Spark Plug Gap
- Thread starter Larry
- Start date
rdss
Junior Member
Exactly. You've got to lick it before you stick it.
Well said!
Exactly. You've got to lick it before you stick it.
You've got to lick it, before you kick it. You've got to make it soft and wet before you stick it!
Either tomorrow or Friday I'm going to pick up the few things I need to get this done and I'll report back after. I just have a few last minute questions.
When it comes to the actual gap tool is it better to use a feeler gauge or a wire style tool? I know not to use the coin style one. When I put some anti seize lube on the plug thread, how much is enough?
When it comes to the actual gap tool is it better to use a feeler gauge or a wire style tool? I know not to use the coin style one. When I put some anti seize lube on the plug thread, how much is enough?
Maddmatts
Member
At college I had to sit in on a seminar on aircraft sparkplugs by Champion (it was as thrilling as it sounds). They said to only use a small dab of antiseize at the start of the threads. The end goal (as CoHPhasor points out) is an overall thin coating on the threads.
I also recommend feeler gauges.
I also recommend feeler gauges.
When I was a pipefitter helper at Exxon Mobil that was how I was taught to use antiseize.
Alright, I realize I'm far too much of a wimp when it comes to mechanical stuff. Aside from almost slipping up and messing up the electrode on one, that wasn't bad at all. Here's the news:
My plug gaps were .020 .025 .018 .024, a bit off from the factory specs of .028. After reading through the thread on CruzeTalk I got bold and made the gap a little larger. I didn't go for .035 like most there recommend but went for somewhere between there and .030 which some there said is the sweet spot for improvement vs. risk (.032 for me). I also went ahead and disconnected the battery to reset the fuel trim according to some other advice from over there.
The result is quite nice. The throttle is much more sensitive than before and responds to even a slight tap on the pedal whereas before it took a decent push to get it going. A tap on the pedal that used to raise my RPM from idle to about 1100 or so now gives it about 1500 for example. Gears are easier to change since my mind doesn't have to try and compensate for throttle lag. Quite noticeable. Overall acceleration seems to be about the same, just perkier from the start in lower gear.
Before I did this, especially if I was in a lower gear, the car would kind of bump along when it got below about 1500 almost like it was fighting a stall, though not as harsh. I wasn't sure if I was just driving a manual all wrong (still always possible, I still suck at it) or what but that's gone now. It's smooth unless it dips below idle and even then it doesn't lug as bad. It's easier to get the car in first now since the engine doesn't struggle nearly as much under load at low RPM. Between this and the K&N filter I put in it's really grown some cohones
My plug gaps were .020 .025 .018 .024, a bit off from the factory specs of .028. After reading through the thread on CruzeTalk I got bold and made the gap a little larger. I didn't go for .035 like most there recommend but went for somewhere between there and .030 which some there said is the sweet spot for improvement vs. risk (.032 for me). I also went ahead and disconnected the battery to reset the fuel trim according to some other advice from over there.
The result is quite nice. The throttle is much more sensitive than before and responds to even a slight tap on the pedal whereas before it took a decent push to get it going. A tap on the pedal that used to raise my RPM from idle to about 1100 or so now gives it about 1500 for example. Gears are easier to change since my mind doesn't have to try and compensate for throttle lag. Quite noticeable. Overall acceleration seems to be about the same, just perkier from the start in lower gear.
Before I did this, especially if I was in a lower gear, the car would kind of bump along when it got below about 1500 almost like it was fighting a stall, though not as harsh. I wasn't sure if I was just driving a manual all wrong (still always possible, I still suck at it) or what but that's gone now. It's smooth unless it dips below idle and even then it doesn't lug as bad. It's easier to get the car in first now since the engine doesn't struggle nearly as much under load at low RPM. Between this and the K&N filter I put in it's really grown some cohones
Big question
What prompted all of you to run out and check spark plug gaps? What was the car doing anyway. Was it rough idle? Please let me know. I am aware that there are other posts on other forums but it seems there are people on here that are not really finding too many issues.
Please let me know. My idle is rough and dealer can't seem to fix it.
Ed
What prompted all of you to run out and check spark plug gaps? What was the car doing anyway. Was it rough idle? Please let me know. I am aware that there are other posts on other forums but it seems there are people on here that are not really finding too many issues.
Please let me know. My idle is rough and dealer can't seem to fix it.
Ed
Since we share drivetrains I pop over to the Cruze forums every once in a while to see if anything comes up there that doesn't here. Apparently this is one of them; over there it was a huge deal just a few months ago and everyone there was checking and changing their gaps and reporting in since apparently nobody's were correct. There was even formal communication with GM at some point (apparently to no avail). I haven't heard a word of it on this side.
The thread in question
To be honest, if it wasn't for the other forum I'd have never thought of it, but it's been bugging me to check them and see if it makes a difference ever since I read it.
Those were my results as well, the car is just much more enjoyable to drive. It no longer makes you groan when the gear change jerks around and "stumbles" trying to acclerate. It just works like you expect it to, which is actually asking for a lot these days.
I'm liking how it's much easier to upshift at low RPM. Now I can easily shift up when I'm still well under 2000 and get to top gear very quickly without either the engine complaining and jerking the car or having to let the clutch slip a bit more than I'd like to keep things smooth. Hello better fuel economy.
One other problem I had before that I wasn't sure if my lack of experience driving stick was responsible for or not was that, when releasing the gas to shift, the car would almost immediately start engine braking or something and would cause the car to dip ever so slightly back and forth as I shifted. I could almost never get it just right and constantly beat myself up for not getting the hang of driving this yet but now it's smooth with no effort, so the new gaps got rid of that effect too.
I wonder if others here would have the same result if they checked? I'm surprised this topic hasn't been discussed here much if at all considering it seems to be a pretty big issue with these engines. Maybe a mod can split this into a new post/sticky or something in the general area of the forum? I did kinda unmeaningly hijack a thread in the 1.4 engine area with my 1.8 problems after all...
CoHPhasor
Active member
This is so easy that there is absolutely NO REASON to not check.
Go check the plugs, see how it goes.
I would however be careful of what you set the gap TO.
(It goes without saying, all the plugs should be gapped the exact same.)
Seriously, if I can do it anyone else here can. It took me maybe 30 minutes tops and almost half of it was trying to figure out how to unplug the wiring from the boot to get it out. (I wasn't kidding when I said I sucked at this stuff, eh?) It can't hurt and maybe it'll help the rough idle issue.
lambertsonic
New member
Leverus, is your sonic a 5 speed 1.8 ?
lambertsonic
New member
Perfect , I'll take your advice and gap my plugs at 0.32