How to Change a Spark Plug in a Ford Freestyle

The spark plugs in your Ford Freestyle ignite the compressed air and fuel in the combustion chamber. As fuel is drawn into the combustion chamber, it is compressed by the pistons. Once this happens, the distributor sends an electrical charge to the spark plug, which then arcs inside of the combustion chamber, causing an explosion. Over time, the Freestyle's plug will start to wear down and will no longer provide a good spark. At this point, you'll need to change the plugs.

Remove one of the spark plug wires, starting from the right.

Attach the spark plug socket to the socket wrench and socket wrench extension, and place the socket down into the top of the engine until you feel the top of the spark plug. Turn the spark plug counterclockwise to remove.

Place the gap checker in between the ground electrode and the center electrode. Push the gap checker into the electrodes to force them farther apart. There are numbers on the end of the gap checker that will tell you what the current gap is between the two electrodes. Check your vehicle's service manual for your specific year and model of Freestyle to ensure you have the proper spark plug gap.

Pull the spark plug out and place a new spark plug into the spark plug socket.

Lower the spark plug into the engine and turn clockwise to tighten.

Replace the spark plug wire.

Repeat Steps 1 through 5, moving onto the next plug in the series on your Freestyle for each spark plug. Only change one spark plug at a time.