Gapping spark plugs without tool

[garetheves]

I may need to gap my new plugs down but no-where near me sells a gapping tool. When i ask for them in the shops they just look at me as if im a wierdo and tell me that everyone just uses a few light taps with a small hammer to reduce the gap, supposedly its how all the garages do it. Is this right and am i ok just gapping them manually and trying/re-trying them in the engine?? Sounds a bit dodgy to me.

 

On a similar note what is the factory gap on the NGK BCPR7ES??

[Homer]

On a similar note what is the factory gap on the NGK BCPR7ES??

 

They're 0.8 factory

[garetheves]

They're 0.8 factory

 

So they may just drop into mine anyway without the need for gapping??

[Homer]

I'd have thought they'd be fine mate. You'll know if they're gapped wrong if you get a misfire at higher boost.

 

Edit, maybe the gaps a little large, this is from Alex's guide:

 

Single Turbo/Big Twins @ upto 1.3bar

NGK - BCPR7ES (3330) - gap 0.7mm

NGK - BKR7E (6097) - gap 0.7mm

NGK - BKR8E - gap to 0.7mm

NGK Iridium - BKR8EIX - leave gap alone

Denso Iridium - IK24 - leave gap alone

 

Single Turbo/Big Twins @ upto 1.8bar

NGK - BCPR8ES - gap 0.6-0.7mm

NGK - BKR8E - gap 0.6-0.7mm

NGK Iridium - BKR8EIX - leave gap alone

Denso Iridium - IK27 - leave gap alone

[kosmic]

i wouldnt go by how they come out of the box, halfrauds should sell feeler gauges as well as any proper motor factors, cleaning and regapping mine made a huge difference to the misfire i was having, and it was only a like 0.05-0.1mm adjustment, so pretty sensitive!!

[Lucifer]

It will also depend if you are running any kind of LIne amplifier such as an HKS DLI