E30 Zone

So a friend of mine has a 50's Wolsley 6/80. It currently has a lack of power, it has had new fuel pump, recently installed electronic ignition and new HT leads.

He showed me a spark plug from it today, it was the "correct" colour but I had never seen one like it. The inner electrode, rather than being a small stick of wire with ceramic around it was just a conical shape? Any idea what kind of plug it is, I have no way of telling if it is knackered or not.

Also any suggestions as to lack of power would be handy.

He is thinking of rolling roading it and get the carbs set up, or at least balanced etc.

Platinum or iridium spark plug? The more pointed an electrode is, the easier for a spark to jump from it, but can only be done with very high melting point metals, as a standard plug tip would melt.

Brianmoooore wrote:Platinum or iridium spark plug? The more pointed an electrode is, the easier for a spark to jump from it, but can only be done with very high melting point metals, as a standard plug tip would melt.

I don't what kind of plug it is, just trying to establish whether they are the cause of low power, but from what you have said probably not.

I just wonder, if they are a "standard" plug for the car with old type ignigiton (though all the replacements I kind can are normal plugs like on Satans list) whether with the upgrade of electronic ignition they are now no longer compatible.

Plug leads all fitted in the correct firing order?

Yes as runs smoothly otherwise.

These plugs aren't compatible with the cars OE ignition system, but you say that's been upgraded.

Yes the ignition has been upgraded to electronic. I wonder then if a simple solution could just been "modern spark plugs".

I read that wrong, your suggestion is they are compatible with a modern system. So not likely the cause of lack of power.

The modern plugs need a high energy ignition system to drive them properly - much higher than the original system would have been able to deliver. I don't know anything about the spec. of what has been fitted, so don't know whether it's just a points and condenser elimination system, or a true high power system, like some of the lethal systems I built and fitted to 'A' series engines back in the day.
There's also some engines that just don't work well with 'improved' plugs. The M20 is a case in point with four electrode plugs.
I'd certainly try a set of 'ordinary' plugs in the engine. Aren't the originals still around?

Why not try reverting to the standard type period Champion/NGK plugs, and failing that, revert to good old points and condenser ignition...

Lack of power you say, it only had 72 BHP to start with.