spark plug retaining plate? 24h lemons help!
 

OK guys,
Question #2 on prepping our 88 NA getting it ready for the 24 hours of Lemons.
The plate that runs down the center of the engine that the plug wires fir into. anyone know why thats there? we want to eliminate it to make servicing/ diagnosing plug isssues during a race easier. So whats that plate there for?

And those huge bimetal plugs that hold it in place, we have to put those back in the engine to close off those openings - but anyone know why those things are so huge and "overengineered"

Thanks for the help guys
Carl Johansson
Jogansson Brothers Engineering

i believe its there to keep stuff out of the plugs, but i could be wrong

the plugs go to the oil galley and are there for servicing when you rebuild so all the passages can be cleaned. the plate is actually the gasket for those plugs (the o-rings around the plug holes are rubber coated).

you do not need the plate, it does help keep crap out of the wells, but just be sure you put some sealant on the plugs (rtv or equivelant) and you shouldnt have a problem.

if you start to get leaks you will notice oil in the plug wells and misfiring may ensue.

i am deleting this as well, but for my COP upgrade. as long as you seal up the plug threads well, you shouldnt have a problem! gl!

Aside from sealing the galley plugs, it's just garnish just like the coil cover. You can take a galley plug out, take it to your local auto parts store and match the size up with an aluminum oil plug gasket that fits it (common on euro cars). It will never leak and looks better than silicone.

idk how worried about looks he is cabras, it is a lemons car after all ;) but, the again i dont want silicone all over my truck motor either haha

You got that right man, if it looks to good we actually get penalized laps, because we spent to much money, so for us, only 2 things matter, serviceability, and dependability. thats how we roll!
this car has been in 9 lemons races now - Is almost always is in the top 10 - of races with 125 - 175 cars entered, none of this sissy 44 car crap, including a class win, 2nd overall, a 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th. as far as we can figure , about 5500 miles of racing, with no breakdowns or maintenance, other that changing oil, and new brake pads.

Carl Johansson

Given the amount of dust, dirt, sand and other fine debris your pumping through the engine bay I never recommend removing the galley cover. Apparently no one's ever looked in there with a flashlight before pulling the plugs (on a clean engine without oil in there to hide it) but you get all kinds of wall chewing debris in around the spark plugs and it's not where you can clean it out before pulling the plugs... so, it's only got one place to go: into the cylinder (Kind of like dropping in small torn up scraps of sand paper into the cylinder each time you pull a plug.... cylinder walls, rings, valves, Oh my!).... Might as well not bother running an air filter either.