In this episode of Racing Insiders Podcast, Kate and Steve discuss Problem Solving, Pre Filters, and All Things Spark Plugs. This weeks topics also include distributors, muffler placement, Mike getting Twitter, carburetors, pre filters, Kate's Crate Insider re-stocking madness, oil-less air filters, MSD Blasters, Elon Musk drama, spark plugs, where Elizabeth City actually is, and bad heads. 

We run a 602 IMCA Sport Mod sealed crate- having issues with the distributor moving on us after we run a few laps and also the fuel pump keeps coming loose. (14:15)

If this is a 602 IMCA sport he could be running that HEI. I'm not sure if he's talking about like it physically moved in the engine or if he's talking about that it moved that like timing or something moved? Once it's locked down, if it's locked down correctly, there's no reason it should move. I mean, rotate. Yeah. There was an issue with 604s here a couple of years ago. Were the camshafts were cut wrong on the gear and it would actually try to drive the distributor out of motor. Oh, wow, that was a whole deal. But I have not run that on 602s. I mean, fuel pump coming loose. Tighten it. I don't know, honestly.

Thinking of installing the crate muffler on her asphalt pro late, would I install one per side- before a Y pipe, or one 4" after the white pipe. (15:50)

Honestly, I have not messed around with a lot of asphalt type exhaust systems on this, you know, with anti reversion stuff. So I would be my initial thought. I'd be more inclined to run one per header. Before any, that's normally what we try to do is, I mean, depending on the headers you've got, and depending on the length of the primary tubes, you're either gonna be right on the collector with that are gonna be like 12 inches after the collector. On out build your exhaust. Gotcha. That's great. And, you know, from everything I've been told by everything I've been told by ProFab that apparently that X pipe works best. As far as, producing torque.

Is there any advantage to side gapping sparkplugs on a 602? (17:46)

I don't know what side gapping is. That's a new question. I mean, honestly, it's brand new to me.

I have a brand new carburetor. Revs great and runs good in first and second. Soon as I get to third and go wide open the car is stumbling. But if I back off to three quarter throttle it will go but as soon as I get back wide open it's back to stumbling. Also looks like the bowl is losing fuel and is below the sight glass on this is on this is over a two day period. Any opinions? (18:50)

Honestly, I'm not a carburetor guy. My brother would be more inclined to answer. I'm just not a carburetor guy. I would. I mean, you're welcome to call my brother tomorrow. And he'd be happy to answer whatever questions you have about carburetors. I'm just literally just not a carburetor guy. Yeah, yeah. And I think I got very little limited knowledge of it. And you know if like, Heck if David Smith was here or something he could probably help you to you. I mean, call him as well.

I race crate 602 in the northeast at a very dusty surface. I run a walker 4x14 with an outerwear pre filter. My concern is I wonder if I over oil my filter due to dust concerns? Do I overthink this? (20:10)

Actually yeah, you can over oil it. I mean, we've been guilty of doing that on my own son's car. Now, what I will tell you is you know, the Walker Oil-less filters are great. We had one on Alex's car about a week ago. And there was like zero dust contamination. It was frickin awesome. Anyway, you can absolutely overoil one, and you can under oil it. So it's a fine line generally. How we do them is take their oil, you know, you got it in a small bottle or whatever. Once a filter is cleaned out, once you wash it and it's dry, and all that stuff, Oil, go each on each plate, put a dab of oil on top dabble on the bottom, and it actually usually run together. That's in our video where I interviewed Leo over at Walker, and what he recommended, of course, once it's clean, you clean the filter. And then you go down about an inch down and do one stream all the way around, and then an inch down on the other side. And then after you let that sit and soak in, if you see any spots that aren't blue, then then you would just maybe kind of spot dab it. 

Another thing you mentioned that you run it with your pre filter. And this is something I learned way back from Ed Soroka over at RTC is that a lot of times guys will put their pre filter on because they think well hey, this is going to keep the dust down. Well, that is the thing about a pre filter, it has no dirt trapping ability at all whatsoever. So where a pre filter is really best for is like when you get to the track and and you've got like clouds of mud that are kicking up and maybe you have maybe a qualifying that's, you know, almost like hot laps or hot laps or anyway, there's clouds of mud flying. That's when you want to use a pre filter. And when you get to the feature race, if you're not doing anything but blowing dust, that pre filter has no dirt trapping ability at all whatsoever. Take it off, because the only thing it's doing is restricting your airflow.

How do you clean and oil-less filter? (24:02)

Same stuff! Probably the Walker cleaner. Or you can use a simple green or any of those type of cleaners. I believe it's a washable filter.

MSD HVAC blaster cold coils? Are they worth the money? And how long should they last? (26:45)

Are you talking about the square ones? Because the square ones are actually pretty good. Those round ones- like the blaster and the blaster 2, those things garbage. But the one I sell is the good one. Yeah.So yeah, if it's that square looking one. Yeah, those those are actually really good coils. And, gosh, I don't know, I've seen him. Probably three, four years. I mean, I don't see a reason why they should fail unless they're mounted wring or something.

How often should you change spark plugs? (28:22)

I always recommend to my customers, at least when you're leaking your engine down, so I recommend every 10 races when you're leaking the engine down. That's plugs out anyway. Might as well just change them. Spark plugs are cheap. It's kind of like oil. Well, I guess oil is expensive now than it used to be but spark plugs are cheap as shit. You know if you're gonna leak it down every 10 races so you know, just a little over once a month, depending on if you're running two or three nights, it just depends. And if you're leaking down the engine, you might as well change out the valve springs as well. Even though I haven't had issues on 604s with valve springs. So this newest spring which is actually made by PAC is a damn good spring.

AutoLights are pre gapped at about 10,000s. Is that okay? (37:00)

Well, 10,000 I mean, how are you measuring? No, they're pre gapped about 35. Yeah. So and because it's cut back electrode. So, yeah. Yeah, I think it's like 35 Depending on how you try to measure it. Okay. And if it's 10, then obviously, the box hit the floor. Yeah, I mean, basically. Because I've never seen one to 10.

Is a 604 with bad heads worth anything? (42:54)

Well, I mean, what are we talking about bad heads, because basically, anything I would consider bad heads would be whatever was produced from GM before 2008. So if it still says GM performance on the front of the heads, which is what I'm assuming that you're referring to. And the engine has a serial number that's, you know, after 2008- then I would say, you know, those are good heads. I mean, somebody's gonna buy it. Absolutely. I mean, especially with the fact that like, somebody might buy it just for the components because like I said, you can't get blocks right now. You can't get pistons, you can't get rods you can't get all these different components. And so yeah, some somebody probably buy it for sure. It's definitely it's worth something. What the market will bear I don't know. But you know, it's  totally sellable. Yeah. Or tradable. You know, I mean, say you want to go 602 racing and and you got a 604 that's got bent valves, and the guys just gotta get it fresh. And then yes, it's a tradable item, you know, stuff like that.