which spark plugs?

[68 Sport Satellite]

Bosch are for chainsaws....

and windshield wipers. Their ICON series is expensive, but quite good.

 

[moparedtn]

@dadsbee They've been in 12 years so likely 25-30,000 miles. The car has been hard to start the last couple years after it sits for a few days. I'm wondering if new plugs would help that.

That's likely the gas, not the plugs....
Today's gas is very much prone to evaporation from the bowl vents in the carburetor, unfortunately.

 

[RJRENTON]

Bosch are for chainsaws....

Also for weed wackers plus automobile engines.....try them...as good as NGK'S
BOB RENTON

 

[moparedtn]

More than likely, you'll receive several hundred of opinions. The OEM plugs on the 340 engine were Champion N-10Y (3/4" reach) or the Mopar equilivant. The die hard NGK boys swear by the brand....not sure why Depending on the engines configuration (cam, compression pistons, use-race only or a combination), spark advance characteristics, will determine the heat range....with reach determined by cylinder head configuration. CHAMPION, AUTOLITE, AC DELCO, BOSCH, NGK ARE ALL GREAAT PLUGS....all with various electrode configurations. Personally, I use CHAMPION UJ--11G OR CHAMPION HO-8A both are non projected center electrode plugs of platinum or Palladian center electrodes......why??? Because the engine likes them and they perform well......I buy them on line plus I've aquired several dozen sets of MOPAR P34P (MADE BY CHAMPION or J-11Y plugs).....btw....NFS. My ignition system is a recurved PRESTOLITE DUAL POINT DISTRIBUTOR SND FACTORY COIL AND 0.5 OHM BALLAST RESISTOR. The engine will go to 6500 RPM without missing a beat.....but this is just my opinion of course....one of the several hundred......
BOB RENTON

I like me some of those J-11Y's for the ol' 440. They're getting kinda pricy, though...

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

That's likely the gas, not the plugs....
Today's gas is very much prone to evaporation from the bowl vents in the carburetor, unfortunately.

Try this cold start trick someone on B-bodies posted last year. It works every time for me. Throttle to floor 4 times. Wait to the count of 15 before starting the engine. This lets the fuel atomize in the carb. Turn the key with barely a feather throttle or no throttle at all. Instant fire every time for me.

 

[moparedtn]

Try this cold start trick someone on B-bodies posted last year. It works every time for me. Throttle to floor 4 times. Wait to the count of 15 before starting the engine. This lets the fuel atomize in the carb. Turn the key with barely a feather throttle or no throttle at all. Instant fire every time for me.

My point was that with the volatility in the fuel today, it's likely there is no fuel in the carburetor...

 

[Car #4]

My point was that with the volatility in the fuel today, it's likely there is no fuel in the carburetor...

Well I certainly have fuel because I've flooded it more than once.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

My point was that with the volatility in the fuel today, it's likely there is no fuel in the carburetor...

that's what the 4 pumps of the go pedal are for during cold starting. If I then drive to the store and come back out 5 minutes later, I turn the key with no gas pedal and the motor also fires instantly since the fuel has not yet fully evaporated. A 20 minute wait is pushing it and may require another cold start procedure. The key is the wait time after pumping the pedal.

Don't mean to derail the spark plug topic OP, but it's valuable info to try.
Back to the spark plug suggestions...

 

[Don Frelier]

I've had noticeable starting improvement from cleaning the carbon tracking on the distributor cap posts and rotor tip.
I take a small file with a square edge and scrape it off. Just the build up until it's shiny don't really file any material off.
It sure seems to make a difference.

 

[moparedtn]

that's what the 4 pumps of the go pedal are for during cold starting. If I then drive to the store and come back out 5 minutes later, I turn the key with no gas pedal and the motor also fires instantly since the fuel has not yet fully evaporated. A 20 minute wait is pushing it and may require another cold start procedure. The key is the wait time after pumping the pedal.

Don't mean to derail the spark plug topic OP, but it's valuable info to try.
Back to the spark plug suggestions...

Pumping does no good if there's no gas in the carb at all. That's all I was saying.

 

[Car #4]

that's what the 4 pumps of the go pedal are for during cold starting. If I then drive to the store and come back out 5 minutes later, I turn the key with no gas pedal and the motor also fires instantly since the fuel has not yet fully evaporated. A 20 minute wait is pushing it and may require another cold start procedure. The key is the wait time after pumping the pedal.

