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wellcraft Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2014 Posts: 647 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 3:31 pm Post subject: spark plug gap 1999 mexican bug |
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Does anyone knows the spark plug gap for a 1999 mexi beetle?
Thanks in advance.
JR |
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hopkin Samba Member
Joined: June 25, 2012 Posts: 2480 Location: Ottawa, Ontario
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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JR:
Note the gap is in mm on the chart below and you have the ACD engine:
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wellcraft Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2014 Posts: 647 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 3:57 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Hopkins, as usual with the info I need. It shows 2 1600's engines (it shows identification codes as and acd) engines, how to identify the one I have? It shows one is .06mm and the other one is .75. Not sure which is the one I need.
Thanks. |
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wellcraft Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2014 Posts: 647 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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Never mind, I just found it says acd on the base of the alternator.
Thank you. |
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wellcraft Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2014 Posts: 647 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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I'm lost here. I always gapped my spark plugs but I can't understand how to gap these set at .75. I have a metric and decimal gap tool and it seems that .75 is a HUGE gap. Is this right? |
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hopkin Samba Member
Joined: June 25, 2012 Posts: 2480 Location: Ottawa, Ontario
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 4:36 pm Post subject: |
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JR:
.75 mm is about .03 inches. There's another thread on this somewhere, I've got take my son to basketball, when I get back I'll find the thread.
I think the thread was started by type1japan, if you want to search for it. |
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wellcraft Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2014 Posts: 647 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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Took a picture of the old and new spark plugs and there is a huge difference in size. 8 went with what was recommended here in samba, ngk BP5ES. Is this the right one?
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wellcraft Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2014 Posts: 647 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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The box also says 7832. |
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hopkin Samba Member
Joined: June 25, 2012 Posts: 2480 Location: Ottawa, Ontario
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 7:20 pm Post subject: |
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JR:
It looks like you have the correct plug (the new one in your picture) per the Mexican Beetle spec. The heads on the 1600i allow for a longer thread, but if your heads have been changed the longer reach plug may cause damage. Be sure before you install the new plugs.
Here's a photo of a brand new VW branded NGK BP5ES-A that I bought from Antonio a few months back.
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wellcraft Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2014 Posts: 647 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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hopkin wrote: |
JR:
It looks like you have the correct plug (the new one in your picture) per the Mexican Beetle spec. The heads on the 1600i allow for a longer thread, but if your heads have been changed the longer reach plug may cause damage. Be sure before you install the new plugs.
Here's a photo of a brand new VW branded NGK BP5ES-A that I bought from Antonio a few months back.
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I know for sure it's a stock engine. I also check for clearance and i have plenty but I wanted to check with you guys anyway.
I was able to find the thread you mentioned but still unsure on how to gap it. I think I'm having a brain fart. |
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hopkin Samba Member
Joined: June 25, 2012 Posts: 2480 Location: Ottawa, Ontario
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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The last set I installed, I just left them gapped they way they came
As far as having older heads, I don't if it's even possible to put them on a 1600i, but after seeing the shorter old plug, I wouldn't recommend putting a longer reach plug in without checking clearance.
Who knows what the PO did why did he use the shorter plugs
If the PO installed shorter reach plugs in error, probably not a problem and you may end up with much better performance with the proper plugs. |
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wellcraft Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2014 Posts: 647 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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Have no idea why it had shorter plugs. I used a caliper a measured and i have more than enough clearance. I would like to figure out the gapping as i want to have everything by the book.
The new transmission is back on the car and Im just working the last touches with the engine to put it back on. It's been a long wait and i can't wait any longer to start using the car for the first time with me as I bought it with the bad transmission and the next day I bought it i broke my foot |
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hopkin Samba Member
Joined: June 25, 2012 Posts: 2480 Location: Ottawa, Ontario
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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Here's a couple screen grabs from a '76 Beetle (showing both metric and standard units) and a '95 Mexican Beetle manual. You can see that the gap is .7 mm or .028 inches on the '76 and is unchanged at .7 mm on the '95.
