Reading the Glow Plug
by John Finch

Plug Condition

 Engine Condition

 Recommended action

Shiny and in good form

Rich

Lean out the mixture

Slightly dull, but in good form

Perfect

Leave mixture alone

Slightly dull, in good form, with coil slightly pulled out

Perfect; tuned pipe working well

Leave mixture alone

Dull

At the end of the performance envelope

Don't lean the mixture, richen it 1/16 turn

Dull and mangled

Operating under stress

Richen mixture

Mangled but shiny

Head clearance too close, or water

If no water is in fuel, raise head clearance by 0.0003 inch at a time until plug condition improves

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