It is not about if you should, it’s about do you have to? The answer is no, you don’t have to but if you want to you can disconnect the battery while changing spark plugs. The battery will not create any sort of trouble. In cars with “Coil on plugs,” you have to separate the coils before removing them. Once it is disconnected, the spark plug can be removed since it cannot function on its own.
But yes, it’s always a great practice when working deep in the engine bay to divide the negative power unit cable.
Do I Need to Disconnect the Battery to Change Spark Plugs?
Without further ado, to protect yourself from an accidental shock, you should turn off the positive terminal cable before doing any work on a vehicle. You can do this using an adjustable wrench to match the screws and nuts. Next, you are required to label each plug wire. Now it’s time to start installing.
Is There Any Possibility of an Accident?
The simplest way to change the spark plugs is when the engine is off. Thus the ignition systems won’t generate the high voltage for the spark plug.
However, if you have never handled a BMW battery before, be careful when disconnecting negative terminals as the IBS is built into the cable because it can be damaged easily.
What’s The Easiest Way to Change Spark Plugs?
I’m pretty sure now you may want to know the easiest way to change. Follow those steps
- Safety first
- Remove the spark plug wire
- Remove the coil on plug (cop)
- Unscrew the spark plug
- Put in the new spark plugs
- Re-install the spark plug wires or ignition coils (cop)
- Start-up the engine
Spark plug replacement takes about an hour and will save you a few bucks. You can obviously use old tune-up tools (gap gauge, ratchet, and plug socket), etc. To tighten the plugs, you should take advantage of the torque wrench. There is no risk of any mishap; basically, it doesn’t get any power with the ignition off.
Final word
Spark plugs are a small but fundamental part of the ignition system. You have to be gentle when you are fixing or changing them. There is no need to disconnect the cell to change your vehicle plugs. But it doesn’t hurt to turn off the battery first, so do as you please!
Greetings from James Milan. I am an Automotive enthusiast and car repairing expert for over 12 years. Blogging is one of my hobbies. According to my interest, I’ve started this blog to share my thoughts about the Automotive sectors and hope you’ll love it.