ronnuke

Didn't know there was a difference. I have been adjusting the gap on all the plugs that I have used in my car since day one, (on my third set now) with no issues....maybe I just got lucky and nothing happened. I imagine if you continually cycle the electrode back and forth several times in trying to gap it you could fatigue the electrode causing the electrode to fall into the cylinder, but when I gap my plugs I get it right on the first try.....may explain some of the dropped electrodes on some of the unfortunate ones that had problems.

midnightmethane

I'll either buy them from Majestic Honda or from H&A Acessories

SOL1D

I would just buy them pre-gap'd just to have piece of mind, but if you HAVE to gap them I wouldn't follow the way that S2000maniac gap'd his in that diagram he posted, but thats just my opinion.

Thats just one more possible way to damage the tip of the spark plug and coating.

The way I was taught to gap spark plugs is actually the way that NGK shows in their instructional videos which I think is a better way then using the flat disc use to measure the gap which can crush the tip, and trying to tap the metal to close the gap or bending it with the tool show in S200maniacs diagram
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk70oyUEftY [/media]

twohoos

Well duh, he's using the coin tool wrong! The outer lip is for measuring only. You use the hole in the tool to adjust the gap -- it has a thin, strong inner ridge that will pry open the gap without ever touching the center tip.

I always wondered why people were so afraid of the coin-style tool; now I guess I know.

Billman250

I cant believe NGK put their name on that vid.

Saki GT

Just my opinion, but someone has to gap the plugs - they don't come out of the forge at the magical number for S2000s - maybe for a more popular car, but S2000s are low volume.

The trick is to do it once and not go back and forth in adjustments, which will weaken the metal. When plugs are made they get a 90° bend from a machine on the production floor - the fine-point adjustment for specific gap is done by hand, so if Honda OEM plugs come pre gapped, that is because some person adjusted the gap for the plug, which is no different from you doing it on a regular plug.

I've known people to pull their plugs regularly, clean them off, adjust gap, and reinstall them, and they've never had any issues. I think the conception with gapping comes from people that bend the hell out of them and weaken the electrodes and from people that pull their plugs for the first time after 100k mi and are amazed that the electrode is missing from wear, and think it broke off.

CapoArgentino

Bought some OEM NGKs from Majestic. They come in a red Honda and NGK marked box. Beautiful

midnightmethane

and did you check gap...within spec??

CapoArgentino

Yes sir. Dead on. I believe it was 1.1mm

SlowTeg

I'm not sure if you guys noticed, but the video using the outer ring on the coin tool to expand the gap was the titled "Gapping- Incorrect" in the video, and the way you're not supposed to do it. They were showing the wrong way, not the right way of doing it.

I've been gapping plugs for a long time now, and if people can't gap spark plug correctly, then changing their oil might be a stretch as well. For Christ's sake people, just make sure you're doing it correctly, and you'll be fine. If you're touching the tip at all of the plug, you're not doing it right. Paying a fortune just to get pre-gapped plugs is ridiculous. If you're really that non-mechanically inclinced, then by all means by them pre-gapped, but I'm willing to bet 90% of people can gap spark plugs.