E3 Spark Plugs News

Team E3 Racing just got bigger. Announcing our March winners! Congrats to these 18 up and coming racers.

TIER 1 WINNERS (Win $500 cash, 25 E3 Spark Plugs and Official E3 Race Day Gear/Decals):

• Daniel Alvarez: Nineteen-year-old Daniel “The Hammer” Alvarez of Chappells, South Carolina is much more than a hobbyist when it comes to racing. He’s already got a solid start on a well-rounded racing career with a A.A.S. degree in Automotive Technology from Piedmont Technical College and a scholarship to veteran  racer Tony Blanchard’s RACE 1101 program, where he was so successful, the school created a new award in his honor. The X Factor Award will honor students who successfully recognize and brand a unique marketing image.
• Jacob Putman: Our littlest winner yet, Jacob “Camokid” Putman ran his first official Kid Kart race at Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas, Virginia at the tender age of four. Today, at six years old, he’s racked up multiple wins against kids with more years and more experience on him. And he’s part of two racing teams including J&D Outlaw Racing founded with friend Donald Whorton. He starts the 2012 Kid Kart 2 season as a member of the Excel Racing team.
• Daryl Barrett: Daryl Barrett of Gorham, New York’s Asylum Motorsports Group has been involved in every facet of racing since the age of four. He’s been a driver, crewmember, crew chief, engineer and owner and has worked with several successful racing teams over the course of his career, which includes over 250 wins. He races in the Grand-Am and the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) World Challenge series in DP, GT, GS and GTS classes.
• Jeremy Higgins: Nineteen-year-old Jeremy Higgins races dirt track and this year will compete in the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Twins class and the Expert Singles class on tracks throughout the United States. He races a 2010 Yamaha and graduates college as a powersports technician this spring.
• James Luckett: That’s “Officer Luckett” to you. James Luckett of Romeoville, Illinois is a police officer who participates in exhibition and high school races via Beat the Heat, a nonprofit organization that works to keep kids off the streets. Driving his marked 1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme down the drag, Luckett encourages kids to “make the trip to the strip” rather than race illegally on the street.
• John Guthu: De Pere’ Wisconsin’s John  Guthu loves a run on his snowmobile – no snow necessary. He’s entering his eight season in competitive grass drag racing with a new series, the Midstate Grass Drag Circuit. He landed a championship title in his first year of racing and has finished in the top three points every year since in the 600CC non-studded class.

TIER 2 WINNERS (Win 1 Set of up to 8 Plugs and Official E3 Race Day Gear/Decals):

• Brody Goble: Canada’s Brody Goble has been winning on the racetrack since 2005. He’s the  2011 CACC Canada Sports Car Rookie of the Year and a 2012 inductee into the Autosport Dynamics’ ASD Mob program, which recognizes the top emerging drivers in drifting.
• Eric Roberts: Racing isn’t just about the drivers. Eric Roberts is crew chief on a 1979 Chevy Caprice in the Road Warrior class at Punta Gorda Speedway. The Lehigh Acres, Florida resident says he won over a skeptical driver when the team won its first victory after switching to E3 car spark plugs.
• Richard Smith: Souderton, Pennsylvania’s Richard Smith serves as the throttleman for his family’s multi-championship winning Smith Brothers Offshore Racing Team. The team races a 26-foot Joker Powerboat powered by a 500 HP Mercruiser Big Block and a set of E3 racing spark plugs.
• David Pochedly: Painesville, Ohio’s David Pochedly describes himself as a “normal person that believes that E3 Spark Plugs are unbeatable in performance.” He runs them in all his rides, including a 1981 mud truck on 40-inch tires and a worn-out 1998 Dodge Dakota with 230-miles that tops out at 125mph on E3s.
• Daniel Yarbrough: Daniel Yarbrough honed his mechanical skills building mini stock rollers that raced at the Thunder Hill Raceway in his hometown Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Today, he continues building cars and engines for a living, and uses only E3 Spark Plugs.
• Terry Panciera: Terry Panciera of Bristol, Connecticut is a member of the United States Lawn Mower Racing Association. He’s entering his second season in competitive lawnmower racing on a 1985 Lawn Chief.

