Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone has put sparkplugs in their old hot rods from back in the day. I think about this every now and then I it would not surprize me if it were illegal. How would one (me) go about wiring this with a distributorless ignition system(Lightning)? I would really like to do this, since I willl be messing around ith the exhaust system anyways (see other post about flowmasters). Ofcourse I am going to put a switch on it, but I appreciate any info.

 

On a side exhaust??? you could melt the ground effects off of your victims as you pass them. really teach them "the meaning of respect"

 

Hey BBQ,

Are you coming to WFC? I've got to meet you....you funny! Seriously, I get a kick out of your sayings and humor. I am a huge Seinfreak and movie quote buff. Let me know where you are staying if you are coming.

I am caravaning from Memphis leaving Saturday morning if you would like to come to Memphis and go with us.

Later,

Collin

 

Even if you did the electrical hookup and got the plugs to fire, I don't think you would get a flame. The mixture on the new engines is too lean to have enough raw gas left in the exhaust to ignite. Too bad, it sure would look good, especially at night.

 

I had a friend once put an injector and spark plug in a tail pipe.. talk about a cool deal at night...

put I like my plastic unmelted thanks



------------------
* 99.5 Black Lightning
* Personal Best ¼ Mile 13.82 @ 99.98 Mph
* Ohio Plate SVT2GO
* Sal’s Chip and Filter
* Interceptor Trans
* All three Factory options for 99
* Factory CD Changer
* Class 3 Towing Hitch
* Factory Tonneau Cover
* 8" Bazooka Tubs
* Kenwood 80 watt *2 amp
* Viper 550 Alarm w/ remote start
* 97 F-150 Extended Cab 4.2L V-6 daily driver

Injection is nice, but I'd rather be blown. 99 Lightning, the best of both worlds!

 

I'm not so sure that it wouldn't ignite...These puppies run RICH at WOT. When my baby was on the Dyno, you should have seen all the beautiful, pristine, crystal clear, unburned gasoline coming out of the pipes. That's where our gas mileage goes!!

------------------
AtomHeart
2000 Silver Lightnin'
1969 Ford Fairlane Cobra R code w/ 3.91 dragpack
atomhart@cyberhighway.net

 

Hi Collin, i kicked and screamed, but unfortunately the boss signed me up for a 10 day weight gaining program (cruise) that week, so i can't make it. i really would enjoy meeting some of you guy/gals too. have fun, sounds like a big time party in the making.

 

Good point AtomHeart, all that would be needed is a dual output coil like many motorcycles use, a source of pulsed 12 volts to drive the coil, and a switch to detect WOT and turn on the pulsed 12 volts. Everything except the pulsed 12 volts is straight off the shelf hardware. An old turn signal flasher would work to pulse the 12 volts but it would not sustain a constant flame since it switches so slowly.

If anyone is seriously interested I can design a high speed pulser for driving a coil. Let me know.

 

Sorry Pacecar18, that won't work. Ignition coils are just transformers. They take the battery 12 volts and step it up to about 25,000 volts to fire the plugs. And transformers do not work with DC. They only work with a varying input voltage, like either AC or pulsed DC.

On older cars the points provided this pulsed DC and of course also determined when to pulse (timing). On new cars the computer does it. Even before points (Model T) there was a mechanical device (buzzer type vibrator, like a high speed turn signal flasher) to pulse the battery voltage to fire the plugs, and it was controlled manually by the driver. Ever see the lever on the steering column of a Model T? You didn't think that was for the turn signals did you? Of course not, Model Ts did not have turn signals.

Mounting the coil near the plug is a good idea though.

 

Hawkeye

Can you just insert a flasher relay on the power circuit to get the effect they want?

Thanks for the info!

 

I've GOT to figure out how to do this. The low rider boys out west do it with spark plus and fuel injectors.

Here in Ann Arbor there is a Greek restaurant with outside seating on Main St. that sells flaming cheese (saganaki?) as an appetizer. They light it up and everyone yells "O-PAH". My plan is to sit at the light in front of the place (about 3 feet from the closest tables) and light off my exhaust pipes then yell "O-PAH" back at 'em!

 

Pacecar18 you're welcome. Yes, a flasher relay would work but just like a turn signal flasher it is slow, so instead of a smooth continuous flame you would get a series of flames.

Kind of like Flame---Flame---Flame---

I don't think this would look good, but it would make one heck of a racket! If you ever watch the History Channel you may have seen the old Germany Buzz Bombs, that's what it would sound like.

For a smooth flame you probably need something firing the coil several hundred times a second. The coil can handle it, after all, on a V8 with a single coil it is firing at 4 times the rpm, so at 2,000 rpm the coil is firing 8,000 times per minute which is 133.3 times per second.

This is getting interesting!

 

I don't think you would want that switch set for WOT cause that would be too much.

This is what you do!

-One sparkplug

-One coil from anything

-Mount sparkplug in exhaust near tip

-Mount coil close to exhaust so a plug wire will reach the sparkplug.

-Run a ground for a coil

-Run power from battery to a switch in the cab and then out to the coil.

Flip on switch and you have flame. You don't need any pulsating power source because you have a pulsating fuel (exhaust) source.

I will not be held accountable for any mishaps of doing this and I would recommend not doing this while driving on public roads. You've been warned!

Have fun none the less!


[This message has been edited by Pacecar18 (edited 05-12-2000).]

 

DH,
A friend of mine had the flame throwers on his '64 Fairlane. He mounted a blower drive motor in the trunk turning a four cylinder HEI distributor with the plug wires running through the floor to the exhaust. The problem was even with the motor running real rich it wouldn't ignite. So he used a NOS plate under the carb with no nitrous just fuel spraying in when he fired the plugs in the trunk the motor got the extra shot of fuel and the plugs ignited it. He had to have the engine running at least 3000 rpm to keep from fowling the engine plugs out. I think it would be difficult to do on the lightnings unless you injected fuel after the cats into the exhaust pipes.

HIGH RISK

 

HIGHRISK doesn't need any sparkplugs or fuel in the exhaust. He's got his truck running so fast it breathes its own flames.