Gadget;

I got my plugs today, THANKS!

This is my first time with these plugs, and I noticed that the ground lugs have a curve to them. So when gapping these, do I measure from the deepest part of the curve with a round wire gauge, or can I use a flat gauge and measure across the "points" of the lug?

Mark

 

Use a wire type gauge and you want to be able to slip the wire from one side of the gap to the other on each grounding electrode with some resistance, but not a lot.

The Iridiums are a lot easier to gap...

Gadget

 

What size ratchet does one need to take out the plugs? Also, the boots are on VERY tight and I'm scared of ripping/damaging them by using pliers or vice grips. I've tried twisting but can't get them to budge. Any suggestions?

 

Gotcha'... Thanks!

 

what about iridium plugs? the ngk ones; hasn't anyone tried them?

 

Go buy yourself a set of spark plug boot pliers or wrap the end of your pliers with a couple layers of bicycle innertube. If you keep working them they'll come loose. Patience is the best method.

 

hey Shoorty:

If you haven't changed your plugs for that long, have you ever changed your
fuel filter? If so then have a mechanic adjust your idle, everyone's rite, it
should idle @ 750 to 850 rpm... thats why its shaking.

Man, you got to keep up w/ the maintinance or your going to break down
some place you don't want to be.

good luck and drive fast you'll get there sooner
Woody

 

I am running the DENSO Iridiums in one of my trucks now. I like them. A very nice improvement on a supercharged truck.

Gadget

 

ok....i havent had the fuel filter changed??...could that be making it idle so low and burn rich?....i guess it wouldnt hurt to try changing it.....also about getting the idle adjusted.....i thought you just couldn't adjust the "idle" with fuel injected systems, only carburated engines??....

shoorty

 

You can adjust the idle on our 3.0L with the idle adjusting screw on the front side of the throttle body.

You can't adjust the idle on the 3.4L as it is computer controlled.

 

And yes... changing that fuel filter will do you good no matter what else!



(sidetrack! Gadget: I have an idea; charge extra for GAPPED plugs. I started gapping mine last night and it's not fun to deal with the dual grounds!)

 

ok i messed with the idling screw.....but its weird though.....like i turned it counter clockwise until the rpms went up but they didnt go up until i just about had the screw completely out....and then it only went up only about 100 rpms.....so i decided to take off the breather hose to take a look inside the throttle body....it was totally filthy...i sprayed some carb cleaner in there and wiped it out with a papertowel....it looked even more dirty behind the butterfly but i couldnt get back there....so i just opened the butterfly up and drenched it with carb cleaner....put everything back together and started it up and it was idling a lot better and not shaking soo much.....it idled right at 750 before i went to get gas....when stopped at the gas station and put it in park it was idling at 1200.....then when i started it back up after getting gas it was idling back down to about 750-800.....then when i put it in drive and was about to leave the gas station it dropped back to down to 500 ....i got home and it is idling at about 700-750.....is this just the ECU readjusting to it or what???....this all is with the screw a good 6 to 8 turns counterclockwise from where is was originally.....

shoorty

 

Not sure if this really applies to your "problem" or not...

but I have noticed an awful lot of automatics that idle higher when in Park, and idle lower when actually in gear. I honestly can't tell you why, but maybe someone more knowledgable on the board can help out. Anyway, sounds like cleaning the throttle body helped out significantly. Sorry I didn't tell you about that last time I posted.

 

Hey Mark,

Just curious...I thought dual-ground plugs came pre-gapped when you buy them. Since you obviously spent time gapping them, how do you do it on a dual-ground plug?

 

Gadget shipped the plugs in a bag, and the bag was marked "Gap to .044"", so I pulled the plugs, checked 'em real quick and they were all gapped to something substantially less than .044.


(posted edited 'cause I was wrong in guessing how to gap these plugs. Read on in the thread for more info)

 

Ya, haha, sounds kinda not fun.... :pat:

 

shorty :

adjust the idle screw back to where it was. run w/ that for a couple of days
and see how it runs. When you have a problem you don't know a bout its
best to try one thing at a time.

woody

 

I'd go with Denzo Iridium plugs...they work great in mine...

 

OK....i had to take it into midas to get the muffler replaced because the back of it blown out, again...anyways....they said it was missing really bad.....if i have already changed the rotor, cap, wires and plugs...what else would cause it to miss....ive also changed out the pcv valve.....still has the factory O2 sensor and probably isnt a chance in hell its working.....could that be causing it to miss??....the engine also runs really rich....im gonna try to change the fuel filter in the near future.....

thanks

 

Man, please do not try to reinvent the wheel here.

Yes the electrode is curved. Forget this accross the points thing you invented. That will get your gap WAY TO BIG.

The gap is the distance between the two electrodes. Stick the wire gapping gauge between them and follow the curve with it and adjust so that the gap all the way around between the two is .044". So, if you wire gapping tool is in the center of the grounding electrode you will feel some resistance and as you move it out one side and the other you will still feel some resistance, but the gapping gauge will move all the way around the opening between the two and you have a uniform gap all the way around.

Gadget