How to Set a Spark Plug Gap for a 1995 Volvo 940

Properly gapped spark plugs will keep your 940 running smoothly.

Volvo is a Swedish car company owned by the Ford Motor Company. Volvo began to manufacture cars in the early twentieth century and are still making automobiles as of 2010. The Volvo 940 was a midsize sedan manufactured from 1991 to 1995; it came standard with a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine. Regular maintenance procedures for the Volvo 940 call for periodic replacement of the spark plugs to keep the four-cylinder engine running at peak efficiency. Before the spark plugs are installed, the gap needs to be set to the proper specification.

Things You'll Need

• Spark plugs
• Spark plug gauge

Instructions

1. Grasp one of the new spark plugs (there should be four for your 940 engine) in one hand.

2. Hold a spark plug gauge in your other hand. Select the tip on your spark plug gauge that reads .028 inch. Insert this tip in between the center electrode, which is the metal pin that protrudes from the ceramic base of the plug, and the ground strap, which is the L-shaped piece of metal at the base of the plug.

3. Note that if the .028-inch tip on your gauge fits snugly between the electrode and the strap, the spark plug is gapped correctly. Follow the next steps if the gauge will not fit into the gap or if the gauge moves around freely in the gap.

4. Use the notch-shaped part of your spark plug gauge to adjust the ground strap so that it is the correct distance from the center electrode. Slide the notch onto the strap and move it slightly (you will actually need to bend the ground strap) in the direction needed to get the correct gap.

5. Check your spark plug gap again with the .028 inch tip on your gauge. Repeat above steps as necessary to obtain a snug fit.

6. Gap your other three spark plugs using that same procedure.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not install spark plugs into your Volvo's engine directly out of the box without measuring and adjusting them if necessary. Manufacturers use the same type of spark plug in several different engine applications, but the gap requirements will vary from engine to engine. Spark plugs that are improperly gapped will cause your 940's engine to run poorly or may even cause engine damage.

References

• Autozone: 1995 Volvo 940 Spark Plug Gap
• Parts Geek: Bosch Spark Plug for 1995 Volvo 940
• Volvo Forums: 940 Spark Plug Gap