Do You Need to Disconnect Battery to Change Spark Plugs? [Answered]

If you own a car or plan to acquire one, you should learn everything there is to know about them. A car’s battery is one of its most critical components, and the spark plug is something you’ll need to get well acquainted with.

A new user may be concerned about the spark plug and might ask, “do you need to disconnect the car battery to change the spark plugs?” You’d want to know what to do since the spark plug needs to be changed most of the time.

For starters, it’s not a question of whether you should disconnect the battery but rather if you have to. The simple answer to this is – No, you don’t have to.

When changing the plugs, the battery will not cause any issues. You can change them safely because the ignition system won’t create high voltage for the spark plugs if the engine is not running and the computer is turned off.

Be careful not to drop tools onto the positive battery terminal or the automobile body, as this can generate a spark and perhaps blow a fuse. This could be avoided by covering the terminal with a rag.

Some people might find it wise to disconnect the negative battery cable when working deep in the engine bay.

Insulate the cable clamp or battery terminal to prevent the wire/clamp from falling back and hitting the terminal. When detaching the negative terminal, be delicate and careful not to damage it.

In this article, you’ll find the answer to some of your questions regarding spark plugs.

Mechanic Way to Change Spark Plugs

The general guide for switching out your car’s spark plugs is to deal with each plug independently, ensuring you take it out, inspect it, and get it cleaned.

You must follow the precise order when inserting your spark plug into your vehicle’s engine, as seen below:

1. Remove Old Spark Plugs

Take each spark out plug, remembering to replace each spark plug as you go, following the cylinder sequential form. Each spark-plug wire should start from the spark source to preserve the precise firing order, going to the right spark plug.

As a result, only unplug one end of the wire at a time while removing the cable from one plug.

2. Clean Spark Plug Gole

Using a clean, lint-free cloth, clean the spark plug opening in the cylinder block by wiping the dirt out of the hole rather than shoving it in.

3. Lube the Threads

Apply a trickle of lubricant from the oil dipstick to the threads of the spark plug. Make sure there’s no oil on the middle or side electrodes.

4. Insert and Tighten the Spark Plugs by Hand

Ideally, hand-insert the plug for the best results, twisting it clockwise as you go. This is known as “seating the plug” and must be done by hand.

If not, the plug may run misaligned, destroying the threads on the plug and the wires in the spark plug hole in the engine.

You can also purchase a spark plug starter and slide it over the plug if you’re having difficulties holding on to it. Also, you can use whatever’s available to tie over or slide over the plug head.

5. Tighten using a Spark Plug Socket

Turn it at least two complete revolutions before utilizing the spark plug socket and ratchet. Connect the ratchet handle to the spark plug socket and resume twisting the plug clockwise until you feel tension once resistance is encountered.

Take care not to overtighten the plug, or the porcelain will break; get it snuggly tight, leaving no room for wiggling. Loosening the plug might make it catch a little, but overall, you can do it again without straining.

To get the best results, screw and unscrew the first plug a few times. Here’s a guide on the difference between a torque wrench and spark plugs to help you choose what’s best for you.

6. Inspect Spark Plug Wire

Before connecting the spark plug cable to the plug, be sure to inspect it. You’ll need to replace the cable if you notice any fractures, tears, fragile points, or if it’s covered in oil.

Replace the cable if it is fractured, brittle, or frayed, or if it is saturated with oil. Spray some silicone lubricant inside the boot before pushing it over the bare terminal of the replacement plug and pressing it firmly into place.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

How do you put dielectric grease on spark plug wires?

Here’s a video that shows you how to apply dielectric grease on spark plug wires properly. It explains what the terms mean and what the process does for your spark plug wires.

You’ll get a clear guide on what tools to use and a close-up view of following the correct technique. The video also discusses some of the benefits of using grease on your spark plugs.

This is a simple and effective method of putting dielectric grease on your engine’s spark plug wires. Generally, dielectric grease works as a lubricant, sealer, insulator, and protectant when used lightly on various applications.

Is lube on your spark plugs good for your car?

If you know what you’re doing, then you can carefully use lubrication. It’s crucial, however, to understand why there is a difference in what NGK and BRP might advise.

Let’s start with the advantages of utilizing lube:

• It’s a lot easier to take out the spark plug
• There’s a lower likelihood of thread damage because the plug is easy to insert

Why shouldn’t you use it all the time? According to NGK, this can lead to over-tightening since when you apply lubrication, your torque wrench will click later, allowing you to make more turns.

