- 1). Remove the spark plug from the engine by pulling the wire cap off and unscrewing the spark plug from the engine block with a socket set. Inspect the spark plug for problems. A brown or light gray end is normal.
- 2). Replace the spark plugs if they show signs of wear, or any oxidation issues. Heavy oxidation (erosion) will make the spark plug green and the electrode surface will be rough. Lead erosion makes the ground electrode---the bent bit---thin. Yellow or brown deposits indicate lead fouling. Other issues include glazing or shine, cracking, missing threads, and other heavy deposits.
- 3). Clean the spark plugs if they only show carbon deposits but don't exhibit other signs of wear. Clean and dry the plug with a quick drying cleaner. Sand blast the plug and then blow it clean. Then clean the threads with a wire brush. Re-gap the plug by setting the gap to the specifications recommended by your car manufacturer. Widen the gap by pulling back on the ground electrode with a gap tool. Reduce the gap by tapping the plug on a hard surface.
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