Luke Judge

Current Font Size:

Tuners have already been hard at work as the car was launched in Europe ahead of making it onto South Africa’s roads.

I also happened to come across German tuners MTM – one of several firms already having a rave of a time pimping up the petite A1.

The A1′s largely youthful potential owners are more than likely to want to spruce up its base form.

And when it finally hits town, and you’ve placed an order or are thinking very hard about purchasing one , this is MTM’s interpretation of what an Audi A1 should look like.

The pimp

Importantly, MTM has rightfully gone with a clean look.

The car retains its basic form and instead of going the plug-in route of kitschy bumper kits or side skirts – which I seriously doubt the small car can pull off successfully – MTM has allowed the real A1 shape to stand out. this has been done by enhancing the exterior look with two sets of MTM colour coding orange striping kits.

One path follows the edges of the car right round while the other gives character to the flanks and is applied from nose to C-pillars.

The lower stripe in particular, emblazons the wheel arches without physically widening the space, and that’s just cool.

Finishing off the look is the blackened Audi goatee-grille, bonnet and roof which really adds that bit more aggression to the entire set up.

I’m not a big fan of decals but I must admit that the subtlety of an AGIP sticker and MTM logo is tastefully done, although they can do without the massive billboard on the windscreen.

For shoes, MTM has gone with a classic look of multi-spoke alloy wheels, which are manufactured in-house. the rubber fits neatly into the wheel wells and suggests a car that has been beefed up in the suspension department without compromising its comfort.

It looks fab and is a car that’s ready for a wide variety of add-ons.

You can shop around for a good pimp shop in SA once you’ve taken delivery of your A1. but remember, pimping affects your car’s warranty.

decals europe, mtm, pimp, shape, small car, south africa

FANS rally via the web in a campaign to bring a smile to the actor’s usually glum face.

WHY so serious, Keanu Reeves; why so glum? For days, internet users have been pondering a stray snap, in which the Hollywood star sits alone on a New York park bench, eating a sandwich and staring blankly at the pigeons at his feet.

His expression, as always, is open to interpretation. Could he be unhappy, thoughtful or merely flashing back to those glorious moments when – as surfing FBI dude Johnny Utah – he drove a bus at 90km/h into the heart of the Matrix?

Perhaps life is simply sometimes confusing for an actor who has confessed that he sees himself as “not so book-smart, [more of] a meathead”.

However, he’s certainly been smart enough to make his mark, having starred in films that have earned hundreds of millions at the box office.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.

End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

The consensus, though, is that Reeves is sad, maybe even depressed. Luckily, there is both help and enlightenment on hand, courtesy of the thousands of sympathetic souls who last week celebrated Cheer Up Keanu Reeves Day with an oddly touching flood of suggestions, charity donations, a specially created Facebook page and other internet japes.

Fans uploaded doctored versions of the original photograph, to give the lonely cowboy some company, ranging from chocolate-box kittens to Forrest Gump, Churchill and Stalin at Yalta, the cast of Lost and Lady Gaga.

Other kindly souls decided that exercise was clearly the best solution to Reeves’s troubles.

So they manipulated the original image on to a child’s tricycle (adding a pink safety helmet), and rather less successfully on to a ski-lift, a pogo stick and a bucking horse.

Then YouTube was hit with dozens of short-lived musical homages designed to make the actor smile.

These involved inserting his image into scenes from the animated adventure film Up, making him hold a balloon, chase a lion and skydive straight out of Point Break into a dance routine with Shrek.

The self-help brigade was also out in force, with many of them composing 10 Reasons To Be Cheerful, Keanu.

These included the gentle reminder that he was dating a hot young Mexican model, that he still had good hair at 45, that lightbulbs had been invented (he is apparently afraid of the dark), and, most important of all, that he was not responsible for the Gulf oil spill, though his expression suggests he’s just been called upon to solve the crisis single-handed.

One popular piece of advice was: take up your British citizenship. Which shouldn’t be difficult as, although he’s Canadian by nationality, his mother – the costume designer Patricia Bond – is a Brit. More tricky was the idea that he could then shoot Speed 3 on a new London Routemaster bus, with Boris Johnson, the mayor, standing in for Dennis Hopper as the arch villain.

Some fans took their quest to cheer up Reeves a little more literally. One claimed to have left a droll message of support on his mother’s answering machine, and a video store clerk reported that he had stuck smiley-face stickers on to all the copies of Reeves’s more morose romances – Sweet November, Feeling Minnesota and The Lake House.