This will increase the pressure on the plug seat and the head, making it incorrect. So, if you’re going to use lubrication, never screw them to the specified torque.

What are the common errors when changing spark plugs?  

Pulling on spark plug cables is similar to pulling on any other electrical cord: you only pull on the plug piece or risk damaging the connection between the internal wires and the metal connector.

Even if the plug cable appears in good condition, there may be a positional open circuit or partially-closed connection.

The wonderful thing about spark plug wires is that the boot usually pulls from the wire completely when they break, revealing the damage.

Additionally, many people make the error of misusing dielectric connector grease because they don’t realize its genuine purpose.

Dielectric grease is a silicone-based lubricant that repels moisture and guards against corrosion in electrical connections.

It behaves more like a resistor than a conductor of electricity. Applying a high enough charge to it, such as from a spark plug, will allow some current to flow, though at a considerably lower force.

Do you need specific tools when changing spark plugs?

Having the correct tools can make replacing your spark plugs smoother. Here are some of the essentials for getting pro-level results:

• Wobble socket as an alternative to the standard socket
• Spark plug sockets to help you remove the plugs efficiently
• Flexible handle ratchets for working those tight, odd spaces
• Torque wrench to help you tighten the replacement spark plugs properly
• Your car’s owner’s manual to give you an idea of where to find everything
• Spark plug boot puller pliers to gently tug the work boots free if they’ve fused with the plug
• Spark plug gap gauge to measure the gap accurately between the electrodes and the middle of the plug

What happens if you don’t change your spark plugs?

If spark plugs are not replaced, they will degrade over time, causing various engine problems.

The following are some of the specific issues:

• Fuel economy decreases
• Unresponsive acceleration
• Stalled or unsteady idling
• Engine running more sluggish or not at all

When the spark plugs do not produce enough spark, the air/fuel mixture does not burn completely, resulting in a loss of engine power.

In the worst-case situation, the engine will not start. When degraded spark plugs struggle to ignite, it affects other engine parts that supply electricity, increasing the likelihood of those parts failing.

What connects to the spark plug?

Spark plugs contain an insulated core electrode connected to an ignition coil or magneto circuit on the exterior by a substantially insulated wire, generating a spark gap within the cylinder with a neutral terminal on the plug’s foot.

Internal combustion engines are split into spark-ignition engines (diesel engines), which rely on spark plugs to start the combustion process and compression-ignition engines running on diesel. These pressurize the air and inject diesel fuel into the hot, pressurized air mixture, where it’ll be auto-ignited.

Are there signs you need to change your spark plugs?

Check out this video that highlights the tell-tale signs to look out for when predicting whether you need to change your spark plugs. They’ll discuss what having your engine light on, the numbers that appear mean, and what to do.

As discussed in the video, signs of a bad spark plug include rough idling, explaining what it is, and what it looks like in your car. Check this out to get an idea of how long replacing spark plugs takes.

You’ll also learn how a drop in your mpg signifies a fault in your spark plug and its effects. Another one of the signs that’ll be highlighted is the lack of acceleration power due to missing spark plugs and cranking.

Can a car run without one or two spark plugs?

Driving a car with a missing spark plug isn’t a good idea since it indicates there is a hole in the ground that enables unburned fuel to escape.

Just enough gasoline air building under the hood combined with a spark or ignition source could easily set your vehicle on fire. The cylinder’s lack of a spark plug might cause a lean situation inside the engine.

Can you over-tighten spark plugs?

There is concern that you could over-tighten your spark plugs, particularly with aluminum heads. With just the slightest excess torque, the connections on aluminum heads can be damaged or pulled out.

Torque specifications are located in your car’s owner’s manual or may be accessed online. Poor use of lubricant can lead to over-tightened spark plugs that could damage your threads.

Can you reuse your old spark plugs?

When a plug becomes fouled, you can coat it with materials like oil or carbon. This stops the plug from properly sparking. A fouled spark plug can be polished and reused, but it will almost certainly not run as efficiently as it did before it was fouled.

Use a wire brush or spray-on plug cleaner made exclusively for this ignition component, and never use a shot blaster or scrubbers to clean a spark plug. Check out this article on how to clean a fouled spark plug.

Safety First

The ignition system is incomplete without spark plugs, and while you don’t have to detach the cell to change the spark plugs, you must be gentle. So decide what you’re comfortable with.

Hopefully, this article answered the question, “do you need to disconnect battery to change spark plugs?” and learned about spark plug costs, benefits, damage, etc. You can contact us if you wish to learn more.