Mike2002

Is there anything wrong with using a glow plug that has an idle bar on my .15 car engine. My glow plug died and the only ones that i have left are the ones with the idle bar that were in my plane engines. Thanks

downunder

They'll work fine but you might lose a few revs because the idle bar will slightly upset the clean shape of the combustion chamber. Idle bar plugs tend to be a fairly hot plug too. It won't protrude far enough to cause interference with the piston but if you want to be certain then take off the plug washer and screw the plug in finger tight and turn the engine over. The only caution I'd give is to only use an idle bar plug where the bar is machined into the plug body. The welded bars have been known to break loose.

Mike2002

I installed the plug with the idle bar and the piston moves fine wihtout hitting the idle bar, but the engine won't start. Does the idle bar make it any harder to start since it is blocking the coils a little or is that insignificant.

downunder

It won't make it any harder to start because the idle bar is only there to stop any large fuel droplets hitting the coil and cooling it too much. Have you checked the plug out of the engine to see how well it's glowing?

Mike2002

Yup i've taken the plug out of the engine and tested it and it glows very brightly all the way down the coils. I guess i'll just have to play around with it some more to see what the problem is.