There are very few engine issues that are as common as spark plug wire popping. It occurs at the most unexpected time and can make you wonder, ‘Why does my spark plug wire popping out?’
Well, in this article, we will answer this question and provide you with a guide on how to keep spark wires from popping out. Because this incident doesn’t occur at random, and there are specific reasons behind it.
Reasons Behind Spark Plug Wires Popping Out
There are three main reasons behind a spark plug wire not clicking, these are –
- Faulty Plug
- Poor Air Pressure Management
- Clogged with Dirt and Grease
1. Faulty Plug
Having faulty plugs or plugs that don’t match with your engine’s distributor or ignition coil is the most common reason for spark plug wires popping off the distributor.
If the metal piece located inside the plug is bent or worn out, it won’t attach to the coil properly. And if you start the engine, the vibration will cause spark plug wire pulsing, which will make spark plugs pop up.
You will face the faulty plug issue if you don’t clean your plugs after a certain period or have purchased an oversized plug. You will have to get new plugs to fix this issue in this scenario. If the metal inside the plug is bent, you can fix it by straightening it.
2. Poor Air Pressure Management
If your spark plug is popping out every time you put it back, then the air pressure is to blame.
This is due to the combustion gas’s air pressure. The air pocket around the plug can’t take in the air pressure once the engine heats up. Thus, it ends up popping the plug of the distributor.
A simple fix for this issue will be to release the air so that the air pocket in the plug has more space to host the combustion gasses.
Start by using the smallest Alan key you can find. Connect the spark plug, but this time, try to put the Alan key inside the plug after connecting. Once the Alan key is in, you will notice some air has gone out. Then take out the Alan key, and the plug will be connected firmly with the distributor.
3. Clogged with Dirt and Grease
If the inside of your spark plug is dirty, then it will keep popping out no matter what. So, give it a good cleaning. Also, keep an eye on the grease amount, as too much grease can sometimes cause the plugs to slip out.
Conclusion
We hope this answers your question, “Why does my spark plug wire keep popping out?” So, figure out which of the mentioned issues is causing the problem, then fix it according to our suggestions. You will see positive results immediately!
I am having issues with the spark plug wire popping off at the spark plug. It doesnt happen all the time but longer drives or going on the highway usually will make it come off.
This problem started when the shop found the sparkplug ‘blown out’. It was replaced with a helicoil. Clearly whatever caused the blowing out is still happening.
Of note the car does ‘cough’ on starting, not sure if that is the cause or result or unrelated.
2009 Subaru Impreza ~70k miles
thanks