All of this internet-born madness was whipped up by Daniel Murphy, a 21-year-old American with clearly little else to do. “I’m sure Keanu’s doing fine,” Murphy said last week.

“I don’t really think he’s that sad; I just think his work is under-appreciated. His Hamlet was probably one of the best American performances of Shakespeare, ever.”

The trouble is, no matter whom he plays, Reeves always comes across as a bit of a Dane. Or, as a few critics have remarked, somewhat lacking in expressive range.

One of the older games on the internet, revived in the present flush of excitement, is Keanu Reeves bingo, where contestants play on a board featuring a dozen pictures of Keanu with near-identical expressions – each captioned with different emotions. The trick is to match up the emotion Reeves is supposed to be displaying with the correct snap – but fear, joy and confusion are surprisingly hard to pick out.

Some of the actor’s defenders say that his real talent lies in his voice – a low, flat monotone – and they point out that he lifts an eyebrow even more tellingly than does Roger Moore.

What makes the campaign to cheer up Reeves truly exceptional is its sheer good humour. After all, there are plenty of sarky postings out there about celebrities – Robbie Williams Got Fat, Stars That Look Like Animals and Madonna’s Plastic Fantastic are some of the nastier ones – and even more that fawn and dribble. But the majority adding their penny’s worth to the Cheer Up Keanu Reeves celebrations last week seemed generous and even concerned.

Many were keen to emphasise the man’s niceness. We were told that he’d given $20,000 to a set builder on The Matrix when he learnt the man was about to lose his home; that he’d once stopped his Porsche to rescue a stranded motorist; and that he’d bought strangers breakfast.

Even if these good deeds are no more than urban fairytales – similar stories were told about Errol Flynn in the 1940s – they dip into an unexpected reservoir of public affection for an actor whose popularity is often dismissed as a freak. Murphy then took all this goodwill a step further by appealing for donations for cancer research, as Reeves’s sister Kim is suffering from leukaemia. Almost immediately, he was overwhelmed with offers to donate bone marrow or to organise charity walks in the actor’s name.

“This is not just the mean and spiteful internet of the early days, when everyone shouted to get heard. People just needed a focus to care, a way of expressing affection, and Cheer Up Keanu Reeves Day brought all the good stuff out,” Murphy said.

A pity, then, that CAA, the bigshot Hollywood agency that represents Reeves, saw fit to issue a sour statement: “Keanu Reeves wants to assure everyone that all is well. This situation is the result of a misinterpretation of a paparazzi shot.”

The photograph that sparked the tsunami of goodwill was taken in SoHo, New York, by freelance photographer Ron Asadorian for the British picture agency Splash. “It’s all a little crazy,” said a rather puzzled spokesman for the agency.

Another New York paparazzo, who has often followed the actor, said: “Keanu often wanders round New York alone, dressed like a bum, not attracting attention. He seems lonely, isolated, but that is what he wants.

“He could be with friends. He could be playing with one of his rock bands. But he clearly prefers his own company. And people tend to leave him alone.”

Well, perhaps they do. And perhaps Reeves really doesn’t need any cheering up.

But if he ever wants to practise a happy expression, he could do a lot worse than look himself up on the internet.

decals charity donations, glorious moments, kittens, lady gaga

Published Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Voters in the City of Franklin will be asked to choose a mayor on Tuesday, May 4.

Incumbent James P. Councill III, 65, is being challenged by planning commission member James M. Riddick Sr., 58, for a two-year term.

Councill is in insurance sales, investments, financial planning, estate creation and conservation. Riddick is retired from the Department of the Navy as a project manager/contracting officer.

The mayor’s job pays $10,437 a year.

Voters in Franklin’s Ward 3 will choose between City Council incumbent Rosa Mechell Lawrence, 50, who is the owner of Riddick’s Barber Shop, and Gregory McLemore, 51, who is employed by Paul D. Camp Community College’s Regional Workforce Development Center.

Ward 6 candidates for City Council are Charles Ray Smith, 63, a business consultant; Jamie Brown, 58, and emergency department technician at Sentara Obici Hospital; and Don Blythe. Incumbent Mark Fetherolf chose not to run.

Ward 5 Councilwoman Mary Hilliard is unopposed.

Council members are paid $7,896 a year.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m..

Residents can vote at:

* Precinct 1 – Franklin YMCA – 300 Crescent Drive

* Precinct 2 – Hunterdale Fire Station – 201 Delaware Road

* Precinct 3 – American Legion Building – 935 Armory Drive

* Precinct 4 – Franklin Sportsman Association Bldg. – 1431 South St.

