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David,<br>
You echo pretty much what Dick Drenske had told me last year. The
plugs need to be pulled immediately after a race run.<br>
<br>
Yes, I've put more miles on it since last year and it may be they
are a bit cleaner because I didn't pull them right after a long high
rpm run. I tried to get good close-up photos, but even in macro
mode I had trouble, probably with camera shake. What I was looking
for (and using a magnifying glass to do so) was any deterioration
around the center electrode and ground electrode, as well as debris
of any sort on the insulator. All the plugs look "used" in that
they all have a less-than-paper-thin buildup on the ground
electrode; the center electrode is still well defined and you can
see where it's been firing against the ground electrode. The
insulators looked pretty clean with just a hint of carbon soot on
one side.<br>
<br>
I was mostly afraid of seeing something like I did last year, which
prompted the full tear-down and rebuild. so far, so good, nothing
detrimental has appeared on the plugs. I'm running NGK UR4 v-groove
plugs, which I have for years and just love them.<br>
<br>
The Holley carb on the engine is an early 70's emissions carb and
has lock-outs on the idle mixture screws. I have about
three-quarters of a turn available to me and when tuning, it seems I
could go just a bit leaner yet but the stops prevent me from going
further.<br>
<br>
I've toyed with the idea of buying a new after-market metering block
but haven't done much research. My initial hope was to put
fuel-injection on it. If not that, then maybe a whole new Holley
carb built to specification by one of the expert shops... but then
I'd be up to EFI costs probably.<br>
<br>
The last thing to note is that I put a Pertronix Ignitor III
ignition module in the distributor last year too. I think this has
done a -lot- of good for consistent ignition and fuel economy. I
was getting an average north of 18 MPG on the trip to and from the
event last year.<br>
<br>
The -only- trouble I had, was coming up the grade out of
Lewiston-Clarkston Idaho. At just about the speed limit with steady
throttle, I began to get some ping. It was the only time I had it;
so I just put my foot into it some more and had some fun around the
curves climbing the mountain.<br>
<br>
I'm running the highest octane pump gas I can get from the average
station. This summer I have started using an Ethanol treatment but
haven't started in the Pantera because I've not been to the gas
station yet; obviously not driving it enough this summer. I'll
start on the next fill-up.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Asa Jay Laughton, MSgt, USAFR, Retired
& Shelley Marie
Spokane, WA
******************************
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.racingagainstautism.com">http://www.racingagainstautism.com</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.teampanteraracing.com">http://www.teampanteraracing.com</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://facebook.com/racingagainstautism">http://facebook.com/racingagainstautism</a></pre>
<br>
On 7/6/2013 8:18 AM, David wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:EB89CF63-46FF-482B-A14F-C825F8BF2E4B@frontier.net"
type="cite">
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;
charset=ISO-8859-1">
<div>IMO and experience: tail pipe could be some indicator of a
change, but not a definitive indicator or anything. The only
sure way to judge plug temps is to look at all of them. The only
sure ways to judge mixture are by reading the plug (and
factoring driving) and/or with a properly calibrated a/f gauge.
The possible error I see in this case is looking at the plugs
after the trip home! Should hAve been done at the finish line.
But , if you have no indicators ( eg surging or flat spots) of
problems then you may be on the right track. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>A</div>
<div>Simulation of race conditions could be done (race rpm in
second gear for some miles?) to double check. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The plug looked white (lean) to me and this may. Of be the
truth. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Cheers,</div>
<div><br>
Sent from my handheld gizmo, please forgive my typing!</div>
<div><br>
On Jul 6, 2013, at 8:56 AM, Asa Jay Laughton <<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:asajay@asajay.com">asajay@asajay.com</a>>
wrote:<br>
<br>
</div>
<div>
<meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"
http-equiv="Content-Type">
Mostly greyish-black, not white.<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Asa Jay Laughton, MSgt, USAFR, Retired
& Shelley Marie
Spokane, WA
******************************
<a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.racingagainstautism.com">http://www.racingagainstautism.com</a>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.teampanteraracing.com">http://www.teampanteraracing.com</a>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://facebook.com/racingagainstautism">http://facebook.com/racingagainstautism</a></pre>
<br>
On 7/5/2013 8:40 PM, <a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:michael@michaelshortt.com">michael@michaelshortt.com</a>
wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAEWtxWqSnmA1Lm1+fxHi1=A3ma3PLjDz47RFuj01sbvdAHj_Dg@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<p dir="ltr">I think the plug looks really good, any leaner
and you might be courting problems.<br>
How's the exhaust look, gray or white pipes?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Michael Shortt</p>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Jul 5, 2013 11:36 PM, "Asa Jay
Laughton" <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:asajay@asajay.com">asajay@asajay.com</a>>
wrote:<br type="attribution">
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt
0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);
padding-left: 1ex;"> No sir,<br>
I'm soliciting feedback from fellow gearheads to make sure
I'm not<br>
assuming something incorrectly about what I'm seeing.<br>
<br>
But I -was- the only one who didn't -trailer- their
Pantera last year.<br>
:) If that's what you were referring to.<br>
<br>
Asa<br>
<br>
Asa Jay Laughton, MSgt, USAFR, Retired<br>
& Shelley Marie<br>
Spokane, WA<br>
******************************<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.racingagainstautism.com"
target="_blank">http://www.racingagainstautism.com</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.teampanteraracing.com" target="_blank">http://www.teampanteraracing.com</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://facebook.com/racingagainstautism"
target="_blank">http://facebook.com/racingagainstautism</a><br>
<br>
<br>
On 7/5/2013 8:13 PM, TPR wrote:<br>
> Are you bragging again? ;-)<br>
><br>
><br>
> Asa Jay Laughton <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:asajay@asajay.com">asajay@asajay.com</a>>
wrote:<br>
><br>
>> Hey all,<br>
>> Sample spark plug #2 attached. All eight looked
nearly identical to<br>
>> this one. I'd attach more photos but they are a
bit fuzzy. I'll put<br>
>> them up in the gallery later. This is after
about 3,000 miles on the<br>
>> new engine, drive to SSCC, race at SSCC and drive
home. Looking good to<br>
>> me so far.<br>
>><br>
>> Asa<br>
>><br>
>> --<br>
>> Asa Jay Laughton, MSgt, USAFR, Retired<br>
>> & Shelley Marie<br>
>> Spokane, WA<br>
>> ******************************<br>
>> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.racingagainstautism.com"
target="_blank">http://www.racingagainstautism.com</a><br>
>> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.teampanteraracing.com" target="_blank">http://www.teampanteraracing.com</a><br>
>> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://facebook.com/racingagainstautism"
target="_blank">http://facebook.com/racingagainstautism</a><br>
>><br>
>> Your message is ready to be sent with the
following file or link<br>
>> attachments:<br>
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