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Could a worn clutch cause blown glow plugs?

Could a worn clutch cause blown glow plugs?

Old 06-23-2009, 07:46 PM
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Default Could a worn clutch cause blown glow plugs?

In a nutshell can a worn clutch cause blown glow plugs?

Engine was just repinched and broken in correctly. Engine is tuned WAY fat even. The engine runs pretty warm (240ish) and I'm pretty sure it's the clutch. Anyways, I blew a plug killing off the last of my clutch shoes and it killed the plug. I'm just wondering if it's from running hotter than normal or what.

When I pulled it the plug was wet and had dark marks around it, like it was running fat. Coil was shiney but the coil I guess failed internally. I tried to bent it back, but like an idiot I hooked my glow driver to the charge port of the power pannel and the plug went completely POOF while checking to see if the coil was lighting.

If it matters, it's a hyper .21. It runs pretty solid at about 210ish race tuned.
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Old 06-23-2009, 07:52 PM
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if the clutch slips it makes heat witch makes the temp go way up even if your rich.
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Old 06-23-2009, 07:54 PM
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Originally Posted by tonydig11
if the clutch slips it makes heat witch makes the temp go way up even if your rich.
Right, and I'm wondering if that will blow the plug. You can have a rich top, lean bottom and it will still blow plugs, even though the temps are ok.
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Old 06-24-2009, 12:35 AM
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You may also blow it by overcompensating your needle settings to remedy the performance changes of a bad clutch...
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Old 06-24-2009, 12:55 AM
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your at 240 and its way rich you say? somethings wrong there, what it run before?
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Old 06-24-2009, 01:09 AM
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sounds like it's lean on the bottom and a little rich on top to me

240, but a rich looking plug. it's got plenty of gas at WFO
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Old 06-25-2009, 11:19 AM
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Originally Posted by markt311
sounds like it's lean on the bottom and a little rich on top to me

240, but a rich looking plug. it's got plenty of gas at WFO
It's rich on the bottom. I promise.. throwing tons of smoke.

It's running 240 rich because of the worn clutch shoes.

I'll pick up some plugs and some new shoes, maybe tomorrow.
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Old 06-25-2009, 02:56 PM
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You say it was just re-pinched but was the rod replaced? 9 times out of ten, blown plugs mean worn rod bearings or stretched rod.
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Old 06-25-2009, 03:17 PM
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Originally Posted by wingracer
You say it was just re-pinched but was the rod replaced? 9 times out of ten, blown plugs mean worn rod bearings or stretched rod.
+1 or worn rear bearings. Pinching will give you new engine compression, but not a new engine. If the rod or bearings are worn, the engine is still owrn out even with a pinch. To me it sounds like the clutch is causing most of the issues. Get some new shoes and springs and try again. I would also suggest checking the rod and rear bearing for signs of wear. I do however feel it's probably all being caused by the clutch. A slipping clutch will heat an engine up no matter what the tune is. You probably killed the plug with the super rich settings trying to compensate for the clutch slippage. My 2 cents.
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Old 06-25-2009, 07:03 PM
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Originally Posted by JAMMINKRAZY
+1 or worn rear bearings. Pinching will give you new engine compression, but not a new engine. If the rod or bearings are worn, the engine is still owrn out even with a pinch. To me it sounds like the clutch is causing most of the issues. Get some new shoes and springs and try again. I would also suggest checking the rod and rear bearing for signs of wear. I do however feel it's probably all being caused by the clutch. A slipping clutch will heat an engine up no matter what the tune is. You probably killed the plug with the super rich settings trying to compensate for the clutch slippage. My 2 cents.

It got a rod and a new front bearing, rear bearing was fine. Carb got a complete reseal and I sealed the carb base and backplate. I'm not a total newb.

Gonna go to the LHS and pick up some clutch shoes tomorrow and report my findings.

I was hoping to recieve my V-spec in the mail today but apparently this guy wants to screw me over. I was planning on just running the V-spec with new shoes and putting away the Hyper for a while.
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Old 06-25-2009, 08:17 PM
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The clutch has absolutely nothing to do with glow plugs wearing out prematurely. It's more likely something in the engine itself. Either your rear bearing has developed play (only takes a tiny bit). Something is loose and your piston is not traveling up and down accurately. Could also be your head squish/deck height is too low (if you left out a shim or something)
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Old 06-26-2009, 08:52 AM
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Originally Posted by Davidka
The clutch has absolutely nothing to do with glow plugs wearing out prematurely. It's more likely something in the engine itself. Either your rear bearing has developed play (only takes a tiny bit). Something is loose and your piston is not traveling up and down accurately. Could also be your head squish/deck height is too low (if you left out a shim or something)
All that stuff you just listed checks out ok. Maybe I need to add another head shim.
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Old 06-28-2009, 10:55 AM
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Haha.. oh man

I got a set of KHZ 7075 clutch shoes.

I didn't realize how worn out my old ones were. Once I got it started and running well it ended up being way fat on the bottom and lean on the top. I never really speed run it so I guess that's why my plug looked like it was running fat but it blew that plug. I ended up richening the top a lot and leaning the bottom a ton. it's throwing more smoke now and it accelerates a hell of a lot faster.

What was wierd was that the clutch bell wasn't blue or showing signs of overheating.

Note to self.. I can't dremel out the shoe to clear the clutch spring 3 times to compensate for wear, haha.
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Old 06-28-2009, 11:06 AM
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Oh, the reason my tune was effed up was because the gasket between my pipe and header was toast, so it was a combination of things.
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