Does anyone have direct experience with one of these?

I was shopping for speedometer needle paint and dashboard LEDS and found this:

http://www.hipoparts.com/product_info.p ... ucts_id=59

Has anyone ever used or had experience with one of these?

Not spark plug cleaners in general, some of them work and some don't, I already know that. I was wondering about this "style" (not necessarily this exact brand.)

Further, yes I know spark plugs are cheap but so am I and I have TWO X four cylinder spark plug munchers now. On plugs with less than a season on them this might be a practical new toy to have. (Yes, I know plugs do go bad and need to be replaced except in lawnmowers.)

input?

 

For $15 you just got to have one, cleanig plugs by hand is a PITA.

 

only thing we use on the farmis a wire brush deal, but i liek to throw in spark plugs, even if the old ones arent bad, just something im used to doing being around 2 strokes, and ya, just peace of mind

 

Sure do. Bought one years ago as my dad recommended them.
One observation. These units use aluminum oxide as a blasting medium and unless you can guarantee that you have cleaned out the space inside between the insulator body and the threaded plug jacket, you are introducing the equivalent of sandpaper into your engine. I don't know of any means to ensure this condition (the blast of compressed air is NOT a guarantee folks) so I have my unit sitting on a shelf collecting dust. Either use walnut shells or buy new plugs for peace of mind.
So I either wire wheel them clean or I buy new.

 

Yegad! Hadn't thought of that! (You're more than right about the blast of air being no guarantee.) False economy compared to wrecking an engine. Dunno how well this little unit would work with soft/larger particle blasting media, so I'll let MINE sit on THEIR shelf and save the $$$. THANK YOU.

 

That would not deter me, you must be able to ensure the removal of the particulate matter.

 

mmm... I dunno. How ensured could I be that it was all removed? Also thinking that for $15 instead of $45, it might be worth it to TRY it with walnut shells anyway. Then if it doesn't work, I can....







...ship it to this guy I know in Australia!

 

I have one exactly like that. Mine is from harbor freight. I love it. You have to move the plug around and tilt it side to side a little, but it works. I always wash my plugs out with carb cleaner and compressed air after using it, and look in there to make sure all the media is gone. Mine works great. It was perfect for my plug fowling 79cr250.

 

I don't like to be associated with a failer, but in this case I'm rather hoping.....

 

Army maintenance crews tried that when maintaining their CH-47 helicopters.

It didn't work so well.

 

Turkey my friend, thank you for that. The one I posted the link to IS the one from Harbor Freight. If you do the "view larger image" thing it has Harbor's part number on it. Harbor sells it for $7.99. Almost had an oops there! For $7.99 maybe I'll buy two and send one to Australia...

 

I agree with Robert

I have 1 of those and bought it to clean 2 stroke plugs so I can use them longer, but be fore warned the blasting media is very small you have to use an airgun to blow out the media from the plug or the media will end up scoring the cylinderwalls and sezing the engine. I did this once , Just once. on my lawn mower and it wasn't pretty . I suggest drop the idea and buy a box of plugs. it will be cheaper in the long run.

 

Dammit, Schmuck, now I gotta go change the oil in the Chinook again. Oh, well, better safe than sorry, I always say. Seriously, I knew about the limitations of walnut shells. I wasn't so sure they'd work in the plug cleaner and the potential for residual abrasive is a genuine concern.

 

i have heard a lot about blasting with walnut shells
i wanna clean up my shocks but sand is too abrasive i am hoping to find something that will remove the rust but not harm the chrome or pit the aluminum is it true walnut shells will do this or should i use something else and does anybody know where to get it

 

I will say again, Soda Blast beats all.

 

So use baking soda on the spark plugs, then soak them in water for 1/2 hour, which would completely dissolve the residue.

Or spring for new plugs. I had a work truck that would foul a plug (often). I got into a routine of putting that plug into a leaf blower for 2 minutes. Came out really clean.

 

My Dad had this same Plug Cleaner and we used it all the time. After blasting, we'd rinse in parts cleaner then blow dry and wipe clean with a paper towel. Never had an issue with any residual grit or engine problems.

But I also like the Baking Soda idea.

The cleaner certainly saved a lot of scuffed knuckles from the wire wheel!

Cheers!
Kim

 

Brent; You can get blasting media from any Industrial Supply house like Grainger's. Home Depot also carries it in some stores, rather limited selection, I think Harbor Freight has it. I get mine from a contractor's supply place up by me in Almont. I really want to try soda blasting though; I've used grit and walnut shells before and there are limitations. (Not just in the spark plug cleaner.)

 

Been using the HarborFreight model for around 8 years. For the price, cant beat it. Used it mostly on the 2 stroke 4wheelers and dirt bikes. But for a quick clean on a set of plugs used on a plug chop it works well also. Works best mounted vertical with the plug going in on the top. I know I have a growing set of used plugs laying around...

 

anybody now where i get soda for blasting

detroit area or online

 

Like I said, Grainger's Industrial supply. There's a branch at 23800 Haggerty Rd. (248) 474-0300 or you can order on-line.

 

We used these to clean plugs on aircraft engines. We used 27 micron oxide instead of 50 and cleaned the plugs afterward in 99% isopropyl alcohol in an ultrasonic cleaner. I really like the soda blast media idea.