How to Find Where Spark Plug Wires Connect
Spark plug wires are important components of your vehicle's ignition system. They ensure that the spark is reliably delivered from the ignition distributor to each spark plug, located above each cylinder. The location of spark plug wires varies depending on the vehicle make and model, but it is generally pretty straight forward to find them in the engine bay.
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Instructions
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Open the hood to gain access to the engine bay. Make sure you have a good light source (work lamp, sunlight, etc.) so that everything in the engine bay is readily visible.
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Look at the engine itself. Spark plug wires route from the distributor to each of the engine's cylinders, where the spark plugs are located. On many newer vehicles, the engine has a plastic cover over the top to make the engine bay look cleaner and more presentable. Remove the cover. These are usually fastened on with bolts or clips. Set the cover aside. The plug wires may be concealed by other components as well such as fuel rails, air boxes, etc.
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Look for wires or cables that go into the engine at regular intervals. There will be as many spark plug wires as there are cylinders on the car, so a 4-cylinder will have four wires, a 6-cylinder will have six, etc. The only exception is engines with dual spark ignition, which have two plugs and two wires per cylinder. This is relatively rare, though. Spark plug wires are relatively thick (1/4-inch or so in diameter) and covered in rubber insulation.
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Locate the distributor. This will also vary from vehicle to vehicle. The distributor is located somewhere near the engine, since it is fired by the internals of the engine itself. It may be on the end of the engine or on the side. The distributor will have plug wires coming out of it and running to each cylinder.
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If you cannot locate the spark plug wires by simply looking at the engine bay, consult the ignition system section of your owner's manual or a workshop manual, which should give specific descriptions of locations.
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