As befits one of the most important parts of your car, your spark plugs require replacement every 24 months or 30,000 miles to maintain optimum fuel economy and engine performance. You can save money by doing it yourself.
The interval varies depending on your car and model. A car equipped with new platinum tips can take up to 100,000 miles before traffic jams require replacement. Replacing your device is securely simple, as you will see from the instructions below.
The first thing you want to do is collect all the tools you need. Of course, you will start by recruiting new ones. Add a 3/8 "disk slot, extension cord and ratchet, gap, brush or rag and set aside some time.
Now we are all ready to break your plugs. Correct gaps can be found on the engine performance label under the hood. It is good practice to stick with the brand of plugs originally installed on your car in the factory. For Ford products, they are Motorcraft; in General Motors products, this is AC Delco; Chrysler products use Champion. Refer to the parts manual to find the right type, or ask your local retailer for auto parts.
Ok, let's work.
Never change your forks without a cold engine. Wait two hours after driving to cool. Grasp the wire with the boot, screw the wire and carefully pull out the spark plug wire from the end. Do not pull the wires yourself, otherwise you may damage them. TIP: changing the plug helps to avoid mixing the spark plug wires.
Use either a bicycle tire pump or an air compressor, and bleed a few bursts of air to release the spark from dirt, dust or gravel. Alternatively, clean the old plug and the area around it with a rag or small brush. These steps help prevent foreign material from entering the cylinder when removing the plug.
Remove by turning it counterclockwise using the socket and ratchet mechanism. Spark sockets have rubber gaskets that prevent damage to the ceramic body of the plug. Hack it loosely, unscrew it until it comes off the threads and pulls it out manually.
OK, the time to set the gap of the new plug using the gap meter (remember that the proper gap is indicated on the bottom of the engine specification hood). You can buy a space indicator in your auto parts store. Slide the correct wire thickness or feel it between the inner and outer electrodes at the end of the plug. Sensitivity will slide between electrodes with a little dragging when the plugs are properly littered. If the gap is wrong, slightly bend the outer electrode until you are aware of the correct gap. Make sure the outer electrode is built in over the inner electrode.
Then take a look at the cylinder head threads. Are they in good condition, clean and free from dirt? New ones must be screwed into the cylinder head by hand. Any tying of the plug is a sign of debris or damage to the thread. TIP. Before installation, lubricate the threads with a plug or spray lubricant, this will make it easy to remove the next time the spark plugs are replaced.
Insert the new plug into the hole by hand and turn it clockwise until it is firmly pressed. After tightening your finger, tighten it with a wrench / socket. Be careful not to tighten the forks.
Reconnect the correct plug screw to the new plug with a twist on the boot until it is securely installed over the plug. You should feel and hear a click, as the wire positively clamps the spark plug.
Repeat all steps for other traffic jams. Even taking your time, this job will probably take you less than an hour. And this is another two years or 30,000 miles!