* Precinct 5 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Center – 683 Oak St.

* Precinct 6 – Emmanuel Episcopal Church – 400 N. High St.

The Tidewater News asked candidates in contested races questions; all but Blythe responded.

Q: What will be your top three priorities if elected?

COUNCILL: Economic development-mill repurposing, education of our littlest children through high school, and public safety

RIDDICK: Economic development, education and public safety

McLEMORE: Give the citizens of Ward 3 strong representation and a voice on Council.

Fight to lower utility bills and stop the wasteful spending for the citizens of Franklin.

Push for the concept of creating jobs with new ideas, instead of waiting for someone to come to our rescue

LAWRENCE: Crime, education and employment.

BROWN: Prudent fiscal management of city resources, increasing incentives for attracting small businesses throughout the entire city, not just in industrial park or enterprise zones, and affordable public education.

SMITH: As with many people I would like to bring new businesses to Franklin.

The education system is another thing I would work on to improve our overall system.

Try to stop the continual increase in taxes by expanding the business tax base.

Q: In what specific ways should Franklin and Southampton County cooperate more closely? Should Franklin consider reverting from independent city to town status? Why or why not?

COUNCILL: Continue to work closely with economic development, consider sharing services such as social services and schools as well as others. Reversion may well be needed to be revisited.

We did this 10 years ago and decided not to pursue it. It is a long difficult process and requires time and manpower. However in this economic and political climate, we owe our citizens the duty of evaluating any option that will offer better and more economic methods of operation and delivery of services. Looking at reversion again may well have merit.

RIDDICK: We have a tendency to focus on the negative. We need to focus on the things that bring us together. We share a great number of services: churches, health care, jobs. Whether we revert to a town status will be determined by the people. I’ve seen decals on vehicles that state, “You can’t drown a good town;” with that type of an attitude here is another noteworthy quote that I like to add “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”

We the citizens of Franklin/Southampton are Western Tidewater and we need to recognize our strengths and realize that if we don’t come together collectively there’s no hope.

McLEMORE: Anyway possible but, to be more specific I would have to say economic growth, with jobs and educational training and support.

In my opinion, merging would be the death of the City of Franklin, to do that now would be to give in to the myth that “the loss of IP would kill Franklin.” I’m much more optimistic than that for our small town.

I see great potential for our city to grow and prosper, if we break out of the current mentality that this city government operates with and, embrace the reality that the citizens come first before the city.

Until that day comes we will continue to be slaves to the city instead of independent citizens with rights to limited taxation and fees. IPclosing can’t kill Franklin, only our City Council can do that.

LAWRENCE: I would like to see Franklin and Southampton County cooperate closely in a market study for trash disposal. Possibly some remote rural area in Southampton County that can be used for a landfill and recycle center to save money for Franklin and Southampton County while creating jobs for the area.

SMITH: I do not believe we need to change our city status but would want to have more information on the pros and cons before making such an important decision.

Q: Evaluate the effectiveness of Franklin-Southampton Economic Development during its first five years of operation. Do you support continued city funding of its operations, and, if so, at what level?

COUNCILL: In the most difficult economic time in our recent history, the economic development effort has not born a lot of fruit. With only a few exceptions the region is flat with success.

However much work has been done on our behalf. Especially in this time of mill repurposing and our regional opportunity to remake ourselves we need as never before strong economic development efforts on our behalf. We must continue this cooperative effort on behalf of our citizens, our businesses and our new economy.

For the $150,000 we contribute to this joint effort, we get much more than we could get for that amount of money on our own. Now is the time to step up, not drop back. Our future is at stake.

RIDDICK: In support of economic development for Franklin and Southampton County, we have to change the way we’re doing business. We need to look at developing ideas that will attract companies and new people to Franklin and Southampton County.

We need to create incentives that will attract new citizens. We have to convince the realtors to show houses in Franklin. We need to look at all the land we have in Franklin for development, for example, Pretlow Industrial Park. We need to be more user friendly and open minded. A dramatic change is on the way whether we want it or not. If we are going to be successful and competitive we have to embrace change.

McLEMORE: Passing with a D-, very limited effect for the cost. I would not support continued city funding without specific results guaranteed.

LAWRENCE: I find sharing resources is good.

The Franklin-Southampton Economic Development has operated very effectively during the past five years. Yes I support the city in continuing funding of its operation but feel the evaluation should be monitored more closely.

