]

Thank you Steve, really appreciate the information on spark plugs. Great videos that are helpful.

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Glad you like them!

[@williamscoggin1509]

Excellent troubleshooting tip 👍🏻🇺🇲

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thank You...

[@ttttwwyu]

Hi Steve! I have an xl-76 homelite chainsaw that will only run if the spark plug gap is almost completely closed like the one you showed. It won’t run with a bigger gap, any idea what it could mean? Thanks!

[@haroldneely9253]

I always get thirsty watching Steve

[@DunnMotors]

Thanks for the videos, because I was sweating it. I have a engine in a vehicle that has no paperwork or information and the plugs are shot. So I guess I'll do better 30 and 45? It's a older 302 fuel injection engine in a Jeep . It's a custom build With no documentation .

[@darrelfuhrman8217]

Steve I had a Honda US 90, the first year of the ATC 90 with the huge black inner tube tires. 40 miles from town, tuning it up to go chase cows. I broke off the ground electrode, I thought I would at least try it. It ran for a month before it was replaced! Hello from north east Montana. 10 miles from the Canadian border.

[@Romans--bo7br]

Do You live in Plentywood?

[@outinthesticks1035]

I think years back with lower output ignition systems plug gap was much more important , I have seen engines refuse to fire with to wide a gap .but that's little Briggs made in the forties or fifties . To give Steve credit he did say Honda , and they have about the best small engine ignition on the market

[@timd5597]

Question on Briggs vtwin rpm using tiny tach reading 3650. is each cylinder doing 3600 or each doing 1800?

[@tjclarke4604]

Cheers again from Calgary Steve! I have been telling customers and friends alike this for years. Funny how few believe me and instead buy into the BS. But seriously man, Lucky Lager? More like Yucky Lager, lol!

[@GuysPlayingWithTools]

That was pretty funny. Anyone with a race car that has a big coil knows that the gap you started the 1/4 with was a LOT tighter than the one you brought back to the trailer.... with the car still running strong.

[@chrisleggett685]

@@obamapox8185 it worked on my 340. Smokey yunick showed me that trick burned up my plug wires on the drive home though.

[@GuysPlayingWithTools]

It does warm the wires a bit 😆

[@angrygaragemechanic]

I just installed a iridium denso plug in the riding lawnmower. I didn't gap it and it starts and runs perfectly fine.

[@markluxton3402]

I read that the gap also effects the timing, and this made sense to me as an electronics tech, but perhaps today, without points and condensers, this is not so much the case??? How does this make sense? Well there needs to be enough voltage to jump the gap, and I read that this voltage builds up till it makes the jump. This happens very very quickly. The idea here is that with a small gap the spark happens earlier and at a lower voltage, where as with a large gap, the spark happens later and at a higher voltage. Granted this happens really fast, and maybe with a lawnmower it doesn't make a noticeable difference??? I am no expert though; self taught mostly. Also if your spark is weak it may not have the voltage to make the jump over a large gap. You know how mechanics lay their spark plugs onto a metal part of the engine, to see if there is any spark. I read years ago that the spark behaves differently under pressure and with the gas injected, when installed; compared with sparking outside of the engine. If you have a weak spark, it may look ok outside of the engine, but not work well or at all when installed. This is where a spark tester shines...or with enough experience, one can tell by the brightness and sound, outside of the engine, if it has a strong spark. I made a tester out of a spark plug that I removed the ground adjustable electrode from. The gap can't get much bigger ;-) I soldered a ground wire with alligator clip to the body of plug so I can be certain the plug is well grounded. If I get a good spark with this plug, outside of the engine, I can be sure it has a decent spark inside the engine too. Perhaps the gap is not "critical" to getting the engine running, but it is important.

[@larryeoberry5018]

10/4 that's pretty cool.

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thank You...

[@BrianMiller1973]

Steve, I’m sure this question is asked a lot. How often should we be changing spark plugs on small engines, both 2 and 4 cycle? And what are some signs that it should be changed? Thanks!

[@AJRestoration]

If its dead, change it, if it works leave it. This is one of those things you can clean and reuse for YEARS. If it ain't broke, don't replace it. You are wasting your money.

[@07szim]

Honestly whichever was the first the engine sounds like is running much better than the second one. ☝🏻

[@davidstepeck2644]

You’re the man Steve!!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thank You...

[@rashofbeatings]

Maybe it is the direction of the exhaust to the microphone, but the larger gap did sound to run smoother than the tight gap?

[@Leonardokite]

Proof positive, no doubt!

[@johnhamilton9229]

Drive my truck through it😂😂😂😂. Great shortie Steve.

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thanks 👍

[@benzman7658]

Hi Steve! How many Pound Ft. do you Tork your plugs on a push mower, If you do this at all. Thanks. Enjoy Your Channel very much. Toro says 20, Seems high!

[@rbarclay6529]

Steve you're the man, man!!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thank You...

[@donmartin7460]

I believe it comes down to the coil life.

[@mynameisjonas1997]

I tore some plugs out of my subaru that were so worn there was barely anything left to it. Still ran, not great, but it ran. Didn't think twice about checking gap on the new plugs since I'd seen the 1/4 inch gap I was running on before

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

I agree!

