Knowing how to close spark plug gap is the cornerstone of concise maintenance.
Not only can a misadjusted spark plug gap cause poor engine performance, but it can also significantly reduce the lifespan of this component.
With the right tools, knowledge, and practice, you can quickly and safely close the gap for spark plug and operate your vehicle at peak performance.
Interestingly, this guide will provide the necessary steps to adjust the spark plug gap, along with epic tips and tricks.
How To Close Spark Plug Gap: A Step-by-step Guide
Here is a 5-step instruction on how to close the gap on a spark plug, be it a ruthenium or iridium one. Let’s take a glimpse of them all:
Locate Your Recommended Gap
Find the manufacturer-suggested spark plug gap in your car owner’s manual. If you can’t locate this data in your car, make the most of the Internet, and access the brand’s website to get this information.
As soon as you get the company’s advised gap, note it.
Measure The Spark Plug’s Size Before Gaping
Various tools for measuring the gap for spark plugs exist. But here, we’ll mention the popular one, the circle gap tool.
To determine the size of the spark plug’s pre-gap, utilize a gap tool’s perimeter portion. Install your spark plug if the gap on a spark plug is equal to the suggested spec. Otherwise, continue with our next step.
Whatever gap tool you pick, the technique will be primarily similar. The only differences are the product’s design and how you conduct the measurement.
Adopt Your Gap Tool To Adjust The Gap
How to reduce spark plug gap with the gap tool? Fill the gap tool’s hole with the ground electrode, which is the metal piece at the spark plug’s end.
To narrow or expand the gap, you just need to apply pressure gently.
Reminder: Avoid harming the center electrode’s tip throughout this procedure.
Re-measure The Gap
After making a minor adjustment, measure the gap again and compare the results to the guidelines given. You can install the spark plug when the measurements match.
Repeat The Process
Repeat the procedure if the gap still does not match with the company’s suggestion.
Make sure to use moderate pressure and reduce the bending degree of the ground electrode to be as exact as feasible.
How To Close A Spark Plug Gap: Other Measures
With Feeler Gauge
Before tuning your car engine, ensure everything is in perfect operating order periodically.
The gap on spark plug is one of the easy things to check, and the feeler gauge is perhaps the best way to gap spark plugs.
A feeler gauge does the trick to measure the distance between the electrodes and the metallic cylinder sitting atop the spark plug.
Apply the 0.030-inch gauge for best results. Also, the electrode spacing should be between 0.022 and 0.039 inch for the engine’s best performance.
With Dial Gauge
The dial gauge is also a good idea to reckon with and get an efficient spark plug gap.
Every time you add a pin, you must measure it and make corrections. First, to identify the proper gap, put the gauge in the hole after grabbing it.
To record the numbers, turn the plug. You must narrow the gap should the result be below what you desired. Loosen it and reassemble it when the number is higher than you wish.
With Sandpaper
How to close gap on spark plug with sandpaper? Sanding a spark plug appears quite simple in theory but may be challenging to carry out.
Here are some helpful hints and a quick guide on how to do it with sandpaper. You’ll need to gather a few things first.
Get the sandpaper, available at most big-box retailers and has a grit range of 120 to 220. Apart from sandpaper, you also have to wear safety glasses and gloves.
Once everything is in place, sand your spark plug until the gap touches the correct size. To ensure everything works as planned, replace the sandpaper frequently and monitor your progress.
Afterward, start your engine and enjoy your newly adjusted vehicle.
With A Hair Dryer
Mechanics often close the spark plug gap using heat and a towel. It takes you only a short period – about 15 to 20 seconds – to place the plug in the flame of the hairdryer to get it hot.
With a clean, dry cloth, quickly wipe the pin. The expansion process should fill the gap and foster plug firing.
However, a moist finger or a damp paper towel could be preferable to offset the heat better, as friction from the dry towel might somewhat increase the heat even more.
You will discover that you will save significant time and work this way.
With Pliers
The standard method for determining the spark plug spacing is to count the threads on the plug’s head and deduct the number of engine block lines.
The next step is to use a feeler gauge to inspect the holes to ensure they meet the manufacturer’s requirements.
Insert the feeler gauge blade into the space between the two electrodes, and remove it vertically. After that, the spark plug gap will close.
Now, you can pick the best option for your auto and have things done. We also recommend you seek professional help if you can’t DIY or have no time to do it.
Tips To Close Spark Plug Gap Effectively
Some notes you can take to get the right spark plug gap are listed below.
- For the precise spark plug gap, referring to the car’s manual is the top priority.
- A feeler gauge is perfect for tiny gaps between components.
- Use only feeler gauges designed for automotive use.
- Verify that the two electrodes are free of chips.
- Try to have the perfect spark plug gap to minimize the issue with plugs.
- Old plugs need replacing to ensure the best performance of your car.
- You can DIY any engine issues related to these engine components once you have enough experience with spark plugs. Also, have the expert help you out if you want.
- Try to get the correct spark plug position during installation to mitigate engine damage.
As for the topic surrounding the spark plugs, ways to gap iridium spark plugs can also pique your interest. Don’t skip them!
How Tight Should Your Spark Plug Be?
Car cylinder heads in the past were made of iron. They allowed for the manual installation of plugs using fresh copper washers.
Turn the plugs with a plug wrench until they encounter resistance after being correctly seated. Then, compress the copper washer by giving the plugs an additional 1/4 to 1/2 turn.
Still, many modern automobiles feature aluminum cylinder heads. When a spark plug is overtightened in this one, the spark plug thread might be utterly destroyed, necessitating a replacement.
Thus, whether your car has an aluminum or iron cylinder head, you’d better exercise caution when tightening this component.
Therefore, the best course of action is to utilize a torque wrench and adhere to the suggested torque specified by your manufacturer.
Here are some simple specs to give you a sense of how tight a spark plug should be based on the plug thread size, the type of wrench used, the cylinder head material, and the plug.
To better understand them, determine if your vehicle and torque are compatible with premium spark plugs with gaskets or tapered seats.
- 18mm (tapered): 15-20 (aluminum); 15-20 (cast iron).
- 14mm (tapered): 7-15 (aluminum); 7-15 (cast iron).
- 18mm (gasket): 28-34 (aluminum); 32-38 (cast iron).
- 14mm (gasket): 15-22 (aluminum); 16-29 (cast iron).
- 12mm (gasket): 11-19 (aluminum); 11-19 (cast iron).
- 10mm (gasket): 7-11 (aluminum); 7-11 (cast iron).
Is The Spark Plug Gap Vital?
Yes. It’s crucial to adjust the gap on your spark plugs in line with the manual’s instructions. As such, these components would function the best.
But before we get into that, let’s talk about spark plugs and what they do for automobiles.
Simply put, a gasoline engine produces energy by igniting a mixture of fuel and air. The spark plug delivers the spark which fires this combination during the power stroke.
Because of the high RPMs at which a vehicle operates, it is vital that a spark be produced and supplied at precisely the right instant during every cycle.
Simply put, your car might not start with a poor spark plug gap.
Final Words
Closing the spark plug gap is relatively straightforward and can be accomplished with the right plug gap setting tool and some know-how.
We’ve revealed how to close spark plug gap, taking you through the step-by-step process.
We also provide helpful tips and advice to ensure your spark plug gap is set up correctly and ready to fire up your engine.
You’ll quickly get things done with patience and careful attention to detail. Remember to forward this link to other car owners!