Spark Plug Changing For Dummies..
 

Yo,

I'm changing my plugs tomorrow. I've never done it before, but I heard it wasn't hard to do. Here's how it sounds to me..

1. Make sure car's off. lol.

2. Pop off little tops to gain access to plugs.

3. Use spark plug socket to remove plugs.

4. Gap plug (for Cobalt it's .40 it said) **but how do you gap? just put the gap tool into it at .40 and you're good?**.

5. Put a little plug cream on (is this necessary?).

6. Drop it down in there and tighten it up.

7. Put little cap back on.

8. Turn motor on.

Correct? I just want to make sure. Can't mess anything up. lol. I just need any corrections as well as how to gap and if the cream is necessary.

Thanks alot guys.. :twothumbs

you mean anti seize? cream :lol:

don't over tighten, and check manual for gap. .040 sounds right though.

sounds right to me...i didnt cream my plugs though lol

haha Forgot what it was called. Sorry. It's 2 am. haha..

But yeah, the little book in the plug area said .40 for the 2.4L..

I would put on the anti seize.

Gap is the space between electrodes.

Yeah.. So to gap I just take it from the package, and just slide the little tool into the plug opening at the .40 area and it's good to go?

If the gap tool fits loose gently tap the plug on something to tighten it up.

Make sure you start them by hand as not to cross thread them in the head.

whats the gap for the 2.2? sorry dont have the owners manual.

haha Got em all set up.. Just need to put them in now.. Sadly.. No time today.. So tomorrow it is!

I believe the stock gap for ALL Cobalts is .40. I could be wrong though.. But that is what it said I think..

oh ok thanks :twothumbs

do not just drop them in the holes, you will mess up the gap. i use a long magnet pole thing to get them in there gently, and you can twist them by hand with it. don't overtighten. and only do one at a time.

Haha, he said cream :lol:

haha

Turns out I did have time... But no CREAM! haha Oh well.. Off to the parts store..

And luckily my plug socket has a rubber piece at the end to hold the plug so it doesn't drop down in there. w00t!

oh and how often should they be changed?

It says 30k. But I've heard on here that new cars are way longer? no clue. I figured it couldn't hurt anyway.

They are supposedly good for 100k miles, but I change mine every 20-30k. They are fairly cheap so why not. I would rather always have new plugs than worn ones.

AWB, please make sure you start them by hand, to make sure you do not cross thread them.

And please dont ask the auto parts guy for "Cream", you might not like what he gives you.

exactly. for less than 10 dollars, and maybe 15 minutes (after you've done them before they're a piece of cake) why not change them every 20-30k.

Torque specs? Disconnect battery? ...maybe possibly want to include these details. :D

hahahahahah Nah, I know what I need now. It was 2am. haha :twothumbs

I have never been a big believer in anti-sieze. Just make sure you torque the plugs correctly and you shouldn't need to worry about them siezing.

stealerships says that stock plugs should be replaced every 160,000km's! HOly Crap! Stock plugs for the 2.2 are iridum, but still, thats' a hellya lot of kms on any set of plugs!

Dielectric
 

It might not hurt to pack the boots with dielectric as well, and around the top sealing area. Maybe this is over kill, but its the way I have always done it, just a thought.

Boo for iridums.. I put copper NGK TR55's in the goat when we installed the headers, will change them once a year... shit for only $1.69 each, why not.