
With current engine technology, universally incorporating solid state ignitions and computerised fuel injection, the gaps used are much larger than in the era of carburetors and breaker point distributors, to the extent that spark plug gauges from that era are much too small for measuring the gaps of current cars. You simply need to keep making adjustments until the key fits snugly. The simplest gauges are a collection of keys of various thicknesses which match the desired gaps. It is used to measure the length of the gap between the ground and central electrodes. What is a spark plug gap feeler gauge?Ī spark plug gap gauge is a disc with a sloping edge, or with round wires of precise diameters.

If you’re in the market for a new or used spark plug, check out our spark plug buying guide today to determine the best product for your engine. However, if installed in a 6-cylinder engine, all 6 plugs would require re-gapping. New spark plugs might be pre-gapped for a V-8 engine, allowing you to install all 8 plugs unchanged. Whether or not you need to make an adjustment will depend on the engine. Each engine will actual require a different gap. The belief that plugs are properly gapped as delivered in their box from the factory is only partially true, as proven by the fact that the same plug may be specified for several different engines. Do you need to adjust the gap settings of a new spark plug? Spark plugs are typically designed to have a spark gap which can be adjusted by the technician installing the spark plug, by the simple method of bending the ground electrode slightly to bring it closer to or further from the center electrode.

The rule of thumb for the spark plug gap on older engines is coil ignition 0.025 thou and magneto ignition 0.018 - 0.020 thou. Consult a recommendation list or vehicle manufacturer's handbook for individual gap settings. These figures are for guidance only and may vary on certain engines. The conventional gap settings are as follows: What are the conventional spark plug gap settings? With the aid of a feeler gauge and the following advice, this adjustment is certainly something that you can do yourself. By adjusting this distance you are sad to be ‘gapping your spark plugs’.


In order for a spark plug to work as it should, the gap between the ground and centre electrodes needs to be perfectly calibrated.
