# Puzzling Puzzler Answer **URL:** \ **Category:** The Show\ **Created:** [October 14, 2024, 2:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/puzzling-puzzler-answer/197611 "2024-10-14T14:07:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 2:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/puzzling-puzzler-answer/197611/1 "2024-10-14T14:07:25Z")
Can anyone explain this answer? I don’t get it: [Could Be Right | Car Talk](https://www.cartalk.com/radio/puzzler/could-be-right) ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 2:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/puzzling-puzzler-answer/197611/2 "2024-10-14T14:20:32Z")
I think it is based on 30 year old “new” cars. Back in the 90s coil packs with 2 leads was common especially GM. A 6 cylinder would have 3 coils with 2 spark plug leads. Both leads would fire at the same time. One in a cylinder under compression and a “wasted spark” in the cylinder in the exhaust stroke. Coil on plug systems used on nearly every modern car don’t have a waste spark so don’t fire every revolution. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 2:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/puzzling-puzzler-answer/197611/3 "2024-10-14T14:52:14Z")
The Puzzler also ignores the existence of platinum and iridium spark plugs not available in the 1960s as well as the elimination of leaded fuel. Both lengthen the plug lives a ton! I remember spark plug cleaning machines sitting on the benches of nearly every service center. ---
**Author:** ![Rainflurry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cab0a1/32.png) [@Rainflurry](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rainflurry)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 2:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/puzzling-puzzler-answer/197611/4 "2024-10-14T14:58:59Z")
Good points. It also fails to mention that the wasted spark fires at significantly reduced voltage because of the lower cylinder pressure at a few degrees BTDC exhaust vs. a few degrees BTDC compression. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/puzzling-puzzler-answer/197611/5 "2024-10-14T16:42:22Z")
Thank you MM, I just read the answer. Puzzler had me puzzled. My first job was at a gas station, we had a spark plug cleaner, never used, people would come in for tune-up, oil change, and new coolant before winter started. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 5:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/puzzling-puzzler-answer/197611/6 "2024-10-14T17:58:03Z")
Thanks for the explanation, here’s an example: ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/6/a/6a40b9e86f35c1f07ecbbd8e8f7bff711c912bb2.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 6:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/puzzling-puzzler-answer/197611/7 "2024-10-14T18:07:26Z")
The old MDIS systems… lol And one of the 1st IIRC… ![Screenshot 2024-10-14 131023](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/f/8/f8d8edaaac6c298cb849fbda76c8f0a844cbc9da.jpeg) EDIT: for cars… ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/puzzling-puzzler-answer/197611/8 "2024-10-14T18:15:02Z")
I’m thinking some of the early Honda 4-cylinder motorcycles used two coils, like that. I should remember, I had one, but that was 40+ years ago… edit- yep, here’s one of the coils for the CB550K, two sparks plug leads: ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/6/e/6e7e90db555d8dcbdb73d0b8870d02d75304fbea.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2024, 7:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/puzzling-puzzler-answer/197611/9 "2024-10-14T19:33:03Z")
Older single cylinder gas engines that used a magneto, like a Briggs & Stratton lawn mower also had “Wasted Spark”, The spark plug fired every revolution. ---
**Author:** ![LoudThunder](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/loudthunder/32/27769_2.png) [@LoudThunder](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LoudThunder)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2024, 12:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/puzzling-puzzler-answer/197611/10 "2024-10-15T00:01:47Z")
My 1985 Ironhead Harley Davidson has one coil and it fires both spark plugs at the same time… It is called a dual fire ignition system (also called a wasted spark setup). Both spark plugs fire at the same time while one cylinder is on its Combustion stroke and the other cylinder is on its exhaust stroke. ![Harley - Close Up Gas Tank - Right Side](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/8/3/837346df8a7e418018b6860f41693982f8035b36.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2024, 9:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/puzzling-puzzler-answer/197611/11 "2024-10-15T09:16:47Z")
When I worked in a couple of Mobile stations in the 50s we used to remove, clean and regap peoples spark plugs at 5000 miles for 25 cents a plug and replace them at 10000 miles for $1.25. WE used the sprk plug cleaner a lot!