Topic: New Autolite AR32 plugs??

[5F08KGT]

Has anyone seen these?  They seem to indicate that they are for use in HP engines such as the 289 HiPo......

 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Autolite-AR32-Racing-Spark-Plug-SET-8-EIGHT-fits-BF12-RF9YC-AP8FS-/172621360331?epid=112663708&hash=item283108eccb:g:0g0AAOSwLpdW~NVv&vxp=mtr

[5F08KGT]

 Certainly are not concours correct, but seem to be a good alternative for folks that DRIVE their HP Fords......

 I wonder if they COULD make reproduction BF32s with the stars that are so expensive to buy NOS of?

[5F08KGT]

I believe I'm a bit late to the party-guess these plugs have been out a while........

That said, over 60 people have viewed my post and no one has commented.......

Has anyone used/tried these plugs?

I guess folks that are sitting on hundreds of sets of STAR and NON-star BF32s won't want to see them reproduced........

[preaction]

The ad says they are racing plugs and interchangeable with BF 12 plugs which would NOT be recamended for street use. AR32 does not make a BF32.  Also there is a replacement BF32 just Google it.

[5F08KGT]

I never saw the cross reference to BF 12 plugs. I know that the current Autolite 45 is close to the BF 32s..but not exact.

I have no real ideas as to what a "racing plug" is except most are "colder" than stock plugs.

I'm trying to contact Autolite to speak with a human being to confirm yea or nay if the AR32 is an exact replacement for the BF32 as they seem to be indicating....

 WHAT plugs, BESIDES NOS BF32s is everyone running in engines that the originals were BF32?

[70cj428]

I have no real ideas as to what a "racing plug" is except most are "colder" than stock plugs.

I know this post is a couple months old, but I figured posting might add some light on this.  The heat range of a plug has nothing to do with how hot the spark is, it's how hot the tip of the electrode gets when the engine is running. If the center electrode is too cool, carbon and combustion byproducts can collect on the electrode, and since carbon conducts electricity the plug will misfire in short order. To make the plug "self clean", the plug tip is allowed to get hot enough to burn off the carbon. If the plug tip gets too hot, it will cause detonation (preignition) and possible engine damage. Since a low compression 6 cylinder in a taxicab makes nowhere near the cylinder pressure and heat that a high compression race engine does it needs a plug that's allowed to get much hotter to stay clean. a low compression engine is also less prone to detonation so it can tolerate a much hotter plug. (BF-82's). Low compression V8's got BF-42's and as some insurance against detonation, high compression production engines got BF-32's. Autolite offered BF-22's and BF-12's for high compression racing applications where detonation can cause major damage and plugs are changed frequently.

So......

If you put BF-12's (really cold plugs) in your K code, it will run fine till the plugs foul in fairly short order and the car runs like crap. However, if you put BF-82's (a really hot plug) in your K code, you could have engine damaging detonation under high heat/load conditions.

If you only take your K code out for weekend cruises and live in new England, and run premium gas, BF-42's will work fine. If you live in Arizona and drag race in the summer, a cooler plug is in order. BF-22's and BF-12's will foul in short order in most street cars. For most collector cars BF-42's are fine, and can be a good idea in some cars that don't get driven much. (ever try and change the left rear plugs in a CJ car with smog ? You may welcome the BF-42's better ability to "self clean".)

Here's a post on the 428 forum where I answered a similar question with more detail and posted a few pic's... (see the last post in the thread)

https://www.428cobrajet.org/forum/index.php?topic=24441.msg164934#msg164934

Actually, the whole post is worth reading

Hope this adds some light on the subject....

John