How often should a car spark plugs be changed’

How often should a car spark plugs be changed. This simply means that the spark plugs in your engine are working. This is because they ignite the air-fuel mixture in the cylinders; each cylinder has one spark plug.

No matter your brand of car, how often to change spark plugs is vital for every driver. This is because the car engine depends daily on spark plugs to operate.

However, while your engine runs on gasoline, it also requires electricity. The spark plugs connect to wires that lead to the ignition system.

However, electricity is created by the alternator and sent to the plugs, which create arcs of electricity. It’s what ignites the fuel in your engine’s cylinders, which creates the combustion that pushes the pistons down and actually turns the engine. The spark plugs are vital parts of your car.

So Why Do Spark Plugs Matter?

If you own a car, spark plugs are going to be an important part of your car’s life duration. Note that your vehicle contains an internal combustion engine known as ICE for short. And these combustion components depend on the presence of a spark.

The spark plugs are an integral part of the car engine’s operation because they are responsible for producing that combustion. This happens during both the ignition activation and as the engine progresses through cycles of combustion when driving your vehicle. This means if your spark plugs aren’t functioning correctly, the engine won’t operate at maximum combustion level. And this can hurt fuel usage to engine operation to acceleration power.

So What Are The Signs That Spark Plugs Are Worn Out? 

You will notice in some car that the engine doesn’t start as easily as before. This may run a little rough or hesitate when accelerating, especially when it’s cold. An old, worn-out, or contaminated spark plugs can cause poor gas mileage. Sometimes there are no symptoms until one of the old spark plugs stops working, causing the engine to misfire.

Note that the term misfire means that the affected cylinder is not firing up. Let’s take an example, if one cylinder misfires in a 4-cylinder engine, it will run on only three cylinders. Any engine that misfires runs rough, shakes, and lacks power. Your check engine warning light flashes on and off or stays on solid via your dashboard.

We have two types of spark plugs: the  conventional spark plugs and the long-life (iridium- or platinum-tipped) spark plugs

So How Much Does It Cost to Change Spark Plugs?

What you should be aware of is that changing your vehicle’s spark plugs won’t break the bank. Changing your spark plugs cost between $10 and $50 out of pocket. So if you opt to pay a professional to change the spark plugs, you can negotiate with your mechanic.

In case you have never changed spark plugs before, you may prefer to hire a professional to make the switch. But with the right tools, it’s possible to replace your vehicle’s spark plugs on your own at home.

 

Here is How to Change Your Spark Plugs

This depends on the type of spark plugs you have, you might need a spark plug socket specific to that component. But to change the spark plugs in your car, you’ll need:

  • Spark plug wire puller
  • A socket wrench
  • Torque wrench
  • A gap gauge
  • Swivel socket
  • Needle-nose pliers
  • A rag to wipe up grease and oil

Start by removing the plastic cover on the spark plug and air cleaner component from the top of the engine. But if you have to take out vacuum hoses, label them so you can reinstall later without a problem. Then clean the top of your engine if you have a four-cylinder before you take out any other parts.

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Now blow compressed air on the ignition coils so that dirt and debris don’t fall in the cylinders. Now you can remove your ignition coil be pulling the locking tab. Then take the connector of your coil and disconnect the coil bolt so you can remove the whole coil and boot component.

However, if your vehicle doesn’t feature a COP ignition, your spark plug wire will have a boot connected to the plug so you can make use of the spark plug wire puller to remove the boot.

PRECAUTION:

Please ensure your engine cools down before you remove the spark plugs. Now take the spark plug wire puller, position the boot far down to the end of the plug. Then twist it, and remove with counter-clockwise rotating motions.

You can make use of your swivel socket as needed. Please ensure to gap your new spark plugs before you install them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Please make use of a torque wrench based on the manufacturer’s torque specs to ensure you have the proper amount of torque, because too much will misshape the plug.

Before you reinstall the coil, please remember to apply lube to the boot of the new spark plug, this is to inhibit misfires and make any future changes easier. Ensure to reinstall your coil, electrical connector, and bolt, then install the vanity cover and air cleaner. Once all these are successful, you should be all set and ready to fire your engine up.

 

Conclusion on how often should a car spark plugs be changed

In case your engine seems to be running rough, or skipping, chances are that it’s time to have your plugs changed. However, other symptoms can include rough idling and stalling.