DIY color tune... ugly but works!

I used an old BP7 es plug.. the hardest part of the build was taking the ceramic insulator apart..

Filled with clear epoxy.. i think araldite works much better less bubbles...

My 1st try not so good lots of bubbles.
I used solid copper wire as center electrode.. bad idea
light passes thru amazingly well..

Used my led light to test light transmission..
Tryed using different color of light just to see the effect.. seems good enough.
You can clearly see the bubbles.. this was my 1st try .. 2nd one was alot better and stronger
My adaptor so i can just plug in the old cap.


I just hope this dont melt before i finish tuning..

 

I hope i can up load video tommorow. I already tried using my 1st experiment this afternoon.. i think i will make more and sell to some biker friends

 

Google indicates epoxy will degrade above 350 deg F. Curious how this will work.

You said solid copper wire is a bad idea for the center electrode. Any substitutes in mind?

 

A member did a write up and test a few years ago. The expoxy fails fairly quickly. As I recall you essentially end up with a tool that might last for one or two tuneups.

 

Nice work good try kudos for the effort but I'll tell you what I love the one that I bought it is perfect I'll show you some video but I can't download it it's too long 26 seconds LOL I don't know I don't want to short it cuz I like it if you have a p.m. private message I'll send it to you so you can decide if it's worth it to you the variations are so minoot that the color tune as I was using it was more of a either it was sparking or wasn't I got it to the point where I could see a nice blue flame consistently hitting on each cylinder and left them there I really want to do a O2 sensor check on each one but I have to cut a bunghole on each pipe to do that which I just might do LOL

 

if i really wanted to make one of those, i'd try two torches and this
https://www.mountainglass.com/Pyrex-Round-Rod-3mm-700

 

My 1st try with solid copper wire only lasted 5mins before i notice melting.. this was with VTEC brand epoxy..

2nd try i used Rivet as center electrode much much better agains heat.. the ears on the rivets were aluminum..

 

2nd try much better heat resistance..

 

Used rivet as center electrode lasted longer than solid copper..

 

I'd be more worried about pressure and having the epoxy plug turn into a bullet... especially since when you need to use it you look down the axis it would shoot out on.

 

This exactly what happened when i tested it.. spark melted the insides.. like wax.
I made my final try with melted glass (clear candle holder) will post picture soon..

 

I know this is an old thread but anyone thought of using a piece of tungsten rod for tig welder? I have never tried to solder to tungsten but if you grind grooves into the sides it would be gripped by the epoxy nicely. No tungsten dart/bullet.

 

the epoxy melts thats why he went to glass.

if you do try it use slow cure epoxy not 5 min epoxy. the quick cure shatters easy compared to the longer cure time epoxy

 

I was referring to the replacement electrode, not the epoxy. It does make sense to use slow cure epoxy. The tungsten would hold up much better than copper or a pop rivet.

 

for the time spent could have bought one got mine off Ebay used once paid 30 for it .I know there is a lot of fun making your own there a lot of stuff I have made some good as factory some a lot better and some not worth chap fail fail . But I have a small lath and mini mill ,wire feed welder and about any thing else I need.