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spark plug size / colourtune
les - 2/12/07 at 06:16 PM

Dear all,

just about to buy a colourtune but dont know what size i need,
they do 10mm 12mm and 14mm

I have a 2L silvertop zetec in my avon

cheers
les


rallyingden - 2/12/07 at 08:10 PM

Les
From my expieriece with colortunes, some years ago I admit, They are not worth buying. A much better way of checking mixture is either go tap up you MOT man to use his gear or do a "plug cut" where you drive at the revs / speed you want to check then switch engine off and depress clutch at the same time.
Take the plugs out and look at the colour. Black rich
White weak & sandy just about right.

RD


les - 2/12/07 at 09:21 PM

hi ,

thanks, will try that method.

les


BenB - 2/12/07 at 09:30 PM

I have to say I found the Colortune plugs very useful and got the mixture pretty close to spot-on using them before SVA....


David Jenkins - 2/12/07 at 09:55 PM

Me too - I used one to set the car up, then borrowed a proper exhaust analyser... and found that I'd got pretty near spot-on.

As for looking at the plugs - I'd been told that the colour will only give a rough clue to any problems (e.g. if it's black & sooty, or covered in oil) but that it's a very inaccurate way to get a proper mixture.


will121 - 2/12/07 at 10:19 PM

i found it to be ok too, think most are now 14mm but the older coloutunes were 14mm thread but larger across the nut which wouldnt then fit modern engines. but think the better way forward now is a lambda sensor and mixture meter that way its possible to check mixture accross the complete rev range


MikeRJ - 3/12/07 at 11:52 AM

quote:
Originally posted by rallyingden
Les
From my expieriece with colortunes, some years ago I admit, They are not worth buying. A much better way of checking mixture is either go tap up you MOT man to use his gear or do a "plug cut"


Colourtune is really only for setting up idle mixture. Doing a plug chop at idle really won't tell you much.


les - 4/12/07 at 12:02 PM

ok ,

thanks for the replies guys,

so general consensus is that they are useful as a startting point, then you need
exhaust gas analyser.

ok I have ordered the 14mm will report on the fit, then have asked santa for the
exhaust co2 analyser that gunsons also make!!

les