TIER 3 WINNERS (Win Official E3 Race Day Gear and Decals):

• Bill Watson
• Ronald Volner
• Jeff Byer
• Frank Speer
• Ben Newburn
• Jerry Manes

Check the E3 Spark Plugs blog and Facebook fan page for updates on all our Team E3 Racing winners.

Andy Bussy, 2009 Pro-Open World Champion Grantsburg Watercross racer. Photo courtesy of Kerri Harter-Nelson.

Ready for something exhilaratingly different? If you haven’t experienced watercross yet, make plans to attend the 35th Annual World Champion Snowmobile Watercross, E3 Spark Plugs suggests. The “Granddaddy of Them All” takes place July 15-17 at Memory Lake in Grantsburg, WI. Informally known as the Grantsburg Watercross, the event started in 1977 and features the top racers from throughout the United States and Canada competing in drag and oval racing over water.

Also known as snowmobile skimming or pond skipping, watercross involves snowmobilers hydroplaning their sleds across the surface of lakes or rivers. A snowmobile’s wide tracks necessary for traction and flotation in the snow make for great water skimming surfaces so long as adequate speed is maintained. Watercross isn’t as easy as the champs make it look, mind you. In fact, several states including Minnesota and New Hampshire have banned the sport.

But that’s no matter to the dozens of competitors and thousands of fans who flock to Grantsburg every third weekend in July. Many camp out on the banks of Memory Lake each year, taking in all three days of racing plus event extras including live regional bands, nightly street dances, fireworks displays and shopping at the booths of hundreds of vendors.

Are you heading to Grantsburg this weekend? E3 Spark Plugs wants to see your pictures. Post them on our Facebook fan page. And if you plan to try watercross with your own snowmobile, spark plugs by E3 will give you a stronger, smoother, cleaner ride – guaranteed. Check our online cross reference catalog to find the right snowmobile spark plugs for your sled.

Heading higher for your next snowmobiling trip? E3 Spark Plugs tells you how to calculate the horsepower loss at altitude for snowmobiles.

Can I calculate the horsepower loss at altitude for my snowmobile?

Yes you can. If you’re headed to a higher altitude to ride your snowmobile, there are several variables to consider that are directly related to how your sled’s engine will perform in the thinner air. Let’s say you typically ride at 1,000 feet elevation but are headed to 6,000 feet-plus for a snowmobiling trip. Using the formula below, you can make a quick determination as to the approximate loss in horsepower that you will experience at the higher elevation:

HP Loss = (elevation x 0.03 x horsepower @ sea level)/1000

Now, let’s also assume you have a 150-horsepower snowmobile engine in your sled. The Horsepower Loss is going to be equal to 6000 times .03 times 150 divided by 1000 or a loss of 27 horsepower. That’s roughly an 18 % loss of power which is noticeable in both the feel and sound of your snowmobile’s powerplant. So, always take the time to test your sled’s performance before tackling big jumps or slope-side moguls to prevent coming up short.

If you’re headed up the mountain for a competitive snowcross or freestyle-snowmobile event, you will also need to consider the normal atmospheric conditions such as the relative humidity, ambient temperature and barometric pressure changes. Adjustments made to the carburetor or fuel injector can help offset some of the “Horsepower Loss at Altitude”. In addition, a local dealership may have a hot setup for adjusting your snowmobile’s intake and exhaust-port timing as well as a recommendation for the best octane rating for your racing fuel.

Don’t forget. If you’re looking for a hot tip, E3 snowmobile spark plugs are Born to Burn. Our snowmobile replacement plugs provide one of the strongest flame fronts of all high performance spark plugs on the market today. Check your local auto parts or discount store; or shop online at an authorized E3 dealer for your Arctic Cat, Polaris, Yamaha or Ski-Doo snowmobile plugs.

Make sure you've got a new set of E3 snowmobile spark plugs before heading to the lake shore for some watercross action this summer. Andreas Gradin / Shutterstock.com

For those who suffer separation anxiety with the springtime’s first thaw, we’ve got good news. Just because the powdery snow gives way to the green grass, that doesn’t mean you have to part ways with your beloved snowmobile.  E3 Spark Plugs does have a few safety tips for the snowmobile skimming set, however.

