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Spark plugs in the '54: Replace or not ?

Started by Julien Abrahams, May 06, 2023, 03:54:40 AM

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Julien Abrahams

So I am getting the '54, that I purchesed at the end of last year, ready for the season. As I don't know the history of the car, maintenance wise, I am checking most things and replacing if needed. (Like: rubber hoses, brake wheel cylinders, brake hoses, rubber fuel hoses, oil and oil filter, coolant (which needs to be replaced anyway when the rubber heater hoses are reaplced), ignition points).

I checked the spark plugs but I am not entirely sure if they need to be replaced. In my view they look fine (gaps are set correctly at 0.035).
I removed two, one on each cylnder bank, to check. They both look like the one on the picture. What do you guys think? Replace or do they look fine? 
I will replace the points anyway. Due to their location at the back of the engine they are very hard to check withouth taking them out so I figured, that I might as well replace them right away.
1954 Cadillac series 62
1967 Cadillac Sedan De Ville HT
1969 Austin Healey Sprite
1979 Opel Kadett

Roger Zimmermann

If they are the correct plugs for your car, don't replace them. If you should have trouble during a drive due to the spark plugs, they are not too difficult to replace.
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

64\/54Cadillacking

What kind of plugs are those (AC, Autolites)? It looks like the previous owner used some sort of fuel additive because of the brownish tint. If the car runs smooth and doesn't misfire, I would leave them alone.

I've had spark plugs in some of my other classics for 10 years, and the engines always ran smooth and they started up fine, but it's because I don't put a lot of miles on them for them to wear out.

I feel like what can foul plugs quickly is having too rich of a fuel mixture, and not actually driving the car around for awhile so the plugs have time to burn off some of that carbon. Oil contamination, burning oil, fuel dilution can also wreck havoc on plugs which is the faster way to ruin them.
Currently Rides:
1964 Sedan Deville
1954 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special
1979 Lincoln Mark V Cartier Designer Series
2007 Lexus LS 460L (extended wheelbase edition)

Previous Rides:
1987 Brougham D' Elegance
1994 Fleetwood Bro
1972 Sedan Deville
1968 Coupe Deville
1961 Lincoln Continental
1993 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series
1978 Lincoln Continental ( R.I.P.) 1978-2024 😞

Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373

Replace the hard brake lines too. When you put the brakes back together, be sure to bleed them according to the manual. We just replaced the wheel cylinders, but had the booster and master rebuilt.
If the points work ok and are clean, I would leave them in, as well as the condenser. I had 2 brand new sets fail on our 70.
Parts quality is horrible lately so I would be inclined to keep the old stuff.
Good luck and have fun.
Jeff R
Jeff Rosansky
CLC #28373
1970 Coupe DeVille (Big Red)
1955 Series 62 (Baby Blue)
Dad's new 1979 Coupe DeVille

PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192

If it ain't broke don't fix it! As true today as it ever has been.

Caddy Wizard

Based on testing by the late and great "The Johnny" (John Washburn, an electrical engineer by training and vocation), Jay Friedman and I have switched our spark plug recommendation to the Champion 63 plug, also known by the RJ14YC designation.  This plug was determined by John to suffer the fewest random failures -- he even discovered that other brands of plugs would fail just from sitting on the shelf.  In use, I have been very pleased with these plugs -- smoother idle and fewer misses.


Personally, I prefer a Pertronix electronic ignition module to replace the points, but The Johnny preferred points and so does Jay Friedman.  I find the Pertronix to never need adjustments or maintenance.
Art Gardner


1955 S60 Fleetwood sedan (now under resto -- has been in paint shop since June 2022!)
1955 S62 Coupe (future show car? 2/3 done)
1958 Eldo Seville (2/3 done)

Chopper1942

If hard for you to see, use a mirror and open the points with a small screw driver. If the points are pitted or blued (usually from leaving the ignition key on when the points are closed), the points and condenser need replaced. If the points are not pitted or blued rotate the engine by hand until the points are closed.  Take a piece of a brown paper bag and run it through the closed points.  This will clean any oil off the points a if you do it several times will polish the contacts.  Do not use a file on the points! This will remove thin tungsten coating on the contacts.

If replacing the points and condenser, put a very small amount of point grease or white lithium grease on the back side of the rubbing block.  Install the points and condenser and then rotate the engine until the rubbing block is on the high step of the distributor cam and check the point gap. Put the cap and rotor back on and start the engine and check the timing.

bcroe

The late 70s HEI ignition managed to run the
same plugs 100,000 miles (wider gap).  So I
concluded my earlier points cars should do
the same.  I might pull plugs and run them thru
my plug sand blaster sometimes, and check the
gap. Those mechanics from the 60s were too lazy
to do that, and they would rather collect more
$ by selling you new plugs.  Bruce Roe