Hello-

What kind of spark plug do you recommend for a 2001 2x4 400?

Thanks
Marla

 

Whatever the manufacture recommends. In your case NGK CR6E. That's straight from the service manual. Now that said I am a great proponent of Champion spark plugs, however I put one in my 2001 AC250 and it ran about like it did with the old NGK plug, not very well. Installed a new NGK and it was like a new engine. So the when a manufacture designs an engine, they use a certain plug during the design and testing and they usually run better with the recommended plug.

 

well if you have a

2001-98 Bearcat 400 2x4 . . . . . . . . Autolite # 4303 ----gap .028

 

Bear-
You would recommend I just get the plug from the dealer then? What about gapping which I don't understand, but have a friend who is willing to help me, does it have to be gapped? Thanks for you help, I don't have a manual, guess I better get one. Oh and buy the way I saw your pictures from when you went riding in Central Oregon. I grew up in Bend, love it there!!! Wasn't into quading at the time, but did a lot of skiing on Bachelor, camping up at the high lakes, East and Paulina, and also snowmobiled Paulina, Crane Prairie, all over in there. Beautiful country there. Thanks for your help.
Marla

 

I know I'm not Bear, but you can get plugs from any powersports dealer. Also, new plugs must always be gapped. Never let anyone tell you that they come gapped, they don't!!

 

Most dealers or parts places have gap gauges ar a set of feeler gauges right at the counter. Have them check it for you or set it to the right spec.

 

Thomar, No, not from a dealer. Any auto parts store should have the plug and for a lot less than any ATV dealer. You should also be able to get a gapping tool at the auto parts store for a couple of dollars. It will probably be round, twice the size od a 50 cent piece Have an edge that is tappered. I'm sure the counter guy would gladly show you how to do it. The gap should be .024 to .028". Closer to .024" is best.

The last time we were down ther in October we came into the Paulina Caldera from the east side on our quads. A 7000 foot pass, it was unbelievable and Fort Rock looks real cool from that side of the mountain. The wife and I are planning on retiring around Crescent in a year or two because we really like the area. I've going there for about 50 years now. First time over we camped at East Twin Lake back when there were only logging roads, no power and tent camping only.

 

This above statement is not true, plugs come gapped, but not necessarily for your application. I have install thousands of plugs and all of them were at like .030" or .035 or .060 or whatever the biggest buyer of that plug needs them set for.

 

I'll go through a couple sets per season on my racing jet ski (a suzuki 1100 triple) and I think every plug, NGK BR9EYA, I buy has a slightly different gap right out of the box. So I don't think they're even gapped for any specific application from the factory because sometimes I'll have to adjust them a lot and others not so much. Just from what I see though. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

EDIT: When I said that plugs don't come gapped, I meant they most likely won't be gapped for what you need them for, so don't just install them without checking them. Of course they are gapped to something. What I really meant is that the way they come from the factory is not (or almost never) consistant.

EDIT: now that I read this again, watch every new set of spark plugs I buy be gapped to the specs I need them!! Oh wait, something like that would never happen to me! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

My race motors had 6 plugs for 100cid motor and 12 for the V6 2 liter motor (dual plugs and ignition system). I still have probably handle more plugs (more than a 1000 a year) in a year than you have ever handle. Hell I worked on motors for a living. And the factorys all gap plugs to within a spec'd range for some application. Like the Cat spec is .024 to .028". A Champion QL77JC4 are was gapped at .040 for years. Then Johnson and Evinrude, being the largest user of this plug, changed the spec to .030". They found rapid plug wear from the higher voltage required for the large gap and changed it to .030". Within 3 months the plugs were changed to .030. I never said that you shouldn't check the gap. But manufacturing specs will have them gapped in a certain range. Of course there's alway the one that gets drop etc.