Spark Plug Cleaning

Does anyone have any experience with cleaning spark plugs? There is a company in Van Nuys California that some local pilots send their plugs to. They charge 3-4$ to inspect and clean a plug. My plugs have about 200 hours on them. Is it a good idea to send them to a service like this?

Thanks,
Tom RV-7A Flying

Buy your own gap gauge and gap setting tool, available at any a/c parts supplier. I have had very good results with using a stiff toothbrush and Hopps #9 gun cleaning solvent.

A magnifying glass and pick tool will be needed too. So you can carefully inspect the insulator and pick out the occasional lead bead.


For the cost of having your plugs cleaned once, not to mention the shipping you will have what you need to do it yourself and learn about the plugs and related maintaince.

Hope this helps.

Glenn Wilkinson

Learned...

the hard way... I had 100 hour plugs cleaned and tested, two did not pass the compression blow out test even after cleaned again. These were Autolite, the older version. Lesson learned, buy good plugs. I've decided to stay with Champion on the mag side. You can and blast clean your plugs, final blast and gap, it means nothing if they do no pass the compression blow out test!

home grown ...........

is my way. easy to do( dental pick ) and no down time. i hate down time.