Snowmobile skimming (also see summer sports: pond skipping and watercross) involves snowmobilers hydroplaning their sleds across the surface of lakes or rivers. Remember those cartoons where the dog/cat/horse ran so fast that when he reached a body of water, he just ran across the surface until he looked down, panicked and sank? Well, that’s a bit like skimming.

Skimming is possible because sleds have wide tracks for traction and flotation in the snow. If a driver hits the water at a fast enough speed and keeps his snowmobile’s throttle open, the track will keep the snowmobile moving across the water’s surface. But, if a rider backs out of the throttle or if his snowmobile bogs, down goes the ship . . so to speak.

Safety precautions required at the annual World Champion Snowmobile Watercross competition held in Grantsburg, Wisconsin since 1977 include wearing a life jackets and tethering a buoy to the sled. If a sled sinks, the rider releases the buoy from the snowmobile so that it floats to the top and makes identifying the retrieval spot easier. If your snowmobile does hit the lake bottom before it hits the shore, it can be revived. You’ll need to drain the water from the carburetor and exhaust, replace the fuel and get yourself a new set of snowmobile spark plugs. Be sure to check our online cross reference catalog to find the right E3 snowmobile spark plugs for your sled.

Blues legend Robert Johnson's "Terraplane Blues" was one of few recordings released in his lifetime.

In one of his all-time greatest hits, Country crooner Randy Travis balked at the lyrical love language of city slickers, declaring salty ocean water and fall-prone stars unworthy testaments to a good ol’ boy’s romantic emotions. Yet much to our chagrin, Travis’ AMA winner failed to mention the love-inducing power of the spark plug among the snowflakes, Whippoorwills and Southland hollers. Thankfully, the appeal of a shiny new spark plug is not lost on the minds of a number of other songwriters and singers. E3 Spark Plugs offers this list of six great spark plug-loving tunes, from Country to Rap to Blues to comedic Folk to the creepiest Bluegrass you’ve ever heard.

“Terraplane Blues” by Blues legend Robert Johnson. Recorded in 1936 and later covered by Foghat, this song makes the famous Terraplane model a metaphor for love-making – quite the bold move in Johnson’s day. It was one of only a handful of Johnson’s recordings released during his lifetime.

I’m gon’ get down in this connection, oh well, keep on tanglin’ with these wires. And when I mash down on your little starter, then your spark plug will give me fire…

“There Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong with the Radio” by Aaaron Tippin. Ever try to sell a car with that line? Singer Aaron Tippin sold a few million albums with it. The song became his first No. 1 country hit.

She needs a carbuerator, a set of plug wires. She’s riding me around on four bald tires. The wipers don’t work and the horn won’t blow, but there ain’t nothin’ wrong with the radio…

“Nobody Does it Better,” by late rap artist Nate Dogg and Warren G. Born Nathaniel Hale, Nate Dogg lived the fast life, contributing to more than 40 music chart singles but racking up a hailstorm of legal and health woes. He passed away earlier this year.

They call me DJ and the spark plug, keepin’ it licked. There is no accident for these platinum hits…

“Chainsaw Charlie” by Angry Johnny and the Killbilles. We guess you can’t blame a guy for a love-gone-wrong song that involves a pickle jar filled with formaldehyde when he comes from a place called Killville, Massachusetts.

She’s leaving on the 10:05, tomorrow morning it’ll be too late. Maybe it’s the spark plug, or the gas he siphoned from his daddy’s truck, but that Poulan won’t cooperate. It looks like Charlie might be out of luck…

“The 12 Elan” by Buddy Wassisname & the Other Fellers. This trio combines Canadian folk music and rubber-faced comedy ala Jim Carrey, and are in dire need of a set of E3 snowmobile spark plugs.

Her hood is stitched with wire, and her windshield is tied on. Her spark plug runs on the lighting coil, she’s wired up all wrong! I taped a flashlight on her hood because the headlight’s gone. And the muffler bolts are all stripped out, and the track is stretched too long!

