Where is spark plug

In the accompanying photos, you can see what many of the above spark plug features actually look like. Check them out. Ribs: Insulator ribs provide added protection against secondary voltage or spark flashover and also help to improve the grip of the rubber spark plug boot against the plug body. The insulator body is molded from aluminum oxide ceramic.

In order to manufacture this part of the spark plug, a high-pressure, dry molding system is utilized. After the insulator is molded, it is kiln-fired to a temperature that exceeds the melting point of steel.

This process results in a component that features exceptional dielectric strength, high thermal conductivity and excellent resistance to shock. Insulator: The insulator body is molded from aluminum oxide ceramic. The pointer shows the spark plug insulator. As mentioned above, it is formed from aluminum oxide ceramic. The outer surface is ribbed to provide grip for the spark plug boot and to simultaneously add protection from spark flashover crossfire.

Hex: The hexagon provides the contact point for a socket wrench. The hex size is basically uniform in the industry and is generally related to the spark plug thread size. Shell: The steel shell is fabricated to exact tolerances using a special cold extrusion process.

The spark plugs are at the end of each wire, often protected by plug covers. Check your vehicle handbook to identify the exact location of your spark plugs.

Your handbook will also detail how many spark plugs you have, the optimal plug gap and the socket size that you need to replace your plugs. When the time comes to replace your spark plugs, enter your number plate into our car look-up tool to get an individual list of spark plugs that will fit your vehicle.

DIY Car Service Parts stocks over a quarter of a million car parts and can instantly identify which are right for you. There is a gap between the center electrode and the side ground electrode, which is where the spark jumps the gap. Insulates the terminal, center shaft and center electrode against high voltage and provides flashover protection.

Keeps high voltage from escaping before it gets to the electrode tip. Suppresses ignition noise that is generated during sparking. Helps prevent electrical interference with other electrical components in the vehicle and disruption to radio reception. Connects to the terminal by an internal wire. Tip is made of copper, nickel, chromium or other precious metals.

The metal carries the high voltage through the spark plug so it can spark when it goes across the small gap between the central electrode and the side electrode. Located on the side of the metal, it extends into the combustion chamber to create the spark that ignites the fuel.

Steel shell where a socket wrench fits for tightening and loosening the plug. Provides electrical ground to cylinder head and transfers heat to the head to help cool the plug. Above all, you need to make sure the gap measurement is the correct measurement for your car.

If you check it yourself, you'll know for sure. Remove it from the package and do a quick check to verify the measurement. Consider cleaning around the threads before reinserting the new spark plugs. When you're changing your plugs, it's also a good opportunity to check the wires for wear and to clean up around the wire terminal.

Use a wire brush or compressed air to clean up around the wire connections and make sure you've got a good, clean port. Replace the wires if necessary. Insert the new plugs and tighten with your ratchet.

Using the spark-plug socket, remove each plug from the engine, and replace each with a new spark plug. Never over-tighten the plugs as you can easily strip the thread on the head of the engine, and repairs are costly and time consuming. Remember to replace the spark-plug cables on the same plugs they originally came from, and to remove the masking tape once done. If you prefer, you can find the torque specification for the plugs in your vehicle's service manual not owner's manual and use a ratchet with a torque setting.

Lubricate the plugs prior to installing them. Try putting a very small amount of anti-seize lubricant on the plug threads if you are installing them in an aluminum engine. The anti-seize prevents a reaction between dissimilar metals. You can also use a small amount of dielectric silicone compound on the inside of the spark plug wire boot to make the plugs easier to remove in the future. Always turn the plug backwards on the thread until you have located the hole correctly so as not to cross-thread your new plug to avoid damaging the head and plugs.

Make sure you put the spark plug wire boot back on the spark plug. You may have to push on it a little harder to get it to "snap" on. If you don't put it on correctly, you could cause the engine to misfire which will make the ride feel very shaky and rough. Hovig Manouchekian. The most common culprit to engine misfire is lack of spark.

The spark plug is the apparatus that delivers that necessary spark to the engine. Usually, an engine will misfire due to lack of maintenance or the age of the spark plug. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0. There is a tool you can use to clean spark plugs. It basically cleans the electrode of the spark plugs or the tip of the spark plugs by sandblasting it. Think of it as a pouch that has sand in it. You attach this tool to an air hose and insert the spark plug into that tool to effectively sandblast and clean it.

Not Helpful 2 Helpful 0. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Newer cars seem to have plugs that are difficult to reach, so look for all plugs to see where to reach. Consider replacing hidden plugs first before replacing easier plugs. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. To ensure that the plugs are not over- or under-tightened, use a torque wrench and tighten them to your vehicle's specs.

This information can be found in shop manuals or by calling the service department of your local dealership. Use a spark plug socket with internal gasket or magnet instead of a conventional socket to help you to not drop a spark plug when removing or inserting them.

Make sure when replacing spark plugs that nothing falls into the hole the spark plug is threaded into. Use compressed air to blow away dirt and debris right before you remove an old plug. It's rare that you need to adjust gaps straight out of the box but it pays to check. This way you avoid having to check the same plug twice because of a simple oversight.