Great Charlie, and thanks for the feedback--now maybe someone can benefit from your experiences.
As I said this is very common these days with the modern fuels coupled with driving habits that don't allow quick use of the purchased amount, or full engine warmup or heavy loads that will allow the normal cleaning of the plug by burning off deposits.
The people working on small engines see this a lot and recognize the popping, spitting, but the plug will fire when checked outside the engine.
Some cures might be: minimal choking for warmup, 1 step hotter plugs if your expected work load is light, a little more RPM during warmup, use the fuel up quicker, fuel additives, hotter ignition source probably not-in fact I,ve seen evidence that the high voltage equipment will allow shorting of the insulator by deposits where the old point type factory system would have cleared right up.
I explain that by the THOUGHT that as the voltage potential has increased the amperage of the spark has decreased, so is actually cooler.
I reference experience with carburetor equipped GM's with the first HEI systems.If over choking by improper action of the crazy choke pulloff system occured, even good fuel would short the plugs and you would probably NOT restart without a plug change.Admittedly most of these cases were trucks used in stop and go short run use on a plant site but it was a notable change in maintenance needs.