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[email protected] Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2002 Posts: 12785 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2014 12:08 am Post subject: Re: spark plug gap 1999 mexican bug |
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I'd set it to .028", which is ~.75mm. Stock gap! I run this even with high energy CDIs.
Regarding the thread length, you better be careful! Remove a plug, and shine a light down, use a mirror. Determine which length is correct.
You don't want to run a long plug in a short hole, OR a short plug in a long hole.
Visually, count the threads. If it's around 7 it's 1/2" reach. If it's around 10 it's 3/4" reach. _________________ It's just advice, do whatever you want with it!
Please do NOT send me Private Messages through the Samba PM System (I will not see them). Send me an e-mail to john at aircooled dot net
"Like" our Facebook page at
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and get a 5% off code for use on one order for VW Parts ON OUR PARTS STORE WEBSITE, vwparts.aircooled.net |
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GArBa Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2014 Posts: 2105 Location: Milano, Italy
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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2014 7:48 am Post subject: |
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wellcraft: many shops are not familiar with the long reach heads so they just install short plugs as in older models. I'd bet that's why you had short plugs.
Quick way to check if yours are OE mexican FI heads is to look if the head temp sensor is in place. It should stick out from the engine tins on the left-rear of the car (#3-#4 head). It's mount is cast and machined directly in the the head itself and non-digifant beetles did not have that.
as you have probably already read in that other thread hopkin mentioned, on the spec sheet for the BP5ES plugs NGK too gives the gap for the 1600i engine at .7mm.
usually they are factory gapped somewhere between .7 - .75mm, so they would work out of the box but I prefer to check and adjust the gap for peace of mind. _________________ cars:
'97 type 1 1600i
'14 type AA Seat Mii (sadly dead after 270.000 km)
'22 type C1 T-Cross
'23 type AC3 Hyundai I10 (VW no longer makes small cars!)
-------------------------
moped:
'82 Benelli Magnum 3v |
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ashman40 Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2007 Posts: 15987 Location: North Florida, USA
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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2014 12:09 pm Post subject: Re: spark plug gap 1999 mexican bug |
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[email protected] wrote: |
Regarding the thread length, you better be careful! Remove a plug, and shine a light down, use a mirror. Determine which length is correct.
You don't want to run a long plug in a short hole, OR a short plug in a long hole. |
x2
If you actually have the long thread heads and have run the shorter thread spark plugs.... you will want to run a spark plug thread chaser into the holes to clean up the threads:
Notice in the pic how exposing the head threads to the combustion chamber will cause deposits to form on the threads. If you just throw a new set of long thread plugs in they will likely get stuck and could tear out the threads.
Use some type of wire with a small 90-deg bend at the end to measure the length of the threads on your head. Hook the inner edge and mark where the outer edge of the threads end. Compare this with your two plugs to know which is the correct size.
FYI, the spark plug gap is directly related to the voltage your coil will generate. The stock Bosch/VW coils put out a secondary discharge of around 10KV. This is typical for the round canister style coils. The plugs that go with this style coil are typically gaped at around 0.025-0.030". Basically that is the distance inside a combustion chamber that a 10KV spark will reliably jump from electrode to electrode.
If you get the secondary voltage up to around 35-40KV you can increase the spark plug gap. In GM cars, when they made the switch to High Energy Ignitions (HEI) the voltage was in this range and the plug gaps increased to 0.035-0.040".
The other way to increase the coil output voltage is to increase the coil input voltage. The Capacitive Discharge Ignitions (CDI) will generate up to 300V discharges into the primary circuit of the coil. This translates into very high secondary output sometimes above 40KV. This makes for a very hot reliable spark. _________________ AshMan40
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'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!} |
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wellcraft Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2014 Posts: 647 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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Thank u all and sorry for not posting before. I counted the threads and I do have the long thread heads with the incorrect spark plugs, PO had it this way. I counted 12 threads on the head.
I just gaped them at .029 so they should be going in tonight, I should be installing the engine by Wednesday.
Thanks all of you guys for the help on this one.
Happy holidays.
Regards.
JR. |
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Antonio Trejo VW Parts Dealer
Joined: December 17, 2003 Posts: 937 Location: Mexico City
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