Larger plug gaps

[81xsproject]

I pulled my MSD stuff and sold it to fund the megasquirt. Now I am back to stock with the coil re-power mod. Anyway, the MSD allowed me to run .045 plug gaps. When I changed back, I forgot to change them. The thing runs GREAT. As long as I am running on the rich side anyway, is it going to hurt anything?

[boyat68]

81xsproject:

There is a lot of distributors of high energy ignition systems making money off of stronger spark(Amperage) jumping (Voltage) a larger gap with the theory that a larger gap exposes more fire to the fuel/air mixture and ensures a cleaner burn of the charge. The theory also goes that the higher spark/gap also ensures low end ignition of the fuel, while the upper end suffers due to the time difference of the spark jumping the larger gap not being synchronized with the advance.

If your plugs are gapped larger than the factory recommendation, then the only thing that I see would be that there is a small chance of the spark not being able to jump the gap from time to time resulting in missing. Also there is the possibility that the spark could find a better path to ground than the gap, say, bad place in your wires, caps etcetera. This could be a way of ensuring that you have top notch electrical spark connections.

[Bigleo]

Hi XS project,
as long as the plugs fire, you will not damage the CDI. The way I look at it, we have a coil running two cylinders, with a CDI electrical pulse, as compared to say a 1960's 427 Corvette engine, running 8 cyinders from one coil, with no CDI. The Corvette could fire a .035 spark plug gap to 6500 rpm with no problem. In other words, the XS has a much superior ignition system, and should have no problem with running a .045 gap. I usually run a .35 gap in mine, no misfires to 8500rpm. I will try the .045 gap next time I pull the plugs.
Leo