A basic vehicle tune up involves replacing spark plugs. Setting a spark plug gap is one of those simple parts of performing basic maintenance on your vehicle.
Materials needed:
- Car repair manual
- Spark plug gapping tool
- Complete ratchet and socket set
Procedure:
- Remove. Remove the old sparkplugs one at a time. This will reduce the possibility of confusion and mistiming the firing sequence of the spark plugs.
- Check. Check the current gap on the new sparkplug. To find the correct gap for your car, consult the proper car repair manual, or possibly under the car's hood for the information. Many manufacturers have it stored on a sticker that they place on the inside of a hood. You can also use a gapping tool to check your old sparkplug's gap. The accuracy of this depends on the accurate gapping of the old sparkplug.
- Gap. Insert the gap tool into the little space by the "hook" of the sparkplug, which is actually an electrode. Bend this out till it reaches the correct measurement. If the space (or gap) is too large, simply push the hook against a hard surface to close up some of the excess space.
- Check. Check the space using the gapping tool and the measurements that were given to you in the car repair manual or the information sticker that was located under the hood of the car.
- Repeat/Install. After you have reached the proper gap measurement, install the plug according to the instructions in the car repair manual (typically this is going to be just the reverse of how you removed the plug). Repeat this process as often as necessary for each of your vehicle's sparkplugs.
Author Bio
Lee Wyatt
Contributor of numerous Tips.Net articles, Lee Wyatt is quickly becoming a regular "Jack of all trades." He is currently an independent contractor specializing in writing and editing. Contact him today for all of your writing and editing needs! Click here to contact. Learn more about Lee...
Installing Ductwork
One of the keys for lowering your home heating and cooling bills is having the proper ductwork in place. If you don't ...
Discover More
Creating a Fun and Neat Playroom
Is there really a parent out there that wouldn't love to have a room dedicated to their children to play in? Creating a ...
Discover More
Installing a Hinged Patio Door
Patio doors are a great way to bring the great outdoors inside your home, and one of the most popular choices are hinged ...
Discover More
Checking for Loose Drive Belts
The drive belt is perhaps one of the simplest and most important items that you can find in your engine. If you don't ...
Discover More
Checking Your Transmission Fluid
Checking your transmission fluid is something that needs to be done periodically on every car or truck that has an ...
Discover More
Tuning Up Your Car Yourself
Why pay someone else to tune up your car, when doing it yourself is a relatively easy, though time consuming, process. ...
Discover More
Comments