Extreme Spark plugs

[nitroman]

I'm moving this 1 post from my car's thread so others may focus on the topic of this company's spark-plug. http://www.extremespark.com

The lower-temp (165F) thermostat works great

Surely you mean 180°F Matt.

No, 165F.

With the lower-temp thermostat I also switched to a hotter plug, as every now & then I'd get a 'miss.' Here is the skinny on which plugs to order from Extreme Spark:

The color of the stripe nearest the plug's threads identifies the heat-range of the plug. The heat-range number matches those used on Bosch plugs, which run counter to those used on NGK plugs. In short, a lower # = a colder plug, higher #s are hotter plugs.

*SVFN6YR green-stripe one-step-colder (for hotter-running engines) equals NGK BKR7E
*SVFN7YR yellow-stripe ------------------ (normal plug for the Elan) equals NGK BKR6E
*SVFN8YR blue-stripe one-step-hotter (for colder-running engines) equals NGK BKR5E

[nitroman]

The yellow car seems to run noticibly better on the *SVFN8YR plugs with the 165F Tstat. It runs great right off before even warming up too. I have not tried the "big test", a hundreds-mile-plus interstate run with the AC on at near 100F outside... something which the car would have to stay cool for or else a hot-range-plug will absorb too muh heat and you therefore get pre-ignition.

Still this only makes the 'converted' R134a AC blow not-hot. Although an improvement, I still need to convert back to R12 freon to live in this summer sauna bath.

[nitroman]

I've found that operating the car with the 165F stat for durations of an hour or more causes the check-engine light to come on, but does not cause the car to run poorly. I am however, having the car converted back to R-12 refridgerant, and once I have, there will no longer be a reason to keep the engine this cool.

I would advise anyone who gives the slightest rat's ass about not sweating to NEVER, EVER convert to R134a. It takes way too long for the A/C to start blowing truly cold, at least 15 minutes. I unfortunately, bought the car already damned by Satan to this heat of Hell.

[nitroman]

Taking the car tomorrow to have it converted back to R12. It is not as easy as you may think to find a shop willing to touch a Lotus, and whom still has stocks of R12. Apparently there is so much illegal R12 being pedaled that shops now have to fill out a federal form stating where any R12 they use was purchased from, EVERY TIME they dispense any. Therefore many shops have decided not to deal with R12 at all anymore. Good thing I have such great R12 stocks, once I get it converted.

BTW, EVERY shop I told my tale of woe to was completely in agreement that R134a put into a car designed for R12 is a shite combination.