I don't have a torque wrench. I just have a spark plug wrench. I changed my own spark plugs. I don't like taking them out and putting them back in. I'm not sure if I got the torque right. What should I do?
View 1 RepliesI am changing my own spark plugs for the first time. I have a spark plug wrench, dielectric grease, anti-seize compound etc.
I have a Haynes manual for my 2002 Toyota Corolla. The book was written before Irridium plugs were used. Should I tighten the spark plugs to the same torque specifications as regular plugs? The book says 158 inch pounds. How do I know I have tightened them to the right amount?
How do I avoid cross threading the spark plugs? What happens if you cross thread the spark plugs (assuming the car seems to be running fine)? Would I need a new engine or expensive repair when it is time to replace the spark plugs again?
Just got done changing the plugs on my new to me 2008 Prius. They were in there a little tight and the crunching noise they make at first is a little disconcerting, but I'm thinking it has something to do with the coating NGK puts on their plugs.
Anyway, everything went smooth and I took my time and used tips I read about here. I've worked on cars since I was 16 and have rebuilt motors and completely restored a 1956 Chevy, but this Prius is a different animal. I think in the end though we are going to be friends...
Here are some pics of the old plugs. The gaps were a little out of range, and there was some wear, but 148k on spark plugs and the car still runs good?
As far as I know, my Passat has never had any other spark plugs other than OEM. I could also swear that those OEM plugs always had 3 grounds. My gas mileage historically averages about 27MPG in a mixed city/highway environment.
Recently, my spark plugs were replaced and now my gas mileage has dropped to 24MPG. I had a similar problem once with my previous car (1998 Jetta GLI) and it was due to going from a three ground spark plug to a single ground plug. Putting in three ground spark plugs instantly restored the gas mileage to previous levels.
I've read repeatedly that the NKG PFR6Q is the OEM plug but it only has a single ground. I realize that my memory could be faulty, but this is driving me nuts.
Alas I can't be sure what was there before versus what's there now, but I know my previous mechanic was a stickler for OEM parts. Would switching from a multi-ground to a single-ground cause a 10%+ drop in mileage?
Here's the run down:
-bought 6 months ago for cheap because it wouldn't pass smog test
-changed Purge Control Valve (PCV) and it passed
-filled with gas, heard popping noises like a backfire, and coded it read the same "Bank 1 and Bank 2 running lean, like it did before the PCV and then also "Cylinder 3 Misfire" appeared.
-At this point the car started running rough, at idle, and through acceleration...sputtering uphill, and when climbing through the gears.
-Changed the plugs & wires
-NOW, it's cylinder 5 misfiring, and not nearly as bad. It's idling and running rough, acceleration has somewhat come back, but it's definitely not 100%.
Should I start with the PCV again, since it's not starting after I fill the tank, and climbing gears slow? Is there anything else I should be checking?
I changed my spark plugs now I got a miss and rough idle .#2 and 6 seem to be the ones that miss the idle don't change when I unplug the coil , I take coil off and put it next to the motor it sparks ! I put everything 3 plugs and got about 200 miles on them and 3 out of 8 had melt downs and left me on the side of the hwy. I got autolights in it now but it got a miss and rough idle ! Did I not do something right ?
View 7 RepliesI have rough idle problem after changing spark plugs, fuel filter and battery. There was no rough idle problem before this work was done. What could be wrong. Once the speed is above 20 mph it seem to run fine but at stops it vibrates and seem like it may stall!
View 6 RepliesI can't get a single spark plug to come out of my 2009 Corolla S. I'm using a 3/8 ratchet with a 3 inch extension and a GearWrench 9/16" x 6" Magnetic Swivel Spark Plug Socket (3938D). Which is exactly what others have suggested. It feels like the socket is just spinning around on top of the spark plug. I'm kind of at a loss for what to do now?
View 10 RepliesI have been burning up spark plugs in the left hand cylinder (when facing the engine from the front). I have burnt up two plugs in a month in that cylinder. I have low compression in that cylinder and my oil consumption is high as well (1QT every 300 miles). My question is, is the oil fouling plugs and the oil consumption connected or is there other things I should look into?
View 2 RepliesChanged the plugs, wires, cap and rotor. I can't seem to pinpoint what causes the failure to start to occur. The starter engages and the motor turns. Letting it sit for an hour seems to solve the problem.
I have not replaced the distributor yet.
I have a 2013 Hyundai Sonata GLS with 55,000 miles. I was told to replace the plugs and battery by my local automotive shop. I decided to do it myself to save a couple of dollars just this past week. I filled up the car today and noticed the MPG dropped significantly. Normally a full the tank shows I have 420 miles to go. Today it showed 370 a difference of 50 miles.
