What is Spark Plug Gapping?
Another method of insuring proper spark is through gapping. The term gapping means to provide an adequate jumping distance for the spark to terminate. Gapping spark plugs is very important in both non-supercharged and supercharged applications. The average spark plug gap between the electrode and the ground is determined by the engineers that have designed the ignition. Usually, when an engine is converted to being supercharged, the gap is reduced to approximately .032 to .035. This reduction in the gap helps prevent whats known as spark blowout” due to the increased amount of fuel and cylinder pressure. The higher the cylinder pressure the harder it is for the spark to occur. The ability of the spark to actually take place is enhanced by decreasing the spark plug gap. A very common problem that is seen time and time again is an application that runs smoothly until about 3,000 rpm. At that point, the engine usually sputters and the power that was being created has become non-existent.
