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  #29   IP: 206.125.176.3
Old 09-07-2011, 08:19 AM
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sastanley sastanley is offline
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Question

Prior to water flow adjustment, I've always had what I'd call, slightly sooty plugs. They also vary across the cylinders, #1 being the most "ashy" and normal looking (similar to Maurice's in post #21), and sometimes #4 being a bit oily, the latter I believe due to a frequently sticking valve, which since has been remedied. On occasion, I rotate the plugs around as well.

I need a little clarification...when we say sooty, do we mean a grey ash color, or do we mean sooty type deposits on the plugs/electrode? I picked the 2nd option in the poll.. - Bill, maybe a couple of pictures of what you and Don consider sooty & light grey would help??

When I am not having coil problems, the engine is now running better than ever. This video was taken on Saturday, Sept 3, on the way in from a great day of sailing. The condition of the plugs should still be in the running condition they were in at the time of the video. I can pull them and take some pictures of their present condition to compare to my report above. I don't think I've pulled the plugs at all this year, except when I'd yank one to check for spark during coil failure.

As for the adjustments in flow from a "standard cooling configuration"....I've had the bypass valve installed almost since I've owned the boat...so I really have limited experience with the plug condition/water flow prior to the bypass. Additionally, this summer, I pulled the side plate and enlarged the tee fitting to 1/2" NPT (the "Dutton modification"), and also added cast fittings where I could and reversed my manifold flow, (the "Thatcher modification"), I think a combination of adding the 1/2" NPT to the sideplate and the cast fittings seems to allow an additional volume of water flow and a slightly lower overall operating temperature on the gauge. (The ultimate plan is to introduce my motor to FWC, but I am being a bit lazy about installation..) - Prior to these modifications, I was running 165-170 pretty consistently, and now it seems to swing a little more again, as low as 150 to maybe as high as 180 if I am watching the gauges closely enough. I have not moved the bypass valve from its 'somewhere in the middle' setting.

As you can see, I am a tinkerer & like to experiment, so I might throw off the results a little bit...but I'll be happy to test some things and report what I can! - I'll review some of my earlier posts here on the forum and see if I have any pictures from way back with plug condition prior to all this tinkering.

Mo, My wife is on the FB, so I'll have her check out your pics. The motor is definitely moving more water this summer, I think mainly due to the side plate fitting enlargement. I have 5/8" hose everywhere except a short run of 1/2" hose from the new sideplate tee fitting to the thermostat housing.
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"Holiday" - '89 Alura 35 #109
"Twice Around" - '77 C-30, #511 with original A-4 & MMI manifold - SOLD! (no longer a two boat owner!!)
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Last edited by sastanley; 09-07-2011 at 08:34 AM. Reason: blah blah blah..I like to ramble!
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