I have two ideas why this happened:
1) Replacing the battery has caused the computer to reset and as a result it is showing the wrong mileage. After a week or two of running the correct mileage will show. I drove the car about 150 miles after changing the battery and thought this would of been enough time for the computer to figure out the MPG if this was the problem.
2) I caused damage to the Iridium plugs when I gapped them and did not notice it. I used Autolite XP6203 model and gapped them at .044. Autolites do not come pre-gapped I was told. The car is not hesitating and runs smooth. I am thinking this is the problem but not 100% certain.
Is my idea about the computer valid and I should give it some time to recalculate MPG? I am thinking to give it a couple of tanks of gas and see if the car fixes itself
I am having a problem where my spark plugs keep going out. I changed all the plugs, wires and coil pack on my 2001 Windstar and within a few months my van was running on 4 or 5 cylinders instead of 6 and this isn't the first time it has happened.
View 14 RepliesI have a 2001 saturn sl 2 and I noticed some oil around all the spark plugs. The engine seems to be loosing oil a little bit as well, about a quart a week. Its not buring it or leaking that I noticed.
View 2 Replies'03 Solara 4 cyl, 135K repl. Fuel pump, 45# press ok, NO scan tool code(s), turns over fine, no spark 2 plug. Started/ran fine before fuel pump change.
View 10 RepliesI was having some problems and one of my friends told me to post up here before I went and saw my mechanic. So my car isn't starting (its a 06 r32). Now I've gone through a whole list of things and what I have worked out is that it is the spark plugs not firing (none of them are) although they are all brand new and were working not too long ago.
Battery is fine and fuses look good no warning symbols on the dash so I'm at a bit of a loss as to what it could be. Relays? Coils?
I was thinking about change my spark plugs on friday so today I went to check the ones the car have open the hood took the engine cover out and the ones on the sides, I see 6 wires 4 going to the left side(air intake side) and 2 going to the right side (where the oil fil cap is) so I say think this should be the spark plugs wires. I take one of the left side wires out and is cover in oil so I keep taking the other out one by one and all of them have a lot of oil I can't even see the sparks plugs. All the wires have numbers on top 1 to 6. I say this have to be the wires cause I don't see any other place where the plugs can be located at. The car is a 99 v6 fwd...
View 7 RepliesI would like to have a look at the condition of the ignition plugs in my V8 Phaeton.
According to the service plan, it's already time to change them and it also seems that the car has lost some power when accelerating.
Is it even possible to change them with the 'usual' knowledge (knows how to change a tire and so on) or should I better go to a professional.
Had issues with TBI, rebuilt. Had some starting problems after truck sat for 1 day or more, but would start after a few tries. At one point when it was particularly stubborn, starter lead vibrated off. Once reconnected, truck started, ran fine, but had some electrical humming & radio interference. The starting issue continued with some low rpm stumbling, when driving check engine light would come on at cruising speeds and go off 7-8 seconds after letting off gas.
Had 1 day lest week when I drove a bit more then normal (150+) but ran fine other then engine light. Next day started, but ran horribly rough with violent back fires. At one point stalled and would not restart. It looked and acted like it was flooding itself out and poor spark. Less then a year I replaced cap, rotor and coil. Now I have done all new plugs and wires. Now it appears I have no spark. I had been in the dash messing with the blower motor relay 2 days prior to the stalling and not starting.
Does the ECM control spark? Cant it go bad slowly? And if I had to do alot of cranking of the engine to get it to start, would that have any thing to do with it going bad?
Bought my car three weeks ago. I was looking around under the hood and noticed that the color of the connector on the spark plugs is different. Two are grey and two are black, in alternating order. What's up with that?
View 5 RepliesI have a 2000 Jetta 2.8 VR6 (the 6-cyl) with 128k miles and I have oil on my spark plugs, only on one bank of the motor (the bank closest to the bumper, if that makes any difference). I am aware that it is most likely a leaking or worn out valve cover gasket, and I have a replacement and am prepared to replace it. What I need to know, and I can't find this exact part anywhere, is do I also need to replace the spark plug tube seals??? The gasket I ordered did not come with any tube seals, I can't find this part on any auto parts website at all, nor have I been able to locate anything useful on this, or any other, website. I know the 1.8 has plug tube seals, and they come with the gasket, but does the 2.8 also require tube seals? I imagine it would, but I just don't know.
View 2 RepliesI have a '63 Buick Wildcat that has been sitting for 17 years. It has 2 spark plugs stuck in the motor. I got the other 6 out with liquid wrench. The other 2 have been soaking in liquid wrench for 2 weeks and I have been using a 3/8 drive spark plug socket, but still unable to get them out. How to get them out?
View 9 Replies