Does anyone remember when Chrysler quit using Autolites as OEM and started
using Champions? Was it when Ford bought Autolite (US Gov't made them sell
it later)
I remember as a Chrysler Plymouth Imperial dealer, that after smog control
was made standard in the 70's, everyday I used to move our new cars off the
display lot and move them inside the building. After about a week of this,
the Champions would foul up and the car would start to miss. We would have
to remove and clean them. This also happened to customers and we would
complain to the Champion salesman. Once he took 16 of them to send back to
the factory. We never heard, in fact he stopped coming around. Champions
were indeed junk and MoPars were no better since they were probably made by
Champion. Now I wonder if we had tried AutoLites, our problems would have
been over.
Rollin Bard
'66 LeBaron
-----Original Message-----
From: Don Nonnweiler [mailto:dnonnwei@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2003 11:50 AM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: Champion vs. Autolite -- "inside" info
I humbly disagree on the quality of AC plugs as I have had nothing but
problems with them even in GM products, I know a few mechanics that will
only use Autolites, maybe Champions if they have no choice but never AC as
they don't last. I agree the Autolites are the best but can not in good
conscience ever reccommend or use AC's. I do have 32 years in the auto
industry
Don
59 Crown
55 C300
55 NY
49 NY
40 P10
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Engel" <peter.engel@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2003 10:42 AM
Subject: IML: Champion vs. Autolite -- "inside" info
> So I'm reading posts from another list I'm on and I see the following
> write-up. I'm convinced. Well actually I was convinced before reading
> this.
>
> Ron Fenelon wrote:
>
> When I first started working at Ford in 1965, I was a "dyed in the wool"
> Champion Spark Plug guy. A couple of years later, I had the opportunity
> to visit the Fostoria, OH plant where we made Autolite spark plugs.
> Once I saw the difference in the manufacturing process and the sealing
> method vs. what Champion does, never again did I use anything but a
> Autolite/Motorcraft spark plugs. On the GM cars that I have owned in
> the past, I always used AC spark Plugs, because they were made the same
> way as the Autolite/Motorcraft's were made.
>
> The principal difference is how the center electrode/porcelain insulator
> is sealed to the steel outer body. In Champion plugs, the outer body is
> zinc plated, and they stuff a powdered form of the center insulator
> between the body and the fired center insulator, and then roll
> over/crimp the upper portion of the steel body. Very easy to allow
> combustion pressures/gases to make a leakage path in this powder
> material. In fact, I asked TV Tommy Ivo, at the Milan, Mi Drag Way, why
> he had changed from Champions to Autolites, in the early 70"s, and he
> replied too many center electrode/porcelain bodies blowing right out of
> the threaded bodies on his AA Fuel Hemi powered Dragster.
>
> The Autolite/Motorcrafts and AC plugs have two copper o-rings installed
> between the center electrode/porcelain bodies, top and bottom, and then
> the top of the body is rolled over/crimped, and then the plug passes
> into an Induction Heater where the center portion of the plug is heated
> up by a ring in the center of the steel body until it glows red, about
> 1600 degress F, all while the crimp is held under 2500 psi pressure, and
> then the Induction heater coil is turned off, and plug cools under this
> 2500 psi pressure. So the center electrode assembly is firmly gripped
> by the outer body, and I don't remember anyone saying they ever had any
> leakage problems with plugs made that way. That heating process is the
> reason Autolite/Motorcraft and AC plug metal bodies are not plated.
> They may be painted, like the marine plugs are, but never plated. It
> would boil off in the Induction Heating/Crimping process.
>
> Make better way to seal the center electrode assemblies, and make long
> life spark plugs.
>
>
>
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