> Spark plugs come with a gap in them right?

Spark plugs come with a gap in them right?

Posted at: 2015-01-07 
The gap was too wide on them I adjusted them and it seems improved the vehicle is a 95 chevy g20 with 217000 miles the issue begun with the gas seemingly stopped flowing while driving for if but only a split second I changed the spark plugs and at first it seemed to help then I Changed the fuel filter then the hard start issue happened which made me take a closer look At the spark plugs

The come with a gap; right.

You can just put them in: wrong.

You need to set them to the gap required for your engine, to do this you have a feeler guague (a strip of metal of the correct thickness. When the gap is set correctly the gauge should slide between contact and point with just a little resistance.

Take your new plugs out, clean them and set the gap correctly, making sure the contact screw is tight, then replace them. Make sure you've connected the correct lead to the correct plug; that is more likely to cause problems than the wrong gap.

From the NGK website.....

"Q: Do I need to set the "gap" when installing a new set of plugs?

A: Maybe. A spark plug part number might fit hundreds of different engines from many different manufacturers. Although the NGK factory will set the gap to a pre-selected setting, this may not be the right gap for your particular engine. The incorrect plug gap for your engine can contribute to a high rate of misfires, loss of power, plug fouling, poor fuel economy, and accelerated plug wear. It is always best to check the gap against the manufacturer's specifications. If adjusting the gap on fine wire or precious metal plugs such as platinum or iridium be very careful not to apply any pressure or prying force to the fine wire center electrode or insulator as they can be damaged. The gap should be adjusted by only moving the ground electrode. "

Plugs are NOT gapped from the box even though the same plug may be used for various cars each car may require a specific gap. When new I find the gap to we to wide for most cars and needs to be brought in a bit. The farther that gap is the farther the spark needs to travel to reach it and the less spark is there to catch the fumes. it is an efficient thing. as far as your car fuel pumps work or dont how it is so flooring it to start isnt a fuel pump. a hard start is usually a battery or starter issue rather than spark plugs.

Gas it to get going?! Pushing the gas pedal to the floor on fuel injected vehicles only lets more air in. When you push the pedal to the floor it cuts off the fuel injectors. I'm wondering if you put the wrong make spark plugs in your motor. I'd go to a shop with a mechanic (not a tire buster!) and have them check the engine data with a scan tool (not an OBD II reader) so you know if all the sensors and solenoids are working in spec.

Quality parts quality tools, know how. experience.

If you install an engine part, you read, check, measure, install and retest.

A proper tool for this has a few items needed.

a ground electrode bender works best because todays spark plugs are delicate.

You can get a gapper when you buy plugs, ask the correct spec., and give the correct vehicle info.

The wire type is accurate and they often include the electrode bender. Lisle tools, sears craftsman, there are many, they are cheap, and anyone who can pay attention can figure it out.

LISLE TOOLS 67900 $2.50 Autohaus.

You don't say what you are working on, so recheck your work and verify spark and fuel. compression and timing.

You can update your question with your vehicle info, and engine and system type.

Trouble codes, etc.

Then you can get answers for your no start/ hard start. please.

depends on the spark plug what I would do would be go OE on the spark plug and call a auto part store and ask for the OE gap size and make sure its gaped as told.

Some pre gap spark plugs get messed up when delivered or sometime they get dropped in the floor

All new spark plugs came with *a gap between the electrodes. Without a spark plug gauge how do you know the gap is correct for your application?

Yes they do, but it may be right or wrong. Check with a gap tool. There are probably other things wrong and that's probably what inspired you to start changing parts. Do yourself a favor and get an OBD code check. If it's an OBD1 system, Chilton's Auto Repair manual will tell you how to get the trouble codes from it without any code reader. OBD2 systems need a code reader to get the codes. After 200,000 miles expect several things to wear out.

All new spark plugs came with *a gap between the electrodes. Without a spark plug gauge how do you know the gap is correct for your application?

So I figured I don't need to mess with it and just take the old ones out and put the new ones in right? Could this be why it's hard to start my vehicle now? I just replaced the spark plugs a week ago and yesterday it started being difficult to start the engine rotates but I had to gas it to get it going or is it more likely my fuel pump I need answers ASAP thanks!!!

All new spark plugs came with *a gap between the electrodes. Without a spark plug gauge how do you know the gap is correct for your application?

All new spark plugs came with *a gap between the electrodes. Without a spark plug gauge how do you know the gap is correct for your application?

All new spark plugs came with *a gap between the electrodes. Without a spark plug gauge how do you know the gap is correct for your application?

All new spark plugs came with *a gap between the electrodes. Without a spark plug gauge how do you know the gap is correct for your application?

All new spark plugs came with *a gap between the electrodes. Without a spark plug gauge how do you know the gap is correct for your application?

All new spark plugs came with *a gap between the electrodes. Without a spark plug gauge how do you know the gap is correct for your application?

Hi actually it is showing you that your electrical spark units are failing as it should produce a big fat spark across even a wide spark gap.so the unit which generates the spark is rubbish. the dwell angle on the old points system used to be an issue back in the 1970's before we had electronic ignition systems. as the old coil was not saturated enough to produce a good fat spark.

so time to be getting a new coil pack for your vehicle.

Ah, youth. So innocent and trusting. Like anything (you will learn) you need to check them and set them for yourself. Not that somebody has maliciously altered your spark plugs so they will not work, but because you don't know what the setting was from the factory and if it is compatible with your requirements, or what might have happened to them in transit. You are the final QC inspector in the process of consumption. Look things over and make sure they will meet or exceed your high standards before you put it in your mouth, or in your car and trust it to transport your most precious possessions.

Now to your actual problem: you want us to trouble shoot your car from this distance? With that meager bit of detail? Like the man who asked the doctor "Will I be able to play the piano after my hands heal?" and the doctor tells him "I don't see why not." "Great!" says the man, "I could never play the piano before the accident." Though totally off the subject, I hope you see for yourself that your car's history is not just a change of spark plugs that may or may not have gaps. What else was going on? Why did you change the spark plugs in the first place? What are some symptoms of the problem and what have you tried to solve it? First and most important, what is the make/model/year of your car? And if you ran it for a week with the new spark plugs, why do you suspect them first when something goes wrong? Your trouble shooting journey has not yet begun. Get more information and bring it to us so we can help you.

If it started and ran OK straight after you changed the plugs, it seems highly unlikely the new starting problem is related to the plugs.

However, yes, you should check and if necessary correct the gap on most single electrode plugs. Some plug types you must not adjust, mainly multi-electrode/iridium types.

All new spark plugs came with *a gap between the electrodes. Without a spark plug gauge how do you know the gap is correct for your application?

They come with a generic gap, but you do need to check and maybe adjust it.to your vehicle's specific requirements It may work as it comes but that is coincidence. Plus the gap may have altered in transit.

You may have the spark plugs in the wrong firing order.

You may have the spark plugs in the wrong firing order.

You may have the spark plugs in the wrong firing order.

You may have the spark plugs in the wrong firing order.

You may have the spark plugs in the wrong firing order.

You may have the spark plugs in the wrong firing order.

You may have the spark plugs in the wrong firing order.

All new spark plugs came with *a gap between the electrodes. Without a spark plug gauge how do you know the gap is correct for your application?

they should be close but double check and adjust as needed. the only ones i would not adjust according to a gent i talked with ar

e the ones that are platinum.