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...
Cleaning Burnt Gravy from Saucepans
Gravy is one of those items that can seemingly transform a meal from being simply OK, into something fantastic. However, ...
Discover More
What are R-Values?
Have you ever wandered through the insulation aisle in your local home improvement store and seen noted on the products ...
Discover More
Brightening Basements on a Budget
For the most part basements are inherently dark and somewhat dingy places. While an extensive renovation can be ...
Discover More
Adding Water to Your Radiator
If you have never done it before adding fluids to engine of your vehicle, let alone water to your radiator, can be a ...
Discover More
Checking Your Oil
One of the necessities of vehicle maintenance is checking your oil. When you don't perform this task regularly, you are ...
Discover More
Servicing Your Transmission
Servicing your transmission, otherwise known as changing the transmission filter, is a simple task, although it can be a ...
Discover More
Comments