“The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything,” by Relient K. It’s the title song of the first theatrically released computer animated film distributed by Universal Studios. A 18th century pirate crew of zany vegetable characters experience high seas adventures, dinner theatre and barbecue sauce.

“And I’ve never licked a spark-plug and I’ve never sniffed a stink bug and I’ve never painted daisies on a big red rubber ball. And I’ve never bathed in yogurt and I don’t look good in leggings and I’ve never been to Boston in the fall…

Know any other songs with spark plugs lyrics? Let us know. Post a comment on our blog or, better yet, post a video on our E3 Spark Plugs Facebook fan page.

Don't be this guy. Before you hit the slopes, pack a snowmobiling emergency kit (including extra spark plugs), buddy up with a fellow sledder and call your mom.

Snowmobiling is in full swing right now, and sheriff’s deputies and rescue workers are reminding riders to take along emergency supplies – including an extra set of snowmobile spark plugs.

Just this week, sheriff’s deputies and rescue workers in Oneida, NY were dispatched to help a stranded snowmobiler who ran his Ski Doo across a swamp area just off the main snowmobiling trail. Not a smart idea, for sure. When his sled started to break through ice covering the swamp, the driver accelerated, hoping it would help keep him on the surface. No such luck. The sled hit a patch of cattails and deep water and promptly sank.

Fortunately, the driver (whose name we won’t mention so as to spare the guy a little humiliation) was able to keep his head and his cell phone above water long enough to call 911. By the time a crew from the local fire department showed up in their ATR, the unlucky snowmobiler had climbed his way out of the chest-deep swamp water to higher ground. He ended up in the hospital – no word on whether his snowmobile made it out of the swamp.

What’s the moral of this story? Any avid snowmobiler will tell you that an emergency pack and a little common sense are critical on the slopes. Stay on marked trails, bring a buddy and let your friends and family know where you’ll be riding and what time they can expect you back home. Make sure your supply pack includes:

• A change of clothes
• A flashlight and batteries
• A Tow strap
• Matches
• A cell phone
• A GPS unit
• A compact reflective emergency blanket in case your GPS unit and cell phone fail
• An extra set of spark plugs

E3 snowmobile spark plugs are ideal for snowmobiles. They offer a stronger, cleaner burn that affords your engine more power and won’t muck up the environment. Cruise our online catalog to find the right spark plugs for your snowmobile, or find an authorized E3 power sports spark plugs dealer near you.

It’s a dispute that just gets hotter and hotter: How often should you change your oil? Here at E3 Spark Plugs, we get asked that question a lot. Owners’ manuals of various vehicles only make the debate more confusing. Some declare the pervasive 3,000-mile rule to be the gospel truth. Others argue it’s fine to slack on oil changes until you hit upwards of 10,000 miles. And many mechanics say a compromise of every 5,000 miles is perfectly doable for most makes and models.

How often should you change your oil? It depends on multiple factors including your engine's age, your climate and your driving style, says E3 Spark Plugs.

But E3 Spark Plugs cautions that a few instances that call for more frequent oil changes:

1. Your engine is old and burns oil faster. Oil rings and valves wear as they age, causing your car’s oil to leak or burn more quickly.
2. You regularly drive on dirt roads. Engines suck in air from outside. Along with that air comes at least a little dirt, even if your filter is relatively new. That dirt goes straight into your engine oil, potentially mucking up your engine.
3. You carry heavy loads. Any extra strain on your engine causes its internal operating temperatures to rise, causing the oil to evaporate and oxidize. Resulting heavy oil use causes oil to evaporate through the breather system rather than entering the combustion chamber and burning. Oxidation causes internal sludge that bakes onto the inside of your engine and starves it of lubrication by soaking it up like a sponge.
4. You drive mostly short distances. Contrary to popular belief, the more you drive (distance-wise), the less you need to change your oil. That’s because in order to rid the oil of liquid gasoline and water, your engine must completely warm up. Engine heat causes the liquid gas and water mix to evaporate and exit through the crankcase ventilation system. But if you make only short trips, the gas and water mix never fully evaporates and instead dilutes the oil, preventing it from doing its job.
5. You drive in an extremely cold climate. When the temperatures drop, water condenses and ices up the inside of your engine block. As the engine warms up, the ice melts and the water drips into your oil. Then there’s the gas issue. Cold starting an engine burns more fuel and cold gas is hard to vaporize as it is, so all that unburned gas has to go somewhere. Most of it goes out the exhaust, but some of it pours down your engine’s cylinder walls and into your oil.
6. You drive like a bonehead. Quick starts, heavy acceleration and driving at high speeds not only burns more gas, but sucks up more oil as well. Save it for your weekend trips to the go kart tracks.

