Your car’s engine has multiple cylinders, each of which has its own combustion chamber. A spark plug sits at the top of each chamber. Sometimes, there are two spark plugs per chamber, as in the case with a HEMI engine. In both case, this component has an important job.

Each chamber contains a piston. During the cylinder’s four-stroke combustion process, the piston rises to the top, which compresses the air-fuel blend contained inside. When the piston reaches the top of its trajectory, the spark plug ignites the compressed mixture. This causes a miniature explosion to occur within the chamber, forcing the piston downward, which, in turn, causes the crankshaft to rotate. Thus, your vehicle is powered down the road.

Even though spark plugs can be expected to last nearly 70,000 miles, they can become fouled much earlier. For this reason, many mechanics suggest replacing them every 40,000 miles. The task is easy, though it requires time. We’ll explain the process, step by step, below.

Preparing The Right Tools For The Job

There are only a few items you’ll need to change the plugs. First, you’ll need a socket wrench. Second, you’ll need an attachment socket for the wrench that is designed specifically to remove and install spark plugs. Depending on your vehicle and the position of the engine, the plugs may be difficult to reach. If so, use a universal joint on the wrench.

You should also have access to a gapping tool (you can purchase one at any auto supply store for under $5). This tool measures the space – or gap – between the spark plug’s electrode and the ground electrode. This is the space the spark must jump before it can ignite the air-fuel mixture within the combustion chamber. The wider the space, the more voltage needed.

You can usually neglect this step because most manufacturers gap their spark plugs at the factory. That said, it’s still useful.

Out With The Old

First, locate the rubber hoses sitting near the top of your engine. Each hose will be connected to a spark plug. As noted earlier, there is usually one plug – and therefore, one hose – per cylinder. So, a 4-cylinder engine will have four plugs.

In a 4-cylinder engine, the spark plugs sit near the top of the assembly. In 6-cylinder and 8-cylinder engines, they might be positioned on either side. This makes them a bit difficult to reach in some vehicles, but the universal joint should solve the problem.

A lot of people remove all of the plugs at once, thinking that doing so will be more efficient. This is a bad idea. The cylinders fire in a defined order. If they are replaced incorrectly, you’ll experience problems later. Instead, replace them one at a time, going down the row, from one end to the other.

Start by removing the plug wire from the first spark plug. Then, remove the plug itself using the extension socket on your socket wrench.

In With The New

With the old spark plug extracted, it’s time to install the replacement. Seat the plug into the socket and gently push it into the cylinder’s cavity. Avoid pushing too aggressively, since doing so can damage the plug. Once it is sitting in the hole, tighten it by hand to avoid damaging the threads. Then, after the fit is snug, use the socket wrench to tighten it further. Finally, replace the spark plug wire on the exposed end before moving to the next plug in the row.

Replacing your car’s spark plugs is a simple task that anyone can perform. The key is to replace them one at a time, installing them gently to prevent damage. Once all of the new plugs have been replaced, turn the engine over to make sure the job was done properly.

Author Bio: When looking for a Wichita Kansas Car Dealer, Wichita Kansas Honda or many other Kansas cars, trucks, and SUVs. Visit Conklin Cars online at: ConklinCars.com.

Category: Automotive
Keywords: cars, automobiles, vehicles