Adjust spark plug gap

You want to avoid introducing any debris to the engines combustion chamber or risk having dirt weaken the power of the ignition spark. All plugs have to be checked and a.

Determine if the gap needs adjusting.

Adjust spark plug gap. Adjusting the Gap 1. Determine if the gap needs adjusting. If the tool passes through the gap without touching the electrodes at the.

Use the tool to adjust the bottom electrode. When you hold the spark plug with the electrodes facing the floor. Re-measure the gap and adjust accordingly.

If the gap is too small or too big you need to adjust the ground electrode to match the gap. How you do this depends on the type of plug you have. If you are using a standard spark plug with a large center electrode the keyring tool works just fine.

This feeler gauge also works for measuring the gap. Method 1 of 1. Gap the spark plug Step 1.

Find the gap specifications for your vehicle. You can find the spark plug gap specifications at several. Clean the spark plug.

If you are installing new spark plugs you do not need to do any cleaning. Measure the spark plug. The distance of the gap on a spark plug depends on the voltage and amperage generated by the ignition coil.

The gap specification is determined by the vehicle manufacturer during engine design and is commonly found in the vehicle owners manual or the emission sticker under the hood. Find the gapping wire that matches the recommended gap. Then slide it between the center and side electrodes.

When the spark plug gap is correct the gauge should drag slightly going in and out. If the spark plug gap is too large or the wire wont fit adjust the side electrode. You can also use a gap gauge like this one for this step.

Prior to adjusting your spark plug gap settings double check that it is clean. This is of particular importance when using pre-owned spark plug a common occurrence with vintage and classic engines. You want to avoid introducing any debris to the engines combustion chamber or risk having dirt weaken the power of the ignition spark.

How to Gap Your Spark Plugs 1 Clean your spark plug. If youre regapping a used plug make sure that its clean gently scrub it with a wire brush. 2 Select the proper number on your feeler gauge and run the gauge between the electrodes.

To find the right gauge. 3 Adjust the gap as. The spark plug gap adjustment should not be changed more than 3 times and should not exceed008 in either direction.

Excessive changing of the spark plug gap setting will result in weakening of the spark plug ground electrode and can lead to breakage. Also the spark plug gap should never exceed055 unless pre-set by the manufacturer. To close the gap on a plug gently tap the plug electrode first on a hard surface.

NGK doesnt recommend adjusting the plug gap more than008 in either direction. Beyond that slight adjustment the ground electrode and center electrode wont align properly hindering spark plug performance and drastically reducing plug life. As an example when you raise compression or add forced induction a turbo system nitrous or supercharger kit you must reduce the gap about004 for every 50 hp you add.

However when you add a high power ignition system such as those offered by MSD Crane Nology you can open the gap from002-005. Simply tap plug against surface and make the gap come to your required measurement. You need to be gradual and careful while doing so.

There are aluminum insulator or porcelain that should not get damaged. Never try using the ramp for making any kind of gap at all. Use your spark plug gap tool to adjust the gap.

Gently bend the ground electrode in to narrow the gap or bend it out to widen it. Be very careful when making adjustments. Dont bend the electrode more than a few fractions of an inch.

How to correctly gap a spark plug. This is a fast and easy video on how to gap a spark plug and spark plug gap adjustment. All plugs have to be checked and a.

A spark plug has a relatively simple construction and is nearly maintenance-free except for the adjustment gap of its electrode and periodic cleaning or replacement. Setting the gap on the spark plug electrode determines the voltage length and duration of the spark. Correct way to check set and adjust your spark plug gap.

NGK Spark Plugs USA. Use a feeler gauge to check the gap of the spark plug. Choose the correct wire based on the size of the gap.

Run the wire between the two electrodes of the spark plug. The wire should catch on them as it passes through. The incorrect spark plug gaps can cause uneven firing of individual spark plugs and delay engine combustion.

Both of which can cause an engine to miss or idle erratically. Poor Engine Performance For an engine to run at optimal levels its spark plugs have to be gapped according to factory specifications. This gappin device features a ramp of increasing thickness that traverses the circumference of the tool.

The idea here is to slip the tool between the spark plugs electrodes and rotate the tool until light drag is felt between them and the tool will indicate the measurement of the gap.