E3 Spark Plugs recommends talking to your mechanic about the best oil change intervals for vehicle, based on its age, condition, the climate and your driving style (be honest!). And use E3 car spark plugs, E3 truck spark plugs or E3 motorcycle spark plugs for an extra power boost that won’t cost you in fuel consumption.

Is your snow blower ready for the record-breaking winter snow? E3 Spark Plugs offers maintenance tips.

Record-breaking snow is collapsing barns, stranding motorists and racking up school snow days in multiple states nationwide – even the South, where’s putting a real damper on Super Bowl fans’ plans for partying and football-watching. Are you ready to tackle the wicked weather? If your snow blower isn’t in top shape, you might find yourself standing in your drive way fussing and cussing with a powerless power tool. E3 Spark Plugs offers a few tips to make sure your snow blower is up to the challenge.

1. Before powering up the first time, check all bolts, belts and moving parts and replace any frayed, worn or cracked parts and tighten any loose bolts.
2. Turn your snow blower on its side and check the scraper bar. If it looks worn, replace it or expect damage to your snowblower’s housing – a much pricier repair.
3. Check the rubber paddles and the rubber on your snow blower’s auger. If your finger fits between the rubber and housing, replace it.
4. Make sure the tires are in good shape and property inflated.
5. If your snow blower has a four cylinder engine, change the oil and filter. Make sure you’re using the appropriate weight and amount of oil.
6. Lube the drive and chassis and be sure to check the lube in the gear box if you have a two-stage snow blower.
7. Siphon off any fuel left over from last season and fill your tank with fresh gasoline. Adding a little methanol with the fuel once or twice a season will help avoid condensation inside your tank and keep your carburetor from icing up.
8. Replace the spark plugs in both two-cylinder and four-cylinder engines. E3 Spark Plugs makes a variety of plugs designed specifically for snow removal equipment. Check our online catalog to find the right one for your snow blower.

E3 Spark Plugs also makes top-quality snowmobile spark plugs. So, whether you’re fighting to clear the snow from your driveway or enjoying some recreational time on the slopes, we’ve got you covered.

Snowmobile season is underway throughout the northern U.S. Is yours ready? E3 Spark Plugs offers a checklist to make you won’t find yourself stranded on the slopes.

Make sure you've got a new set of E3 snowmobile spark plugs before you head out onto the slopes this season.

First, top off before heading out for each ride. These include gas, oil, coolant and brake fluid. Make sure that you check the engine coolant level only when the engine is cold. This will prevent an inaccurate reading, not to mention the chance of burning your skin or eyes with hot coolant.

Check for proper chassis lubrication several times over the course of the season – at least three times, more if you use your snowmobile daily. Use a high quality, low temperature grease to help prevent premature wear and corrosion on your snowmobile’s steering and suspension components.

Also check for proper operation of your snowmobile’s throttle lever, throttle override system, brake lever, starter rope, engine stop switch, drive belt and track, sliders, skis and carbides.

It’s also recommended that you start each season with new spark plugs. Says one participant in recent snowmobiling online forum: “Find your local retailer that sells E3 spark plugs. They work better than any
other spark plug I have ever used in a snowmobile or auto application.”

We happen to agree. Log on to our website to find the right E3 snowmobile spark plugs for your particular model and enjoy the power and fuel efficiency of our patented DiamondFire technology, designed with the eco-conscious driver in mind.