..glow plugs..

[Bootlegger]

 Some where I read that Thunderbolt glows plugs are back, can someone verify that?  Thanks..

[dennis lipsett]

people have to check the sites for this info. Everything is available if you take the time to check for it.


http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/glow-engines-114/11654517-thunderbolt-glow-plugs.html

I believe that you have to buy a card of plugs but I'm not certain about that.



RC sites are not your enemy

[Fredvon4]

my shipment arrived...4 idle bar.....4 rc long
each individual sleeve package

[Steve Helmick]

Gil has yet to learn the art of creating a useful and meaningful subject line. A little effort, please! It wouldn't take much.  Steve

[kenneth cook]

              In addition, the owner told me these are current production plugs which are hopefully here for the future. Ken

[Randy Cuberly]

How do they compare in heat range to a K&B 1L ? Back in the racing days some guys tried to run Thunderbolts and they seem to lose a plug every flight. Are they considered a hot plug like an OS A3 ect. I never used them because they were so poor in the racing engines.

Thanks,
Motorman

The Thunderbolt R/C Long Was/Is a Hot plug preferred for pipe operation by most of the folks I know.  I'm not sure how they compare to the K&B 1L except to say that the K&b 1L was a terrible plug for pipe operation and was assumed to be a medium cold plug.  The closest guess I would make for another plug that compared favorably to the heat range of the Thunderbolt R/C long was/is a Enya #3 that also worked pretty well for pipe operation but it is a short reach hot plug and while it worked OK it would undoubtedly slightly reduce the compression ratio and foul some of the threads in the head for subsequent use of a long plug.

If the new Thunderbolt R/C long plugs are being made the same as the old ones they will be readily accepted by the pipe crowd (of which of course I'm one). 

I haven't however received any of the new ones yet.

Randy Cuberly

[Bootlegger]

  Steve, what is wrong about my subject line?  The subject was about GLOW PLUGs nothing else, so what is wrong with that???

[Dave Harmon]

Anyone try the #3 Platinum competition plug, it cost an extra $1 must be better?

https://www.mikegoesflying.com/shop/engine-accessories/thunderbolt-no-3-platinum-plug-improved-throttle-response/

This is the clone of the Enya 3 that was developed in 1990 for use in the YS 61 Long Stroke as used in Pattern airplanes.
There were a lot of guys back then using that engine which would only run properly with the Enya 3....this lead to hoarding of the Enya 3.
It got to the point that you could not buy an Enya 3....so the clone 3 plug was developed.
Some years later....Hobby Shack took over marketing and named it Thunderbolt Performance 3.
Likely the name has been updated by now but I doubt Mike Greenshields has/would accept any changes to the plug.

The higher than usual platinum content in the wire of the Performance and Enya plug(s) is what makes them work so well to support rich mixtures.
The stem is much thicker and has a large ball on top to resist the stem breaking off when a twist on glow driver battery is used.

The other black plugs with the pointed stems in the above links looks like what was previously sold as the JZ (Zinger/Joe Zingali) plugs.
I don't know what the Platinum content of the wire is on those plugs.

The Enya 3  is a standard long reach....not a short reach plug. (and has a removable top for a wire to a remote battery connector)

[Dave Harmon]

I would guess they have the same coil and the extra price is just marketing. The nickel plating does look pretty badass.

Not marketing....more platinum content in the wire makes it cost more. That's the main reason why the HS Performance 3 and Enya 3 plugs work so well.
Also....I was told by 'the man' that the thicker stem with the large ball actually cost less than the ribbed much shorter stem on the K&B plugs.

[Randy Cuberly]

This is the clone of the Enya 3 that was developed in 1990 for use in the YS 61 Long Stroke as used in Pattern airplanes.
There were a lot of guys back then using that engine which would only run properly with the Enya 3....this lead to hoarding of the Enya 3.
It got to the point that you could not buy an Enya 3....so the clone 3 plug was developed.
Some years later....Hobby Shack took over marketing and named it Thunderbolt Performance 3.
Likely the name has been updated by now but I doubt Mike Greenshields has/would accept any changes to the plug.

The higher than usual platinum content in the wire of the Performance and Enya plug(s) is what makes them work so well to support rich mixtures.
The stem is much thicker and has a large ball on top to resist the stem breaking off when a twist on glow driver battery is used.

The other black plugs with the pointed stems in the above links looks like what was previously sold as the JZ (Zinger/Joe Zingali) plugs.
I don't know what the Platinum content of the wire is on those plugs.

The Enya 3  is a standard long reach....not a short reach plug. (and has a removable top for a wire to a remote battery connector)

Well, I'm not sure what "Standard" means in this case, but measurement of a Enya #3 plug shows a thread length of .173 inches, and the measurement of a "Thunderbolt Standard Long glow plug" thread is .230 for a difference of .057.  That is a significant difference in threaded length for the plugs!

Apparently this so called "Standard" isn't much of a "Standard".  The point is that the Enya plug is significantly shorter and what I said about that maybe being a problem is fact!  I have used Enya #3's in PA65's to a large extent and when switching to a Thunderbolt R/C long found it necessary to clean the threads in the head of the engines prior to using the Thunderbolt long plug!

Either plug works very well in Piped PA's and RO Jet engines!

Randy Cuberly

[Tony Drago]

I just looked at my plugs. The Idle bar and the non idle bar have the same thread length. Also they are not the short plugs.

[Randy Cuberly]

I just looked at my plugs. The Idle bar and the non idle bar have the same thread length. Also they are not the short plugs.

What brand of plugs are you referring to?  We've been discussing two different brands of plugs Enya and Thunderbolt?

Randy Cuberly

[Tony Drago]

Back in the day I sold glow plugs when i owned CLC.  They were the exact same ones Joe Bridi sold which I bought from Joe in bulk. Also they were the exact same plugs Joe Zingali (Joe/Z) and Sig were selling, and possibly the Thunderbolts as well.
 The only difference was the post on top of the plugs. The reason for the difference was so that the company's could tell theirs apart because they all used the same generic body for their respected glow plugs.
At one time Joe's plugs shared the same posts as Sigs. Sig had asked Joe to change the post design  which he did. He did not mind me selling his plugs, which i packaged  under the CLC label. I do not remember the heat range on the plugs. Also I was told the the four stroke and the miracle plugs were  exactly the same plug. Back then most all plugs were made by O&R. Which all the above mentioned were. I do not know if O&R is still making glow plugs today. If not then. Sig and or Thunderbolts are being made by a different company.

[Dave Harmon]

Well, I'm not sure what "Standard" means in this case, but measurement of a Enya #3 plug shows a thread length of .173 inches, and the measurement of a "Thunderbolt Standard Long glow plug" thread is .230 for a difference of .057.  That is a significant difference in threaded length for the plugs!

Apparently this so called "Standard" isn't much of a "Standard".  The point is that the Enya plug is significantly shorter and what I said about that maybe being a problem is fact!  I have used Enya #3's in PA65's to a large extent and when switching to a Thunderbolt R/C long found it necessary to clean the threads in the head of the engines prior to using the Thunderbolt long plug!

Either plug works very well in Piped PA's and RO Jet engines!

Randy Cuberly

I just measured a new Enya 3 and a new TB3...both no idle bar.
I measured from the bottom of the washer to the element tip.
The Enya is .158 and the TB3 is .162.
The Enya uses a slightly thinner washer....I took a new Enya out of the package to be sure I was using the correct washer.
A new unused TB3 washer is slightly bell shaped and needs to be installed to crush it before measuring.
The point is.....comparing both of these plugs there is very little difference in the usable thread length.

[Bootlegger]

  Guy's which Y/Bolt plug have y'all found to be better with idle bar or with out it?  Thanks

[Dave Harmon]

  Guy's which Y/Bolt plug have y'all found to be better with idle bar or with out it?  Thanks

It depends a lot on what engine and fuel is used.
The non idle bar plugs work well for me in the Rojett 67.