Spark Plugs Gapping Changed + Car Swings Side to Side on Highway! Options

[tomazws]

Special thanks to LewFX who helpped me solve the problem with the RPM fluctuating and back firing and such..


Q1.)
Anyway, when I swapped my spark plugs, I found out that my old plug's gapping are all messed up?

How did it happen? Last time I check'em plugs, they were OK! I'm clueless on how the gapping could go up 0.04, 0.05 inch inside that little **** hole?!?!?

Is there something wrong inside my engine?




Q2.)
On the freeway going like 75~80ish, instead of bouncing up and down, car would swing side to side... Is this normal? Something is loose? My wheel falling off?



Please help!

[Yellow94GT]

Special thanks to LewFX who helpped me solve the problem with the RPM fluctuating and back firing and such..


Q1.)
Anyway, when I swapped my spark plugs, I found out that my old plug's gapping are all messed up?

How did it happen? Last time I check'em plugs, they were OK! I'm clueless on how the gapping could go up 0.04, 0.05 inch inside that little **** hole?!?!?

Is there something wrong inside my engine?




Q2.)
On the freeway going like 75~80ish, instead of bouncing up and down, car would swing side to side... Is this normal? Something is loose? My wheel falling off?



Please help!

Question #1:
All spark plugs will have eventually have electrode wear. This wear is slow and this process is repeated continuously during the complete service life of the spark plug. The spark plug manuafacturer will give recomended service intervals.

I am assuming you have no electrical malfuctioning and the plugs have been properly gapped so that there is a uniform gap and equal wear between the electrodes. If you are experiencing uneven wear on the electrode then you may have bent the top portion of the plug at too sharp of an angle.

Question #2:

I think you may driving on worn tires and possibly roads with a crown or slight indendation traffic grooves.
As you tires wear the camber changes. This isn't too noticable at low speeds. As the speed increases the twitchy feeling increases. This is especially true on roads which are not completely flat. Road irregularities become very very apparent with tire camber wear.

Tire camber wear image


This is an extreme case photo to make the point.


It's very likely that one side of your tire has worn faster than the other.

I am also assuming you have no worn suspension parts, leaking or broken struts and using tires which have even and proper tire pressure.

Check for uneven tire wear.



Yellow94GT

This post has been edited by Yellow94GT: Sep 30, 2006 - 7:31 PM