Don't mean to derail the spark plug topic OP, but it's valuable info to try.
Back to the spark plug suggestions...

Good info. Mine behaves very similar to that. There's a time period there where it's hard to start even though the engine is warm. Finicky little rascals aren't they!

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

Pumping does no good if there's no gas in the carb at all. That's all I was saying.

Fair. I'm no expert, but it works for me even if my car sits for 3 mo. Maybe the fuel pump helps out in that case?

 

[moparedtn]

Fair. I'm no expert, but it works for me even if my car sits for 3 mo. Maybe the fuel pump helps out in that case?

If you're talking only giving it 4 pumps of the pedal (which works the throttle/accelerator pump on the carb, of course)
then the fuel pump has nothing to do with it, either.
You gotta turn the engine over to get the fuel pump into the mix...

The well-known issue lots of folks experience, the one I'm referring to, is simply when everything mechanically otherwise is
perfectly fine operationally - but the fuel today, with all the stuff they put in it (especially the alcohol in most cases), makes
it evaporate at such an accelerated rate that the carbs we run simply allow it to do so through the bowl vents quickly.
Some of that is alleviated by running methanol-free gas, but sadly not all of it...and Edelbrocks seem more susceptible
to the problem than Holleys, too.

Some folks install check valves in the fuel line; others install a small electric pump to act as a primer pump; still others
just keep a squeeze bottle of fuel handy to squirt in the bowls before firing up...
Still others just let the thing crank a while on a startup after the car has sat for some days, allowing the oil pressure
to build and all that until the carb again gets fuel from the tank, too (harder on the starter, sure...).

Cars didn't used to do this back in the day - and the only real difference between then and now is the fuel we're forced
to use, that simple.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

If you're talking only giving it 4 pumps of the pedal (which works the throttle/accelerator pump on the carb, of course)
then the fuel pump has nothing to do with it, either.
You gotta turn the engine over to get the fuel pump into the mix...

The well-known issue lots of folks experience, the one I'm referring to, is simply when everything mechanically otherwise is
perfectly fine operationally - but the fuel today, with all the stuff they put in it (especially the alcohol in most cases), makes
it evaporate at such an accelerated rate that the carbs we run simply allow it to do so through the bowl vents quickly.
Some of that is alleviated by running methanol-free gas, but sadly not all of it...and Edelbrocks seem more susceptible
to the problem than Holleys, too.

Some folks install check valves in the fuel line; others install a small electric pump to act as a primer pump; still others
just keep a squeeze bottle of fuel handy to squirt in the bowls before firing up...
Still others just let the thing crank a while on a startup after the car has sat for some days, allowing the oil pressure
to build and all that until the carb again gets fuel from the tank, too (harder on the starter, sure...).

Cars didn't used to do this back in the day - and the only real difference between then and now is the fuel we're forced
to use, that simple.

Thanks. Yes, I'm aware of all of this, especially since I live in California which has extremely high ethanol content. Let's table this discussion so the OP can get back to his spark plug quest. We could go on and on...

 

[Car #4]

Don’t worry about the plug quest, this is good discussion. As for the plugs I think I’ll either stick with the Bosch, which is what’s in it now, or go to NGK equivalent.

 

[moparedtn]

Don’t worry about the plug quest, this is good discussion. As for the plugs I think I’ll either stick with the Bosch, which is what’s in it now, or go to NGK equivalent.

Agreed - the more places things like cold starting of cars that have sat a few days is posted - the better, especially on
such a GINORMOUS forum as this one, which serves as a reference library on the ol' 'Net for folks.
Search engines have more stuff to hit on that way - as does our own quirky and annoying as hell Search box!

 

[RemCharger]

Don’t worry about the plug quest, this is good discussion. As for the plugs I think I’ll either stick with the Bosch, which is what’s in it now, or go to NGK equivalent.

(go with the NGK.)

 

[RJRENTON]

and win wipers. Their ICON series is expensive, but quite good.

I

(go with the NGK.)

WHY??? There are other equally effective brands that perform as well......
BOB RENTON

 

[RemCharger]

I

WHY??? There are other equally effective brands that perform as well......
BOB RENTON

Because Bosch plugs are the worst quality.
Just my opinion.

 

[RJRENTON]

Because Bosch plugs are the worst quality.
Just my opinion.

Your opinion is just #3rd AGINST vs the 43,438 FOR Bosch equipment. INSTALLATION TIP: the threaded end screws into the cylinder head..........
BOB RENTON