Change Spark Plugs and Wires
Most people simply lack the know-how when it comes to repairs, some don't consider themselves "hands-on" or able to complete the necessary work for the job. With new (or fairly new) car purchases, warranties may completely void due to maintenance being performed to the vehicle by someone other than a ASE certified professional mechanic, so those owners elect to use the manufacturer's local maintenance shop. Despite these reasons, with a simple, step-by-step tutorial, anyone with any skill level can accomplish the task of changing spark plugs and giving your vehicle that jolt it once had.
Steps
- The first thing you'll need is to obtain the items you need to complete the job successfully. Most everything can be either purchased or rented. When purchasing parts for the job, you'll need to know the year, make, model, and possibly the trim model of the vehicle and ensure you obtain compatible parts. The quality of parts is up to the owner, but there are varying qualities in purchased parts. The parts include spark plugs, spark plug wires, a spark plug gapping gauge, a spark plug socket, anti-seize lubricant, torque wrench, dielectric grease, distributor cap, and ignition rotor. Once everything is acquired, you're ready to begin.
- Begin by allowing your vehicle to cool down before changing spark plugs. Your vehicle requires 3 to 4 hours to cool to prevent handling overheated spark plugs. Most people advise changing spark plug wires when you change plugs, although it isn't mandatory. If you plan to use the same wires, label each wire with masking tape and marker. Incorrectly replacing wires onto spark plugs will make the car run rough. Remove each wire by pulling from the boot to avoid destroying the wire.
- Using the spark plug socket, remove each spark plug from the cylinder head of the engine. The spark plug socket is aligned with an internal gasket to keep from dropping spark plugs during removal or installation. During removal, be sure to inspect each plug for excessive damage and also be sure not to allow any foreign material to enter the cylinder heads. The anti-seize lubricant is used at this point on the threads of the new spark plugs if you happen to have aluminum heads on your engine to prevent any negative reactions between the two different metals. Use the torque wrench to install the new spark plugs and confirm the proper torque is used to avoid damaging the parts and/or engine.
- If replacing spark plug wires, you want to be sure to follow your specific vehicle repair guide to connect wires in the proper sequence to both your distributor cap and cylinder head. Dielectric grease may be used on the spark plug wire boots to ease the removal process for future changes. After the spark plug wires are properly reconnected, the job is complete and the vehicle should be driven for testing purposes.
Tips
- One important step with spark plugs is properly gapping spark plugs. Today's spark plugs typically are sold pre-gapped, but you should always ensure spark plugs are properly gapped prior to installation. Symptoms of incorrectly gapped spark plugs, include rough engine idle, engine hesitation, engine missing (or running erratically), poor engine performance, or even engine knocking. The correct gap size will be found in your vehicle repair guide or owner's manual. Use your spark plug gapping gauge to achieve proper gap size. If your spark plugs come pre-gapped and you've ensured the gap is correct, move on to the next step.
