![]() Once the spark plug has been gapped be careful not to change the gap by dropping it or by banging it against the engine during installation. the side not shrouded by the side electrode). The gap should be adjusted by only moving the ground electrode. To close the gap lightly tap the bottom of the plug against a hard surface. Indexing of plugs upon installation involves installing the spark plug so that the open area of the gap (i.e. If adjusting the gap on fine wire or precious metal plugs such as platinum or iridium, be very careful not to apply any pressure or prying force to the fine wire center electrode or insulator as they can be damaged. The gap should never be opened by prying against the center electrode. ![]() If the gap is too small use a proper gapping tool to slowly force the ground away from the center electrode. When checking the gap be gentle and do not force the tool. It's best to use a set of feeler gauges or a wire spark plug gap checking tool as these are more accurate than the disc type and less likely to break the electrode. When checking or setting the gap its important to use the proper tools in order to prevent damage to the plug. You should feel slight drag as the tool passes through the spark plug gap, but it should not feel forced. You are looking for the snug fit, not tight, not loose. Do this carefully so that you don’t damage them. If you do need to gap a plug that has multiple grounds contact the manufacturer for appropriate instructions. To check the spark plug gap, insert the keyring tool, wire tool, or feeler gauges into the gap between the two electrodes. Some applications (typically very high-performance and rotary motors) have spark plugs that have no ground strap while others have multiple ground straps, these are generally very difficult to gap and should be set correctly from the factory. Some platinum and iridium plugs have warnings on them not to change the gap, however these also need to be checked and properly set. Some spark plugs come pre-gapped, but these should still be checked as the gap can get changed during the course of normal shipping and handling. The proper specifications can be found in the owner's manual or on a tag under the hood. Setting the spark plug gap correctly can improve fuel economy and power. The gap is the distance between the center electrode of the spark plug and its ground strap. If you’re having trouble starting your engine, and it cranks for a long time before starting or doesn’t start at all, it may be due to an incorrect spark plug gap. ![]() Knowing how to gap spark plugs is an important part of a tune-up procedure. Adding forced induction or high-compression pistons to an engine will usually require the spark plug gap to be closed slightly. If the gap is not set correctly, the spark might not ignite the air-fuel mixture correctly, which can cause the engine to struggle or fail to start at all. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |