RE: [alfa] carburettor tuning tools

[White Anthony <anthony.white@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"What keeps a wacky, presumably non-ideal spark plug from severely affecting 
the way that the mixture burns?"

A spark plug only ignites the mixture -- it has no impact on the way it burns
after ignition has occurred.  

In terms of a spark plug, "ideal" depends on the intended use and running
conditions.  An ideal plug is one that gives a strong spark over a long life,
doesn't foul or run too hot, and will give good performance in high rpm
situations as well as tootling around town.  

The Colortune plug isn't ideal in the above sense, because it doesn't have to
be.  It's intended to be used for maybe a minute or so before taking it out
and letting it cool.  Before using it, you balance your individual carb
throats using one of the usual air-flow-meter tools, then do only fine tuning
of your mixture using the Colortune.  It's designed to run hot in order to
keep the window clean, and it doesn't have good heat transfer properties
anyway, so used for much longer than a minute and it starts to become too
hot, then probably begins to act as a glow plug.  It does however have a good
strong and reliable spark to give good ignition for the short time it's in
use.  

regards,
Anthony White
Wellington, NZ
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided