Anyone have any experience with using colortune to tune their cars? If it actually worked, it seems pretty neat. The idea is using a special glass sparkplug and adjusting your fuel by the color of the flame.
The reviews on Amazon (I think only 1) aren't too good.
Thanks.
Dan
I think I saw one of those in a museum somewhere. Somebody still makes it?
I want a cylinder pressure logger.
I have one of those in the garage for the Flathead never actually used it.
Just read the plugs like a normal and keep you jetting correct. I think a 02 sensor would give you more info as well.
My dad had one in his toolbox at work when I was a young lad. I picked it up and asked him about it. He told me how it worked, and that it was OK for DOHC four cylinders where the spark plug was right on top, but not so good for V8 engines. I remember laughing as he imitated putting his head on the exhaust manifold trying to see the Colortune spark plug on a Chevy.
I think a better thread title would be "Has anyone ever used colortune?"
I've used one. It seemed to work as intended for me. However, I made the mistake of running down the road in my MGB auto-X car with the colortune still in place. The pressure cracked the glass. Doh!
I wonder if one attached a sensor to analyze the light, if the results could be more meaningful than 'blue', orange', 'red'.
Yes I've used one quite a bit years ago when I 1st got a water brake dyno for bikes. Got mine from Seven Ent the mini guys. You can run them hard just not long or you crack the glass. Warm up the motor on regular plugs do a few pulls then swap to the color tune plug do two quick pulls alow to cool while you make changes if motor cooled off during work swap the plugs back warm up on regular plugs.
I have two. I use them to get a base tune then drive and do plug readings. The reason I have two is most of the cars I use them on have two carbs. Makes adjusting easier if you have one running in a cylinder for each carb.
They come with a 6" tube that fits over the end a mirror is on the end away from the colour tune and allows you to see them when down in a cylinder head, sometimes.
Keeping them clean makes reading the colour easier. I clean them inmy ultra sonic tank.
My understanding from the brit crowd is that automotive fuel has moved on in chemistry, and it is not as easy to make a decision based on the observed color.
