Spark Plug Gap!

Alrighty so now I am a little confusing as to what my spark plug gap should be. I have a 98 Chevy S10 V6 Vortex. Anyways, in the little owners manual that comes with the truck the Specs say the gap should be set to 0.045, but in the Haynes manual is says for 1996+ the gap should be 0.060. Both manual list the name plug number 41-932. What one am I suppose to believe, and how come there are to different gap sizes?!???

My 02 s-10 has a Vortec 4300 V6 vin W. It uses the same plugs 41932 and my book says to gap them at .060
Check the emmissions sticker on the fan shroud.

My fan shroud has nothing on it

i would say go with wut the factory book that came with the truck said

thats what I have them gapped to now but I can not under stand why two books give two different gaps

Do you have a Vin X or a Vin W engine in your truck?

Vin X

Yes, your factory fan shroud will have the gap on it and it will be 0.060 for the 41-932 AC Delco Platinums.

How old are the plugs you are replacing?

lol i dont have the factory fan shroud :s

they are new like a month or two and i'm not replacing them, just looking in the haynes manual and noticed it said 0.060 and my 98 S-10 Owners manual said 0.045 for Vin X. Even people at the Chev dealer ship here said either 0.060 or 0.045 but no straight answer.. So its confusing :s

For that year.

0.060 for the Ac Delco 41-932
0.045 for the AC Delco Rapidfires

You will need 0.060.

Yes go with .060 for the 41-932 AC Delco Platinums.
Dont use the rapidfires I have seen to many drivabilty problems with them

I guess what I am most confused about is why the owners manuals list 0.045 for the 41-932 ac delco platinums?

I use them and I love them. Smooth idle, better acceleration and better fuel economy.

If you want problems, install Bosch plats in a 4.3L.

Spit and sputtering mess with those.

That would not be the first time we have seen the owners manual show 1 thing and the GM repair Manuals show something different.
What sometimes happens is when the owners manual wsa printed the gap was .045 then Gm changed it to .060 for what ever reason but they are not about to sent out every change to every owners manual. That would be impossible to keep up with.
Heck you should see how many times a year the repair manuals are updated or changed.
Fireplug

alright well right now I have new ac delco 41-932 platinums gapped to 0.045 as the book said, my truck runs perfect, do you suggest i pull them out and re gap them to 0.060??

If its running good leave it alone.
If it aint broke dont fix it.

Yes, they are not supposed to be gapped at 0.045.

Plats are supposed to be gapped at 0.060.

haha i was going by the owners manual when i did it.

I'll have to do it when I have the time though. Thanks for all the info

I use them and I love them. Smooth idle, better acceleration and better fuel economy.

If you want problems, install Bosch plats in a 4.3L.

Spit and sputtering mess with those.


i'm runny bosch plats and my jimmy also hesitates on take off you think this is the reason?

Yip, Bosch plats are junk in a 4.3L and cause lots of problems.

Just go with a standard AC Delco plug and you will be VERY happy.

I never use any ign system part unless its an AC Delco part.
Have see way to many drivabilty problems because of non Delco parts

That is very true.

They are made for our truck.

well I switched the gap to 0.060, still idles normal, feels like there is a little more power now.. could all be in my head, gas milage seems to be the same as well

Did you reset the computer by pulling the negative terminal for 2 minutes?

yes, i actually had the battery out for a while it was in the way of some work i was doing

Are the Bosch +4s junk?

I've heard that the platinum plugs can be damaged by gapping them. Is this true of the delco plat plugs? I just don't want to hurt my plats

All Bosch Plats are junk, don't use them.

The AC Delco plats can be gapped if not properly gapped from the package.

Yeah I already got the delco plat plugs. They were $5.39 each so I don't want to hurt them.

should have go them off of ebay.

Got 8 for 20 bucks.

I know, I know... I'm @94k miles right now and I want to replace the factory plugs... What would be the best way to get them out of there? I have an 8" and 10" socket extender with a little universal joint. Can I get the plug out (after removing the front wheel) with these tools? Or is the steering shaft relocation the way to go?

I would get another universal elbow and of course the proper plug socket.

Do one side at a time and shoot right through the wheel well with the tire off and you shouldn't have any problem other than the driver's side middle which is a bitch, but doable.

Also, gap them properly and use antiseize compound on them when you are installing them so they will be easy to come out the next time.

Yeah, I already got the right socket. Would one of those "wobble extensions" work better than the u-joint? I haven't found out the right trick to get my u joint to work smoothly. I also bought a permatix "tune-up" kit with dielectric grease and anti-sieze compound to make things go smoother.

Do you think I should replace the plug wires at the same time as the plugs?

What year is yours?

a 96

Hmmm......

You might want to but what is more important is the cap and rotor.

where would you buy those? Ebay? It seems like you've already done the replacement.

The cap and rotor I would buy at the local parts store.

All Bosch Plats are junk, don't use them.

The AC Delco plats can be gapped if not properly gapped from the package.
Son of a bitch! That figures,now I am going to have to change them.I have noticed that it hesitates a bit.I didn't think it was the plugs (Bosch platium +4s)though,they are brand new. :mad:

Yea, they are never good.

Also, make sure your MAF sensor wires are clean.

For the MAF.What do mean buy make sure the wires are clean?Do you mean where it plugs in or the screen lookin mesh?

There should be wires inside protected by the steel mesh and the wires sometimes get gunked up.

This can cause some hesitation.

If there is a lot of black crud on them, spray brake cleaners through the MAF screen to dissolve the deposits on it.

I would NOT use brake cleaner USE carb cleaner that o2 save. I dont think brake cleaner is 02 save

I am saying with the MAF sensor removed. Not installed on the engine.

can you use throttle body cleaner to clean the wire in the MAF sensor?

Yes, you could.

I have just heard of many people having great luck with the brake cleaner for some reason.

Claims that it fixes it right up are 100% successful.

BTW, don't touch the wires with anything other than a Q-tip if they need a little rubbing and BE VERY CAREFUL!

I just rather use something I already have rather then going out and buying sometime I would rarely use.

Haha trust me I'll be careful, last thing I would want to go if end up having to buy a new MAF sensor.

Kewl.

Just a note on that "hard to reach" plug...I used a sparkplug socket, put it on the plug..then came down from the top of the engine towards the fire wall with a stubby wrench to fit the end of the plug socket..worked like a charm...

Got the AC Delco plat plugs and a can of brake clean.Wish me luck BlazerLT.:)Gonna do it tomorrow.

God speed bro, be careful.

Well I got it done.The job was very easy.I just pulled out the rubber on the inner wheel wells and there was everybody.I can't believe the differance.The truck idles fine and runs alot better.I guess the Bosch platium +4s are junk.I also blowed some brake clean through the MAF sensor,that really made the truck run like shit and smoke came out the exhaust!Just kidding:).I took it off and cleaned it.I got a question BlazerLT.When I took out the Bosch plugs they were black as hell and wet looking.Why would it be running rich?I checked the codes and nothing came up.

The new plugs will fic your problem. The +4's just really don't fire well.

That or your MAF was not working properly seeing that the wires were crudded up.

hahaha movin2stereo - I like that

Any idea why my plugs were black as hell?

Probably running rich and the plugs were not burning the fuel mixture properly.

Were they black and wet as in gas, or black and wet as in oily?

I would say wet with gas.

The reason I ask is because the only time I've seen them black and wet looking was when either oil was leaking throw your piston rings or worn valve guides.. that would also cause hesitation. But thats just another idea of what it could be.

5000 mile on this engine.