How do spark plug gaps affect the operation of a motor?

[StockMan]

Just a general question.  What is the advantage of having plugs gaps properly?  What negative effect do they have when they are not gapped properly?  Thanks.

[Todd Wilson]

They need to be gapped properly to get the spark to jump over. Bad gap can cause poor spark  or no spark and then you dont ignite the fuel. No fuel ignition and you dont get a cylinder firing or firing good enough and you waste some fuel.

I've always been a firm believer to use the what the manufacturer says. Theres a certain amount of resistance in spark plugs and the various ignition systems are built for those spark plugs.  Maybe not so much in the modern cars anymore but the older ones. I have never had any luck with ANY plug other then Champions in my Mopars. My chevy buddys think Champion are junk. As they have problems with them in their chevys. I had some champions in my Honda Prelude and they didnt do very good. Switched to NGK which is what they recomend and it was a nite and day difference in how it ran. I've used AC Delco and Autolite in the Mopars with no luck at all.

With a performance ignition system you could have a wider gap making a bigger spark to help ignite more fuel. It also helps as its harder to get a good spark in higher compression engines.


Todd