The only thing that i can think is what I have always thought, a warmer plug starts a cold engine better.

 

We have done this issue before so I don't want to get into it to much, but the only difference between a hot and cold plug is the length of the insulator nose. On a dead cold start, there is no difference between the spark created by either plug. True, the hotter plug will help the combustion chamber warm up quicker (once the engine has already started), but won't have one bit of effect at startup.

 

Reading this thread has helped me learn about plug temps. Thanks!

I've ridden in teen to twenty degree weather, and over hundred degree weather with the same plug.

I still havent beeen able to figure out the time I rode on a mountain in the seattle WA area. It was raining down in the valley where I lived an my bike ran fine, I loaded it into my truck and drove up to the trailhead, where it was snowing and cold. Got it off the truck and it would not start at all. Another group noticed my troubles. The guy tried a couple of things and it still wouldnt fire up. This was back before I learned to carry an extra plug at all times, actually this was THE learning experience. The guy rode a 400ex too and we finally swapped his plug and mine, (both were NGK DPR8Z), and both bikes started and ran great that whole day!

 

Fuel doesn't atomize or burn as cleanly at a cold start at low temps, and people also tend to use the enricher or choke more on carb equipped engines when it's cold.

Both tend to form deposits on spark plugs, and can lead to a fouled plug. The hotter range plug doesn't spark any hotter, but the path heat from combustion has to travel to the relatively cooler head is longer (or narrower). This keeps the nose of the plug hotter, so that it can burn off deposits better.

My Harley will tend to foul plugs when the weather gets cold and I only ride it a couple miles back and forth to work. I either take a road trip every once in a while, or run a hotter plug.

A plug of too hot a heat range can make an engine more likely to ping...

Modern engines seem to run fine across a wide range of operating conditions with the standard plug. EFI does a better job of getting fuel atomized into smaller particles in the winter than a carb does, and modern ignition systems have more voltage and are better able to continue to fire through light spark plug deposits.

Cars and trucks would also tend to have fewer problems, since even in the winter people tend to get them out on the highway for significant run times at relatively high speeds, which can allow deposits to burn off. Motorcycles (and presumably quads) tend to get used for short low speed runs in the winter.

Anyway, I don't think you will have a problem with the stock range plug... unless you run constant short trips and low speeds. If you do, try one step hotter. A spare plug is a good thing to have in your bag, anyway.

 

Ok that is what I had always heard about using a hotter plug. But I definetly agree that carrying a spare plug with you is a smart thing.

 

Plug fouling keeps getting mentioned. I have never fouled the plug on any 4-stroke under any conditions. If you are fouling your plug, you have other problems that you need to deal with......

 

I have fouled a plug more than once, (most of the time by running too long with the choke on) and the dealership here on my wolvy fouled a plug sitting in their lot when I went to pick it up it wouldnt start and they gave me a new (hotter plug) and it fired right up, Ive been using the same one ever since.

What part of california do you live in, because it is 30 here today and that is when I have mainly fouled plugs(at very cold temps)

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Is it better to just ride all day with the standard plug, or ride all day with the hotter one??? </end quote></div>

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>I have never fouled the plug on any 4-stroke under any conditions. </end quote></div>



<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Anyway, I don't think you will have a problem with the stock range plug</end quote></div>


I think we are pretty much on the same page...

If you do lots of cold weather short, low speed runs there might be a first time for you to foul a plug, and if that happens it might be handier to have a spare than to ruin a trip to the trailhead, or have to hike out...

All I'm saying is if I were you I wouldn't worry about fouling the plug, but I'd carry a spare... and if you find you have to use it prematurely, then try a warmer plug.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: reconranger

Plug fouling keeps getting mentioned. I have never fouled the plug on any 4-stroke under any conditions. If you are fouling your plug, you have other problems that you need to deal with......</end quote></div>

Sounds to me like you have problems to deal with, whats with the attitude?

 

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