Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Is there a recommended interval (hours) when the plugs should be pulled and inspected/cleaned/gapped ?

RB

The shop that does our aircraft did them every 100 hours, (135 aircraft) have gone 400 hours without doing anything(cessna 188). I'm not sure what is recommended, just sharing what we have seen in our operation.

Ron

My aircraft has the plugs done at annual condition inspection every year no matter how many hours have been flown. Your mileage may vary.

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Bruce Finney
N18JF T-18C #262
Yelm, WA USA

I agree with Bruce - every annual. Inspect them for an out of round condition on the massive electrode as well. When they start to look like a football, replace them. I just did on my last annual. I use UREM37BY on my O-320 E2D.
Cubes

We have a 1000 hour 0-290GPU and I clean the plugs every 50 hours or so. We get lead deposits in the number 3 and 4 cylinders. Pretty good chunks that need to be cleaned out. Went about a year and when a plug when bad in the air that got my attention and I clean more frequently now.

Brent Schultz
N6CM

Same here Brent, running 100LL on my low compression E2D and I take em out and clean at about 6 month intervals, On auto gas which I run alot of the time, they stay slick as a whistle, no deposits. About the only time I run 100LL anymore is when Im out and have to fuel to get back home. I did notice that the MMO will slow down the build up of lead on the plugs when using 100LL. I guess the new 100LL replacement is totally without lead, the article I read stated that it had the same octane rating, I sure hope none of us has any fits out of the new stuff...Dan

Yep, I use UREM37BY/REM37BY plugs. I have about 60 hours on the new plugs and was hoping for at least 100+ before any maint. on them ! Bringing the A/C home tomorrow to get ready for the KSEE airshow and T28 in June. I am going to pull the plugs just to satisify my funny bone ! I lean aggressively on the ground and mag checks have been good. This would be a good topic for Fredricksburg.

RB