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Replace Your Spark Plugs

By Matthew Wright, About.com

4 of 8

Spark Plug Wire Removal

One wire removed.

Remove your wires one at a time!

Matt Wright

STOP!


You're about to reach for those spark plug wires and pull them all out at once, aren't you? Don't do it! Your spark plugs fire in a specific order, and it's a heck of a lot easier to replace them one at a time without getting them mixed up.

Starting at the end of the row, pull the wire off the end of the spark plug by grasping it as close to the engine as possible then pulling. You might have to give it a little wiggle to get it off. If you have a 4-cylinder engine with the plug wires going into the top, your plugs might be at the bottom of a hole (if you have a dual over head cam top end configuration). If this is the case, just pull straight up and you'll pull a long rubber boot out of the hole.

Don't just pull the wire wherever. If you pull the wire out of its boot you might have to buy new plug wires, which can cost more than $100 for a set!

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