Offshoreonly.com - Spark plug gap...How much does it really matter?

I sense a little "I know more then you do" condemnation in your posts.
Did you read the original post?

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldSchool (Post 3799731)

Did a bonehead thing yesterday :rolleyes:

I changed the plugs in my Cig. On the port engine, I gapped all of the plugs. They were out of the box right at .035 and I set them at .040. Got done with the starboard engine and realized that I completely forgot to set the gap, most likely because I was in a hurry......and was bleeding all over the place from a phucking hose clamp slicing my hand. :angry-smiley-038:

My question is, does it really matter? If it does, no problem. I just pull them out and gap them and throw 'em back in. Didn't seems to affect performance at all. We managed to do a 6000rpm flyby of the neighborhood.....just to pizz off the sailboters. :D:D:evilb::evilb:

So what you all are saying is that there is no reason in setting a plug gap? What ever comes out of the box is good enough for you. .020, .030, .040 whats the big deal? I'm sure it ran fine before he changed the plugs and it runs fine now so who cares. I guess the question is why change the plugs at all? I'm not saying that if you are a hair off that it will be catastrophic but why bother installing new plugs and have no clue what they are set at. Annnnnndddddddd believe it or not but a lot of people have done a lot of research to figure out what the proper plug gap should be for what you have or build but I guess you all know better with your guesses of what is in there. Just maybe (cause none of you including the installer have a clue whats in the second motor) if there is one plug just closed or open a little to much that will drop performance just enough to negate the cost of the plugs out of the box. Also we are talking about twin motors and I do everything possible to make them exact. Knowing what he set the first motor at (.040) and the second motor is set at .035 from the box they don't match.
Last, plugs are the most basic of basic motor upkeep and not to install them right is plane out lazy.
Maybe he got lucky but I wouldn't spend 25 bucks on plugs and then install them and not know if they were gapped properly. Just remind me never have you guys do a tune up for me.