[@VitoVeccia]

A lot of spark plugs are pre-gapped. Copper ones need to be gapped, but the platinum and iridium sometimes come with a protective sleeve on them. It's used to ensure the gap remains consistent after it leaves the factory. Usually because, there is a puck of metal on the tip of the electrode. And improper gapping techniques can chip off the puck, compromising performance and life span of the plug.

[@justanotherviewer52]

Thanks Steve.

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

You're Welcome...

[@jonedwards7064]

I have had experience with the gap being too large. Sure it starts and runs but I have seen it where the engine will quit after running it under load for rather short periods of time. Always gap your plugs properly!

[@lifooz2955]

Thank you Steve for a good video! You demonstrate that what you say aren´t bullshit! For me, i usually go with 1-3mm gap on all the sparkplugs i use depending on which engine, but it has always worked well! /L

[@RaleysSmallEngines]

Pretty AWESOME video my friend

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thank You...

[@mannys9130]

Agreed, the gap won't cause an engine not to run at all. If you pull out the plug and find an excessively large worn gap, the no start may be related to the ignition coil which likely has an internal short due to the high voltage that the secondary was forced to produce in order to strike that arc each revolution (wasted spark). 😸 When examining ignition coil primary and secondary coil waveforms, the strike peak will be much larger before the arc forms and the higher voltage is more likely to burn through insulation and cause a short. An excessive gap COULD encourage tracking from the plug's outer electrode tip down to the metal body of the plug or across the dirty plug boot surface to the head. That's because it's easier to jump through that track rather than jump the excessive gap in a cylinder of air and fuel that has a 7:1 to 10:1 compression ratio. If the carb on the engine is a bit dirty and she runs a lil on the lean side, that makes this slightly more likely to happen than the same engine running near stoichiometrically or rich. Overall though, great demo Steve. The engine will run like crap with an out of spec gap, but running is running regardless. Unless the ground strap broke off or is bridged entirely, it'll spark when the plug's guts and coil and wire are all in proper shape. 👍 Hard evidence and experimentation is *ALWAYS* appreciated and valuable. We can posit and hypothesize all day long, but until someone says "I have evidence supporting my claim" we don't have cause to believe one or the other. I like evidence. 😎👍

[@onenessseeker5683]

If the gap is too far out the engine wont start or if it does it will run like crap on many engines

[@mrzee1958]

THIS VIDEO IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE! I have a John Deere lawn tractor which has a briggs Vortec twin cylinder 20 hp motor. Hard to start (winds over about 15 seconds before starting on full choke and after it warms up to pull choke down, it will idle roughly and then die in about 10 seconds (like it runs out of gas). (valves are set correctly!) I just replaced plugs and gapped at 45. (way to high) and it wouldn't even start! Pulled the plugs and re gapped at 28 and it fired right up, runs and idles smoother than ever! YES, spark plug gap DOES matter on a small engine!!! (Maybe a LOT more important on a multi cylinder engine (like some comments have said) (thanks Ken) YOU should have made that clear in the video!!!!

[@mrzee1958]

@@onenessseeker5683 THIS VIDEO IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE! I have a John Deere lawn tractor which has a briggs Vortec twin cylinder 20 hp motor. Hard to start (winds over about 15 seconds before starting on full choke and after it warms up to pull choke down, it will idle roughly and then die in about 10 seconds (like it runs out of gas). (valves are set correctly!) I just replaced plugs and gapped at 45. (way to high) and it wouldn't even start! Pulled the plugs and re gapped at 28 and it fired right up, runs and idles smoother than ever! YES, spark plug gap DOES matter on a small engine!!! (Maybe a LOT more important on a multi cylinder engine (like some comments have said) (thanks Ken) YOU should have made that clear in the video!!!!

[@abuehler81]

I had a push mower (30" Toro Timecutter) that came through my shop and ut was popping when it warmed up. Took out spark plug and found it very close to .10 gap. I made it .30 and the popping stopped. I'm guessing it was caused by a misfire.

[@aodhmacraynall8932]

You get the Carl Childers Small Engine Mechanic of the Year award for even addressing this. I think some of the comenters miss the point.

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Too many people comment before they watch the whole video!

[@skeeterskier]

That shit-eatin' grin at 1:10 says it all!

[@seedtimeharvestlawncare]

I just joined your channel Steve. And I'm very impressed. So glad to have joined this channel. Keep up the awesome work. 👌

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Thank You...

[@papiparsons9045]

STEVE, say it ain’t so!! I believe today I proved this wrong with 2 stoke engines today. It would start then stall when cold, then wouldn’t start… found the gap to be .10 thousands, open up the gap and it started cold and hot

[@yourselfdotcomlol]

Thank you!

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Welcome!

[@glennp827]

Another great tip

[@StevesSmallEngineSaloon]

Glad you liked it

[@rupe53]

A small gap might make up for a weak coil... but you still have a weak coil that will make the engine harder to start. That wider gap may actually cause early coil failure with newer electronic ignitions because the voltage builds higher before jumping the gap. In a nutshell, the gap isn't critical to how the engine runs but it's best to be in the ballpark for longevity of all systems. It will also give you an idea of how worn the plug is over time if you always use the same base gap when new.