How To Repair Spark Plug Wire

Joanna (Msmillar) has written for many years on exercise-it-yourself car repair and maintenance.

Y'all Tin Repair a Spark Plug Wire

Well, at that place information technology is, the spark plug wire has been pulled out of the metal prune inside the boot. What do you do now? In that location's no demand to panic or buy a new prepare of plug wires. This one tin exist repaired, not just to your satisfaction, but similar new. Also, the car repair shop does not sell just one wire. You must buy a set of spark plug wires. That volition run somewhere betwixt $25 and $150, and then allow's just repair the one you lot have. Unless, of course, your spark plug wires are worn or cracked; in that case, replacing the whole set would be ideal.

Here you will observe a brief description of what a spark plug wire does and step-by-step instructions on how to prepare one that's been separated. (Also, read more here about spark plugs and how to change them yourself.)

What Does a Spark Plug Wire Do Anyway?

The spark plug wires are the conductor for the electricity that causes the explosion that allows your engine to run. Without spark plug wires your carburetor would simply pour gas into the cylinders which would pour out into the exhaust.

The job of the spark plug wire is to acquit a high current of electricity from the distributor, which has been boosted past the coil, to the spark plug in the engine, which causes a spark in the combustion chamber igniting the fuel.

Spark plug wires are essential to a smooth-running engine. When a wire is aged or damaged the high current of electricity flowing through it tin, and volition, escape the protective rubber coating and connect with any metal object near it. This is called arcing. Arcing reduces the current to the spark plug which will reduce or even eliminate the spark from that plug. Reducing the ability of the explosion on that plug will affect the idle and functioning of your vehicle, usually causing college fuel consumption.

If an arc eliminates the spark completely, it causes a noticeable "lope" in the engine idle from the plug not firing. When plugs neglect to fire, they tin damage your catalytic converter past passing unburned fuel through your exhaust. Now there'southward a huge bill if you always wanted one. A new catalytic converter runs $350 plus and that's without installation!

Attaching the Spark Plug Wire

So, when you discover yourself with the spark plug wire in 1 manus, and the metallic clip information technology'due south supposed to exist connected to is still fastened to the spark plug, the wire needs to be reattached before running the engine.

Remove the Kicking If Necessary

If the boot is all the same on the plug, remove the kicking showtime, of class. To remove the boot properly: Grasp the kicking on the spark plug, twist and pull. If the boot is quondam yous may accept to put a good amount of twist and pull to go it off.

DO Not use a screwdriver to endeavour to pry information technology off. If the kicking is that erstwhile, the spark plug is also probably old. The spark plug ceramic becomes dry out and brittle after long employ and it will intermission, so let's not go there. Twist and pull by hand.

There is a spark plug wire puller that can be bought at the machine parts store. I have used one and they are helpful, simply non worth my coin. If you detect y'all chronically pull the wire out of the boot you lot may consider investing in one.

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Remove the Clip

1. Remove the metallic clip from the spark plug. Use a pair of needle-nose pliers to grasp the terminate of the prune extending from the spark plug.

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Strip the Finish of the Wire

2. Remove the other terminate of the spark plug wire from the distributor.

3. Press the wire through the boot until it comes out the other end.

Roll to Continue

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4. Once y'all have the wire through the kicking, using wire cutters, strip the rubber back leaving almost an inch to an inch and a half of the inner black conductive cloth exposed.

Hold the conductive material back along wire

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Put the Clip on the Wire

five. Bend the inner black conductive material dorsum along the rubber wire (see film) and slide the metal piece over the conductive material, so information technology holds the black conductive material back while it grasps the unabridged wire. Squeeze it airtight so information technology looks like the picture.

Slide metal clip over wire and clasp information technology airtight

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half-dozen. Now slide the metallic slice, attached to the spark plug wire, back through the boot until it is seated in the kick near an inch downwards. (If you're repairing the end that attaches to the benefactor, the metallic clip will be in the shape of an "L" and and then will the kicking you lot're seating information technology in. Seat the metal "L" into the prophylactic boot "L").

7. Set the kick on the spark plug and press down (a piffling spit or WD40 can be helpful here, spits free) until yous hear the plug "click" into the metal slice in the boot. If you do non hear the "click" it means the metallic clip is not connected to the spark plug. Pull the kicking and wire off and push the wire through, further, so the metal piece is closer to the edge of the boot, this will allow it to "click" onto the spark plug.

The illustration beneath shows what a spark plug wire looks like on the spark plug when it has not "clicked" (disconnected) and when it has "clicked" (connected).

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You lot're done! The wire volition perform but likewise as it did before. On consecutive removals from the spark plug, it may have a tendency to pull off the connecting clip once more. Yous just need to become through the steps, once again.

Thank you for stopping in!

This article is accurate and truthful to the best of the author's knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes but and does non substitute for personal counsel or professional communication in concern, financial, legal, or technical matters.

Questions & Answers

Question: Why is it recommended to fold or bend the blackness conductor when repairing a spark plug wire?

Answer: The black conductor needs to be folded so it volition come into contact with the metallic clip. This is its source of ground when fastened to the spark plug.

Question: Where can you lot get the metal prune for a spark plug?

Answer: Either the metal clip is still on the spark plug and y'all need to remove it, or go to an automobile parts shop and buy it.

Question: Would the length of the spark plug wires impact the operation of the plug?

Respond: The length of the wire should non affect the performance of the plug.

Question: I but did a melody-upward with brand new wires and the boot going into the distributor slightly croaky on the rubber kicking. Do I need to replace the rubber boot again?

Respond: Yes, the i boot needs to be replaced. You can take the boot from one of the old wires you but replaced and use it on the cracked one. Just remove the cracked kicking from the old wire and the new wire on the distributor. Throw away the cleaved i from the distributor. Put the kick on the wire from the erstwhile wire and follow the directions on repairing a spark plug wire to secure the kicking on the wire. That should do information technology for you lot.

Question: How would I avoid having my spark plug melt on my modified motor?

Answer: I haven't heard of a spark plug melting on an engine, modified, or not. Spark plugs are fabricated of metal and ceramic. The spark plug wires must be routed in a fashion that they won't come up in contact with any hot or moving parts of the engine. This can be accomplished by using stand-offs and metallic mounts purchased at any auto parts store or online merchants selling auto parts.

Question: I just did a melody-up with brand new wires and the kick going into the distributor slightly cracked on the rubber boot do I demand to replace it again?

Answer: I would supplant information technology if it was mine. The crack will allow energy to escape. Yous may even see arching from the boot to the nearest metallic ground.

Source: https://axleaddict.com/auto-repair/How-to-Repair-a-Spark-Plug-Wire

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