Replacing spark plugs
Yes replacing spark plugs is a great do it yourself auto repair. Although keep in mind that some engines make this more difficult than others. In the automobile maintenance video below you will see just how quickly and easily this repair can be done in your own driveway. Spark plug replacement is not required as often on modern-day engines thanks to precious metals like platinum and iridium. The parts cost more but are serviced much less. You can check your owner's manual for maintenance intervals, but in most cases spark plugs will last for up to 60,000 miles or more. Also note that on vehicles that have OBD II the check engine light may be illuminated when a cylinder starts to misfire, due to a worn spark plug. The Haynes repair manual video below also provides some good tips for replacing spark plugs.
This way you can lay all of the spark plugs next to each other and compare their condition and know exactly what hole the odd looking one came out of.
If one looks highly different than the others this may be an indication of a problem with that particular cylinder. All of the plugs should have nice even wear with a grayish color. If you have dark black deposits this would be an indication of a running rich condition. Many things can cause a rich condition though one of the most common would be a leaky injector. If you have a spark plug that has a white ashy deposit or an extremely worn electrode or ground strap, this would be an indication of a lean condition. One of the most common causes of a lean condition is a vacuum leak. So save the old plugs and examine them closely for insight on your engines overall health.
Spark plug replacement videoReplacing spark plugs my opinionI do think that the spark plug replacing video was well done. One thing that was not addressed was, what kind of replacement spark plugs to use.There are many different brands available for car enthusiasts to choose from. Some of these replacement parts promise better performance or fuel economy.
This is why when I perform this maintenance procedure I always use what was installed in the engine from the factory. Using this rule of thumb provides excellent long-lasting results that you can count on. Installing the factory recommended parts ensures that the temperature range of the spark plug and also the required maintenance intervals of the components remains the same as the factory intended. There is nothing wrong with experimenting but be prepared for possible surprises such as reduced performance and increased fuel consumption.
In the how to video they showed a situation where a check engine light was set due to this required maintenance of the spark plugs. They also showed just how easy it is to repair the problem and reset the light. The automotive scan tool they used was the Actron 9125. This little tool is inexpensive and does a great job of resetting the check engine light and reading codes. This is why it is one of the most popular automotive scanners. You can click on the link to the right to read reviews both good and bad about the Actron cp9125. Keep in mind that this tool does not have on screen code definitions and you will have to look them up in the supplied manual. Another shortcoming of the scan tool is that it does not read the data stream for diagnosis purposes. But for reading and erasing codes it is hard to beat this little scan tool. Warning:If you have a Ford Triton V8 with high miles replacing spark plugs is a whole different ball game. I posted some information about the technical service bulletin about replacing Ford triton V8 spark plugs.
 Custom Search If you are looking for some individual one-on-one auto repair help take a look at this next page. Mechanics that specialize in your vehicle and you are specific car problem are available to help you. This next link takes you from replacing spark plugs to auto repair help Learn about what else is covered on this automobile repair website besides replacing spark plugs on the homepage. You can also find out more about the car mechanic that thinks you can perform some of your own automotive maintenance as well as fix a lot of car problems with some good information about
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A tip that I would like to add to the procedure would be to mark each spark plug with the cylinder number It was removed from. 