BROWN: It seems that, for the amount of funds expended, that economic development through Franklin-Southampton Economic Development in the city has not been very successful.

I do favor continued efforts in creating economic opportunities in the city, but not at the level currently expended.

In light of the current economic climate, and with limited resources available, I would favor reducing financial contributions of the local effort by half.

It has been said that with a budget of approximately $750,000 in total from city, county and charities, that the department has been prudent with its budget by not spending nearly as much as has been available.

While it is nice to save money, and Lord knows everyone needs to do that if possible, perhaps if the funds had been prudently expended, maybe there would have been major successes in local economic development issues.

SMITH: I don’t see the results that we should have made in the last five years but believe we will need the Franklin Southampton Economic Development operation now more than ever but they should be held accountable for there results.

Q: Evaluate the effectiveness of Franklin Power & Light. What specific reforms, if any, of the city-owned electric utility would you support?

COUNCILL: Great department. Well run with great employees. The best service, reliable, lower rates than our neighbors and a much needed profit center that contributes $1.5 million to our general fund thus reducing by $.25 per $100 of property value the real estate taxes we would then have to pay.

Our department is an excellent part of our city and does not need to be tinkered with. Mr. Stoneham and employees do an outstanding job.

RIDDICK: Franklin Power & Light has constantly come under attack. I have faith in the integrity of our city-owned electric utility. Some of the observations I’ve made personally, not all inclusive:

* Lots of houses were built after World War II. We need to look at these houses.

* Evaluate the insulation in attics and floors.

* Windows whether they’re energy efficient, upgrade wiring.

* Find grants to make energy efficient upgrade through STOP programs that are strictly geared toward senior citizens.

McLEMORE: Their services are effective keeping our lights on. I would support reforms that reduce electric bills along with all utilities charges and unjust fees.

LAWRENCE: Franklin Power & Light under the leadership of Mr. Stoneham has performed very favorably for the City of Franklin. Although we did receive an increase in electric rates, the City of Franklin pays the lowest KWH rate in the surrounding area.

I would like to echo Mayor Councill’s advice to the citizens of Ward 3. If you feel you are being billed too highly for utilities, request a free Utility Usage Audit provided by the City Electric Power & Light Department. Adding to that 70 to 80 percent of the homes in Ward 3 were built before 1960, making them 50-plus years old.

Homeowners may need to look into energy saving options such as adding insulation, weather stripping, installing energy saving thermostats & light bulbs – replacing old windows (check Homes for Habitat for discounted materials). President Obama has approved stimulus money and tax incentives to offset some of these expenses to homeowners and Landlords.

BROWN: I think Franklin Power and Light is a good organization that has served the citizens of Franklin well. I know that when a power outage exists, crews are on the scene quickly in restoring electric service.

As far as reforms within the department, if elected I would encourage the city to ensure that the rates for commercial and residential customers be the same throughout the city, providing that the equipment needed to provide the service is the same. I would recommend that for every department.

SMITH: The Franklin Power and Light department is an asset to our community. We are lucky to have the ability to respond to our needs as timely as they do. I believe the way we handle the financial side of the operation needs to be evaluated.

Q: Police Chief Phil Hardison has in recent years requested 10 additional police officers to help combat drug and gang crimes. Would you support an increase in the property tax rate to fund those additional officers and equipment? Why or why not?

COUNCILL: It is very difficult to speak to that as one item in a very difficult budget year. We will have to look at the city and the overall budget collectively first. So I must reserve judgment on this for the moment. Sure it would be great to add officers if there is money. But we have to have the money. Assessments are down and revenue will be affected, so we must be prudent in our considerations.

RIDDICK: Raising taxes to hire additional police officers would be the last resort. We the citizens need to come together to deal with the issue. For example, as long as there are people buying drugs there will be people selling drugs. Safety of our citizens is most important as well as the safety of those enforcing the laws. Neighborhood watch should be just that. Neighbors looking out for each other, which I think will help Chief Hardison’s force immensely. Stop harboring and abetting criminal activity in our communities.

McLEMORE: No because, only under city wide emergency will I ever support increasing any tax or fee on the citizens as long as there are alternatives

LAWRENCE: Currently the Treasurer is putting into place a policy to collect delinquent property taxes, roughly totaling $616,431.00. Also a schedule to allow property tax to be paid in installments is being addressed. If these two efforts prove to be successful, I hope there won’t be a need to increase property taxes and Chief Hardison will be able to increase his budget. Would I vote for an increase – I will vote favorably for the citizens of Ward 3 as their Representative.

