Hi, I am changing the plugs on my 305 for the first time and I have a question about the gap. The factory manual says the gap should be .035 and the standard plugs shuold be AC R45TS. I got those plugs today and when I checked the gap on them it was a little over .040, maybe .045. Is it ok to run with a gap that is alittle over than what the manual says? How can i make the gap smaller if its too big? I also gapped the old plugs that were on there and they are also around .045.


oh ya, can anyone also tell me how to take out the #8 plug because its in such a tight place that its driving me crazy. lol

thanks

 

You can't skinny down the gaps too much- the side electrode must stay parallel with the tip of the center electrode. You don't want it angled. So the plug itself is built for a fairly narrow range of gap settings.

I wouldn't sweat the .045 plug gap- I run that much all the time on 3rd gen and older motors that use the HEI ignition system. My go-to cheapie plug is the Autolite #24 and it's likewise built for a ~.045" gap.

 

well i always run the gap that the factory says, although in serious performance applications experimenting w/ different gaps can be helpful.Plugs from the box usually arent gapped for your application. Even if they claim to it is worth checking.All you need to do ti adjust the gap is get a plug gapper from autozone, its like a buck or something. And i had luck getting #8 from underneath. Have patience good luck

 

So is it possible to make the gap smaller to .035? Because I have a gap tool but I dont think I can make the gap smaller with it.

thanks

 

Of all the things that make any kind of ACTUAL difference, .035" vs .045" is WAY down on the list.

Then, given that not all cylinders "wear" the same due to compression and fuel distribution and whatnot, whatever you set them to today, they won't be that in a few months.

I used to get all wound up about that. Any more though, I pull them out of the box, and if they have "some" but not "too much", in they go. If they have "too little" I bend them out until they have "some"; if they have "too much I whap them on something until they have only "some".

It's one of those "measure with micrometer, mark with chalk, cut with axe" kind of situations.

 

Yes absolutely you can shrink the gap.As sofakingdom said you can just tap ground electrode (the hook looking thing) against something and re-measure your gap.Although a good gapper will have a part to increase or decrease your gap- hey you can throw em in or gap em. I at least feel better i took the time to do it by the book. Goodluck

 

thanks, I might just decrease the gap.