Does anyone have an issue with Tempest sparkplugs going in a Lycoming O360C1G ?

Tempest UREM38E @ $24.45 versus Champion REM38E @ $29.95

Gaskets are 5/8s the price too:
TEMPEST COPPER SPARKPLUG GASKET U674 (BOX OF 100) $43.65

Thank you for your comments.

My experience has been that if you are one that checks spark plug resistance when you are cleaning them or have them out for any other reason, (and I am) you will ditch the Champs all together and move on to the Tempests…

Take care, Rob

Rob wrote:My experience has been that if you are one that checks spark plug resistance when you are cleaning them or have them out for any other reason, (and I am) you will ditch the Champs all together and move on to the Tempests…

Take care, Rob

I agree, I quit buying champs a long time ago due to this.

I have used both. Tempest are fine.

Thank you folks for the comments. Ordered Tempest UREM38E from http://www.aircraftspruce.com

8GCBC wrote:Does anyone have an issue with Tempest sparkplugs going in a Lycoming O360C1G ?

Tempest UREM38E @ $24.45 versus Champion REM38E @ $29.95

Gaskets are 5/8s the price too:
TEMPEST COPPER SPARKPLUG GASKET U674 (BOX OF 100) $43.65

Thank you for your comments.

Flew 25 hours on the my UREM38E, Tempest sparkplug. I am storing the aircraft for a couple of weeks while I go back East. Removed the plugs to fog the jugs and the UREM38E looks great!

Thank you for the great advice on Tempest! The copper gaskets are good to go too.

I recommend Tempest now. Nice to see a price decrease with better quality!!!

Scout Flyer

When I had my last O-360 rebuilt I started with the fine wire versions. Just to see.
Ended up staying with them. I no longer have the logs, but cannot remember having to replace them, just the gaskets at annual. BUT, that was back in my relatively "lettuce" days. Never did have to "clear" a plug on run-up.

Some owners went with fine wires on the bottom holes only.

The shops I hung around would save the copper gaskets for a while, put en on skinny rod and torch them till they glowed for a while. (must be time and temp formula somewhere)

Chris C

wannabe wrote:Scout Flyer

The shops I hung around would save the copper gaskets for a while, put en on skinny rod and torch them till they glowed for a while. (must be time and temp formula somewhere)

Chris C

I hate seeing copper thrown in the rubbish bin too. Several people say you can re-anneal and some say you can't either. I personally do not because the copper gasket is an electrical conductor and oxidizing it does not help it!! The softening is questionable because I have no empirical method to confirm it's usefulness.

Good to remember too the copper gasket shorts the path to GND for the magneto firing the sparkplug. Having a clean gasket and path to ground is most important in my book.

Tempest copper gaskets are 2/3 the price of brand "X" !!

I've never used anything but re-annealed gaskets in over 2000 hours of flying. Heat them up with a torch, drop them in a can of water, put them back on. Do it over and over and over again...every 100 hours in fact. If there's an issue with doing that, I've never run into it. It's my mechanic that showed me the trick, and he's been doing it for about 30 years without any problem. BTW, the oxidation flakes off when they hit the water.

I would trust Lycoming, Champion, Tempest... change the gaskets.

There are people with way too much time on their hands. But, if cleaning and annealing a gasket makes them feel good, to each his/her own.

All my engines use new.

8GCBC wrote:I would trust Lycoming, Champion, Tempest... change the gaskets.

There are people with way too much time on their hands. But, if cleaning and annealing a gasket makes them feel good, to each his/her own.

All my engines use new.

Yes, to each their own, especially when they're the one flying behind the engine. That's why I change my oil every 25 hours...because I like it that way. But it takes all of about a minute to torch the gaskets and drop them in a can of water, so it's hardly a real time-sink.

Hammer wrote:

8GCBC wrote:I would trust Lycoming, Champion, Tempest... change the gaskets.

There are people with way too much time on their hands. But, if cleaning and annealing a gasket makes them feel good, to each his/her own.

All my engines use new.

Yes, to each their own, especially when they're the one flying behind the engine. That's why I change my oil every 25 hours...because I like it that way. But it takes all of about a minute to torch the gaskets and drop them in a can of water, so it's hardly a real time-sink.

I agree with the 25 hour oil change. I know flight schools that go over TBO regularly with 100+ hour oil changes. But, I like seeing clean oil rather than black on my pre flights.

My IA/A&P neighbor annealed copper gaskets and also re-cadmium plated AN- hardware. I respected the guy. But, the shops I worked at ".gov" mostly I would get "stink eye" from the boss if I reused a cooper gasket!!

I torch the gaskets...what is the benefit of new vs re-cycling? Why would one stink-eye torching a gasket?

I'm no expert, seriously just want to know if there are legitimate drawbacks?

Skalywag wrote:I torch the gaskets...what is the benefit of new vs re-cycling? Why would one stink-eye torching a gasket?

I'm no expert, seriously just want to know if there are legitimate drawbacks?

The copper gasket is an electric conductor in this case. Everytime it's compressed (installing a sparkplug) impurities get pressed into the surface .. Lead, carbon etc. Then torching also imparts impurities too. Impurities tend to increase resistance which is bad for the mags.

If the copper is cleaned to a shining surface then, it is fine. The softening helps keep the perimeter of the sparkplug hole clean by removing the imbedded impurities during the replacement of the NEW copper gasket.

My mags and ignition systems are important to me. A bad ground (copper gasket) could lead to issues.

8GCBC wrote:.... Impurities tend to increase resistance which is bad for the mags.
My mags and ignition systems are important to me. A bad ground (copper gasket) could lead to issues.

Ding ding ding… we have a winner here! As I recall resistance was indicated in the spark plug differences
Many may think you're splitting hairs here. Indeed I do as well.. but, I personally think the hairs that take no work to split and still offer improvement are worth splitting. Many old timers anneal gaskets.. most are afraid of GPS and good oil too

Ever wonder why two shops can produce 'equally' built engines, that go to TBO, yet one shop always turns out the smoother, tighter, torquier one?

Annealed gaskets will work every bit as good as Champion spark plugs. They most certainly will take your engine to TBO, I assure you… But for those who actually put the meter to their plugs, and consequently ended up jumping ship to Tempest… The above may be worth considering. For me saying a particular engine made TBO is tantamount to saying 'I did it to trade standards'… not a very high bar to set

Take care, Rob

I had assumed the ground was made through the threads of the spark plug, since its a closer path from the ground strap on the plug and the head. I use new because I have a box of 100, but my impression was that the copper was only there to provide a seal for the combustion chamber.

There would seem to need a wonky pathway for juice to travel through the copper gasket. The firing spark comes from the center electrode and jumps to either grounding strap and then through the threads/body of the plug to the head/case.

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

Agreed on the wonky path, and the primary use of the gasket, but are you talking about the same threads the vast majority apply a resistant anti seize to? That path is going to be determined by resistance, just like the throttle cables that get fried because the ground strap is bad. Again splitting hairs for sure, but a tiny bit better is still a tiny bit better.

Take care, Rob

No offense to anyone here, but I think we've officially reached the level of arguing a point to argue a point. Yes, a fraction better is still a fraction better, but we've gotten into the realm of very, Very, VERY small fractions!

Considering the vast operational variables in a aircraft engine, I'm just not going to spend a lot of time thinking about this one.

The threads make a bad ground. Anti-seize is a dielectric. Cam you need more research.

Thanks guys, appreciate the lowdown. Gonna buy a big box of new gaskets.