Jr's3800 has been recommending the TR55s pretty frequently now, so I needed to make sure I get this info out there.

If you look at my mod list [below my sig pic], I do not have extensive mods. However I am running one heat range colder plugs [the TR55s]. My car seemed to have some timing retard, which I thought was due to the TPS Sensor being incorrectly setup [VERY incorrectly setup, btw]. I fixed that, but the timing retard feel was still there [hadn't improved whatsoever]. I reset the ECU twice, just to confirm this. There was something else wrong. At once point I was looking at the exhaust, and saw blue smoke! I freaked out, shut the engine off, and immediately pulled the plugs. Thank God they looked fine, put them all back in and I still cannot reproduce the blue smoke [still no clue where it came from]. The engine ran much better when I initially fired her up, and I had some serious timing issues then, along with a super rich mixture and a ton of problems.. but that timing retard feel was not there. At first I thought it may have been the plug wires, but my old wires were so freakin' shot, there was no way. I checked my plugs, they are rusty [yes, my old plugs have rust on the base of them, and it isn't just a little surface rust spot] but I thought, what the hell, can't hurt to change them out. Change my [new, less than 50 miles on them] TR55s, for my [probably 5 year old, 50,000 mile] AC-Delco T45LTS6'* [most likely stock heat range]. Sure enough, the beast was brought back to life. Timing retard feel was completely gone, and although I didn't throw her around [still need to do that transmission flush], she had a LOT more power. Put the TR55s back in, timing retard feel is back. I did this test three times, and there is no doubt in my mind that the TR55s are the culprit to my lost performance.

Above, I mentioned I replaced the plugs when the engine was running very rich and whatnot, if you are thinking that, that was the cause to the TR55s being a problem, that isn't because I ran the ACs during that, and I ran them a LOT more than the TR55s.

So how can a rusty, 50,000 mi plug beat a new <50 mi plug? Either the one heat range colder is too cold for my engine, or the AC Delco plugs are much better.

I have NO extra money to dick around with TR55s, I want a solid plug. For the timing being I will run my ACs, but they need to be replaced. The question I have now, should I replace them with the stock heat range [my 'upcoming mods' in my sig is ALL I am doing to this engine. After that, performance wise I am done], or one colder? Also I hope padgett drops by, to give the more recent part numbers, because I know he'* the AC-Delco guy around here, and I am sure the part numbers have changed on these old bastards.


-justin

EDIT: I also forgot to mention gaps. The AC'* I didn't mess with, and I am in the process of moving all my tools and whatnot to my garage, so I cannot find my plug gapper for the life of me. However, I had the TR55s gapped at .055" and .060" with no difference in performance. I'm going to assume the ACs have a .060" gap, because they were installed on the Magnavox Ignition.. but I could be wrong [I'll be sure to check them once I find my plug gapper].

EDIT EDIT: Sorry about the story, I have nothing better to do, so I thought i'd blow some time on writing this.

I can't believe the TR55'* would have caused you any problems, or been any better or worse than any Delco plug. You've made so many changes to your ignition, it'* hard to tell.

If you have an ignition problem, I wouldn't suspect the TR55'* at all, but I'd look elsewhere. Even the non-obvious. How much juice is your alternator cranking out? That can cause a low spark voltage. Check your Accel coils, both hot and cold. Shoot out the plug wires.

What problems I am having at the moment? My car runs great! I had previous issues, yes. But those are long gone and fixed. I'd never drive the car, if she had major issues [like the ones I had a little while back].

Bill: My ignition is fine. The ACs work great in the car. The TR55s don't. Not sure what the problem is? I think I have narrowed it down to the fact that my TR55s are shot.

Voltage? Idle is 14.5, above idle it will sometimes jump up to 15.

With the ACs in the car, the engine runs like a dream, super smooth, all that wonderful stuff. TR55s make the car run like it'* got some serious timing retard.

Should I pick up another set of TR55s or should I go after some Rapidfire 14s? --Remember I have no money.. can't waste it.


-justin

Alright, so no need to go one range colder for me? These are cheap plugs, right? Not platinum or anything? And is that the most recent part number for them?


-justin

None whatsoever. You don't have a supercharger or modified compression ratio. But there'* no harm in going one colder, either.

lol I think we all edited our posts at the same time!

Yeah, fixed my O2 Sensor 'problem.' All I needed was one [never had one on there.. don't say anything guys, i'm poor]. Captainmiller'* source of the guy on eBay was a great one. I couldn't get one locally [no clue why?], and I got it at a super deal, and super fast shipping.

The two lessons I learned on the car, was you cannot run a car without an O2 sensor, and a good, quality torque wrench is a lifesaver.


-justin

I'd like to toss out a guess that when you first started it up and it ran good that once you had misfires etc. a plug might have cracked.

It'* like the tire that just won't stay balanced. No one can figure it out because the problem is internal and you can't see or feel it. Just there!