Fine Wire Plugs

[Kevin Bolender]

Have found some ambition lately and pulled my spark plugs and injectors to clean them.
After about 150 hours on the new fine wire plugs all of the bottom plugs had a huge build-up
of lead deposits which I subsequently cleaned with hoppes #9 gun cleaner. I aggressively lean
for taxi and lean to 50 rich of peak for cruise.
Is this build-up of lead unusual or what??
Kevin (8871Y)

[N3322G]

Kevin,

Haven't had that problem on 22G's fine wires so will be interested in others experiences.

[Zach Grant L1011jock]

Kevin,
Instead of leaning aggressively on the ground, which doesn't do much unless you are taxiing at 1500 rpm which I doubt, reset your idle mixture. This "jet" is not affected by the mixture lever, and as such plays a big part in the overall mixture distribution of the engine. It should be adjusted seasonally or whenever the temperature of operation changes significantly. In FL you should be on the lean side year round. As for operations in cruise, try running at peak, and see if things clear up. 50 degrees ROP is actually the hotest burn and has a tendency to evaprate and melt the lead, causing lead balls and combustion deposits, instead of the lead expelling itself from the cyl. Your CHTs will also go down.
-Zach

[Kevin Bolender]

Zach, Thanks for your advice, I'll reset the idle as you suggest and try cruise at peak. I notice that your reply was done on Saturday afternoon and I am assuming that the Indy weather has something to do with your free time. I was flying a SR22 this afternoon around the state in beautiful Fl weather, Pompano to Palatka, Sebring and home. Tomorrow have a instrument student at 7am and loving life!!
Thanks, KB

[Zach Grant L1011jock]

Kevin,

Thanks for rubbing it in...yes another 5 inches of snow today. I'm over winter...

Zach