If it is still relatively even and correctly shaped, it might not need replacing. If any of these are present, bigger issues that need further diagnosing could be the causes.
You’ll also need a flat workspace, such as a garage floor, driveway, or street parking that’s also well-ventilated to change your spark plugs. Please don’t have your kid hand you a blowtorch-Ed.) ( You won't need a blowtorch for this job. Organizing your tools and gear to change your spark plugs so everything is easily reachable will save precious minutes waiting for your handy-dandy child or four-legged helper to bring you the sandpaper or blowtorch. A set of spark plugs with anti-seize properties (thus, anti-seize lube is not needed).Flexible socket wrench joint adapter, if necessary.We’re not psychic, nor are we snooping through your toolbox or garage, so here’s exactly what you’ll need to get the job done. Everything You’ll Need To Change Spark Plugs Most importantly, spark plug replacement needs to be done with the car off and cooled down completely. Microfiber towels for car’s body to prevent scratches.Working on your car can be dangerous and messy, so here’s exactly what you’ll need to ensure you don’t die, get maimed, or lose a finger. Ceramics are used as insulators and protectants on spark plugs. The most common types use copper, nickel, iridium, and platinum, to varying degrees. Spark plugs are made with a variety of different materials. The spark, which is created between a center electrode and a ground electrode, then ignites the air and fuel mixture inside the cylinder, and poof, you’ve got ignition. The small insulated device uses high-voltage electricity to create a tiny spark within a cylinder combustion chamber.
Vehicle System : Engine What Is a Spark Plug?Ī spark plug is a key cog in a vehicle’s ignition system. Spark Plug BasicsĮstimated Time Needed: Half-hour to 3 hours, depending on plug location
HOW TO INSTALL SPARK PLUG WIRES ON A GL1100 CRACK
To keep the wrenching as stress-free and smooth as possible, The Drive’s crack informational team has laid out exactly what you need and what to do when you want to change your spark plugs. With the right tools, and help from your favorite informational team ( wink, wink), spark plugs are essentially plug-and-play. Although they don’t need maintenance as often as the other two tasks, spark plugs are equally as important and require consistent monitoring.Īlthough it might seem intimidating to begin removing engine parts, novices need not worry. Like rotating tires or changing oil, replacing spark plugs is a job that can be easily, and inexpensively, done in the confines of your own home. You can purchase bulk wire and the applicable terminals and boots to create your spark plug wires from scratch, or you can buy the universal semi-terminated kits offered by many manufacturers that come terminated at the spark plug end and all you have to do is cut the wire to length at the distributor cap end and install the appropriate terminal.The Drive and its partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links. It is this very reason we highly recommend building your own custom spark plug wires. This is especially true if you are deviating from the factory plug wire routing (going around the valve cover now instead of over it for example). Sure, they'll fit, but they may not have just the wire length you're looking for to produce a clean installation. While many people will decide to simply buy pre-terminated plug wire kits that say they fit a specific year range of Ford or GM engines, the truth of the matter is, these wire kits are semi-universal. You've put a lot of time, money, and effort into building a powerful engine for your project and now that it's down on the mounts and you're getting everything wired up it is time to consider your ignition system and running new plug wires.