RE: spark plugs

["Gilbert, Clark" <Clark_Gilbert@xxxxxxx>]

At the expense of starting a potential flame war the likes of which has
not been seen since ER*M, airbrakes, RR vs Urquel (I prefer Breckenridge
Avalanche, probably since I learned to toss cookies on RR's in college
at VaTech) or any post on zymol, I offer the following comments on spark
plugs. I do not believe any spark "hotter" than that required to fire
the mixture in the cylinder will achieve any more horsepower or torque.
The power comes from the expanding gases produced by combustion, not
from the spark. The gases expand along one flame front, the velocity of
which is determined by the mixture. I understand the impact of more
spark plugs per cylinder, since they will produce more flame fronts, and
higher sustained cylinder pressures. I also know  - more than MHO - that
my car, a bone stock big six, runs best with Bosch WR9LS gapped at
0.035, no others need apply. (Best = minimum lope at idle, no hesitation
on tip-in, no high speed miss, just a great growl, and 19 mpg city)

Can anybody produce meaningful proof that once one has stumbled upon the
correct combination of plug heat range and gap, that a higher voltage
spark will make any difference? Or plug wires? 

Clark
87 535is, 129K

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