Do you want to change the dirty and old spark plug causing problems on your lawn mower? If you are a DIY enthusiast, changing the spark plug is an easy process. However, you should first ensure you know the size of the spark plug socket.
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Spark Plug Socket for Lawn Mowers
The most common sizes of spark plugs for lawn mowers are 13\16 and 3\4.
How Do You Use a Spark Plug Socket to Change Spark Plugs
Remove the Current Socket Plug
When you want to change the spark plug, you should start by removing the plug lead. Additionally, you should ensure the spark plug is not wet and you clean the surrounding of the spark plug to ensure no debris gets into the combustion chamber after pulling the plug.
Next, use a spark plug socket to remove the old plug. You can use a spray-on spark plug cleaner or a wire brush to remove any deposits on the spark plug when the plug is out. If there are any tough deposits on the plug, you can use a knife to scrape them off. It would be best if you never used abrasives or a shot blaster to clean a plug.
Check the old plug for any burnt electrodes or other stubborn deposits. If your spark plug has cracked porcelain or burnt electrodes, you should replace it.
Put the New Plug
When you want to put a new spark plug in the combustion chamber, you should start by determining the gap between the straight and curved electrodes at the end of the spark plug using a spark plug gauge.
Ensure the gap matches the specifications of your model.
You can use the plug gauge to reduce or expand the gap by smoothly changing the spark plug’s curved electrode. If the gap between the two electrodes on the spark plug is the right one, the spark plug gauge will move slightly when you pull it through the plug’s gap.
Finally, you can reinstall the spark plug to the ignition chamber and ensure you don’t over-tighten it. Next, you can attach the plug lead and try to ignite the machine.
What Happens if the Spark Plug Gap is Incorrect?
If the gap on the spark plug is incorrect, it can cause your engine to miss or run erratically, especially if the engine is in idle mode. The incorrect gap can cause uneven firing of spark plugs and delay the engine’s combustion.
Can you use different spark plugs on your lawnmower?
It will be best to use the recommended spark plugs by the manufacturer. However, you can use different spark plugs as all manufacturers cross-reference their spark plugs to ensure that their brand can be interchanged with others.
You can tell if the spark plugs of your lawnmower need replacing if there is high fuel consumption, the engine misfires, or you have trouble starting the lawnmower.
Michael started in lawn care when he was 7 years old by mowing neighbors lawns. Today he owns Lawn Desire Inc. which is a lawn and landscape company based out of Decatur, AL