Spark Plugs

 Spark plugs in a car are one of the things that give life to your engine. These devices ignite the pre-mixed air and fuel to cause a combustion. Its this combustion that moves your engine forward. Depending on the car you have, the access to the spark plugs may be easy or difficult to reach. Replacing the spark plug can be easy depending on their location. Replacing the old spark plugs can tell you many things about your engine. A spark plug can be fouled, burnt, rusted, have deposits or be normal.

1. To start off, the negative battery terminal is the first to be removed, you don't want to be electrocuted.
2. Next the spark plug wires are removed from each slot (be careful not to get them mixed) using a spark plug tool.
3. The new spark plugs are then replaced, the spark plug wires are placed in their corresponding slot. 4. The negative battery terminal is then reconnected.

Depending on the condition of the spark plug, replacing a spark plug will give a stronger spark, increased efficiency, better fuel economy and more power. On the plus side  they do not have to be removed so often like a oil filter but are a bit pricey if you're looking quality. Please click on my ads to help me add more content for my readers.

Ground Wires

One system of the car that is overlooked is the electrical system of the car. Everything that powers your car electrically from headlights, stereo, to your spark plugs all require ground wires. The job of the ground wires in the car is to reduce electrical resistance and allow a free flow of electrons. If your car is not properly grounded, it will have more electrical resistance. Where are the ground wires? If you ever noticed any skinny cables connected from certain parts of the engine to the chassis? The contacts of your car should be clean of any rust or paint. If your car is not properly grounded then your will notice a slight difference in your car if you clean up your ground wires. Your cars electrical system will respond faster, so your car's computer can make quicker decisions and be more efficient. Other companies offer their own version of ground wires, but if you're on tight budget like me, you can improve your cars electrical system for free!

Ground wires of the battery and the computer.

Transmission ground wire.

Ground wire of the the headlamps.

Throttle body ground wires

Clean battery terminals.

In order to perform this job you will need a knife or a razor blade, a wire brush works best and most likely a 10mm socket to unbolt the screws and around 30 minutes of your time.
 
1. REMOVE the negative terminal cable from the battery in order to prevent any electrical hazards.
2. Find any ground wires on your car and inspect for a proper contact.
3. If you find any wires disconnect them using the 10mm wrench.
4. Carefully scrape off any paint off the surface until bare metal is seen.
5. Also clean the ground wire if it seems dirty.
6. Ensure all connections are clean and reconnect the wires to their proper location.
7. Reattach the negative terminal once you are done!

The benefits of this job will result in a better throttle response, less electric noise, stronger radio signal, quieter idle, faster starts, a louder stereo, faster computer response, smoother shifts, brighter headlights, brighter dashboard and slightly increased mpg. It all depends how many grounds you work on. As I have mentioned in my previous post, your battery will last longer if you regularly inspect the connections and they should be free of any dirt. Check your ground wires!

Paying too much for gas?

My mpg varies varies from 26-32, on average I get ~28mpg. The lower your mpg the more you have to stop at the gas pump and spend more money. In addition, if you have a higher mpg you stop less at the gas pumps and spend less money. Before I used to fill my tank every week, so I was spending around 200-300 on gas each month. Now, I fill up 2-3 times a week, meaning I spend around 90-140 on gas every month.  To me spending 90-140 versus 200 is a save. These trips to the gas pump can accumulate and make you spend more more than you have to. I will give you examples of how much money you are  spending depending on your mpg. For example, if I got 30 mpg, over the next 5 years I would spend $8,772.50.  The reason I chose 3.509 is because I know over the next years gas prices are not going down, over the years sooner or later we are going to hit the $4 average. Here are MPG costs for 5 years based on the variables of traveling 300 miles each week and gas priced at 3.509:

15  MPG: $17,545
20 MPG: $13,158.75
25 MPG: $10,527
30 MPG: $8,772.50
35 MPG: $7,519.29
40 MPG: $ 6,579.38
45 MPG: $5,848.3
50 MPG: $ 5,263.5

These costs all add up in the long run. My car averages 21.5mpg according to the EPA, currently I am averaging 28 mpg. That means that I would  be SAVING $2,834 over the next 5 years! That's a lot of money. Whats your mpg costing you? Please help me with one click on  any ad. Thank so much for taking the time to read my material.

Battery

The cars battery is essential for it starting. Dirty terminals can have detrimental effects on the batteries life. A weak battery can cause hard starting and force the car to use more of its alternator power. When the car runs it relies on the alternator to operate the electrical equipment and charge the battery. It is important for the terminals of the battery to be clean and free of any corrosion. If the terminals are clean and it is properly grounded, then your battery can last you more than its life expectancy.

Positive terminal.

For my car, I cleaned the battery posts of each terminal and the cables as well. Depending on the make of your car, you may notice there is another wire connecting from the negative wire to the chassis or you may have a single wire.

My cars negative cable is grounded to the chassis. I noticed the terminal were not conducting properly. The connection of the chassis had paint on it, meaning that the electricity was not being properly grounded. What I did first was to remove the battery connections in order to prevent myself from being shocked. I then scraped of the paint of the surrounding area to the bare metal. In addition, I made sure everything was clean, I reconnected the wires to their proper place. By having routine battery check-ups, your cars battery will last longer and you will save money replacing the battery.