BROWN: I have always been a strong supporter of local law enforcement efforts. And 10 additional police officers may make a difference in combating drug and gang activities. The question of raising the city’s tax rate to pay for the 10 officers I think is asking too much of the tax-paying citizens. In recent years, each penny increase in the real estate tax rate brings in about $57,000 to the city’s treasury. The cost of a police officer to start is more than $35,000 in salary, not including the cost of benefits, nor additional costs for vehicles, uniforms, training, weapons, etc. – things a good officer should have. I think that to use a tax increase just for 10 officers would cost tax payers more than 10 cents per hundred dollars on the tax rate, something I don’t think the majority of tax payers are willing to pay for at this time.

SMITH: It’s my understanding we have been understaffed in the police department for over two years with the existing budget. We should not increase the budget until we fill the jobs we have the budget for already.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY? Comments Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)

(Requires free registration

decals delaware road, jamie brown

By Rex Hall Jr. | Kalamazoo GazetteApril 14, 2010, 9:30AM
View full sizeMark Bugnaski | Kalamazoo GazetteJustin Kurtz, a 21-year-old junior at Western Michigan University, rests against his Saturn at the Arboretum apartments in Kalamazoo. Kurtz is being sued by T&J Towing over a Facebook group he started after his car was towed from the apartment complex. Kurtz claims that the battery was disconnected to disable the car alarm and the parking sticker was scraped off the windshield.
Update: T & J Towing continues to lose business, attorney says: Facebook following eclipses 10,000 in student’s dispute with towing company

KALAMAZOO — A 21-year-old Western Michigan University student whose gripe with a towing company has caught fire on the Internet through the social-networking site Facebook is now the target of a $750,000 lawsuit by the company.

The “Kalamazoo Residents against T & J Towing” group on Facebook has gained more than 4,200 members since Justin Kurtz launched it in February after his car was towed from the apartment complex where he lives.

T & J Towing last week sued Kurtz seeking $750,000 in damages and requesting a court order that he “immediately cease and desist any further libelous and slanderous written claims” about the company. The suit filed on behalf of T & J Towing President Joseph Bird says the company has lost numerous business accounts since Kurtz launched the Facebook group.

Justin gets support: Mlive and Facebook members react to this story

Reddit, Digg and Google Map reviews slammed with user comments about this lawsuit

“I’m not losing sleep about it,” Kurtz said Tuesday.

The WMU aviation student from Yorkville, N.Y., said he decided to start the Facebook group during the first week of February, just a few days after his Saturn SL2 was towed from a parking spot at The Arboretum apartment complex west of campus.

He claims his car was legally parked and that he had his complex-issued parking sticker displayed, but that the sticker was missing and the front end of his car was damaged when he reclaimed the vehicle from T & J Towing for a $118 fee.

Kurtz says on his Facebook group that he believes his car was broken into and his parking sticker removed so that his car, locked and guarded by an alarm, could be towed, assertions he reiterated Tuesday to the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Numerous messages posted on Kurtz’s Facebook group allege others’ vehicles were legally parked when they were towed by T & J, including some who also say their parking stickers had been removed from their windows.

In the two-page complaint filed April 5 in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court, the company alleges Kurtz is using the Facebook group in a “crusade to post verbal and written claims … with allegations that are untrue and/or dishonest and without merit” and that a “continual onslaught of libelous and slanderous claims” has caused the towing company to lose business.

A woman who answered a call to T & J Towing Tuesday said that the company was directing questions to its attorney, Richard K. Burnham, of Paw Paw. The Kalamazoo Gazette was unable to reach Burnham for comment.

The Better Business Bureau of Western Michigan, meanwhile, has given T & J Towing an overall rating of  “F.”

A bureau report on the company shows a pattern of “complaints in which consumers allege the company towed vehicles in error when either the vehicle had the required parking pass, or the vehicle was not parked in a designated no parking area.”

“In addition,” the report says, “there is also a pattern of complaints alleging that the company only accepts cash as a payment method, but refuses to provide change if the consumer does not have the exact amount.”

T & J Towing has failed to respond to 17 of 20 complaints filed against it over the last three years, according to the bureau.

“The grade says it all,” Ken Vander Meede, president of the Better Business Bureau of Western Michigan, said of T & J Towing. “I don’t do business with ‘F’ businesses and we encourage people not to do business with ‘F’ businesses. This is a company that has had a number of inquiries and a number of complaints and their record stands on its own.”

Kurtz said he planned to speak with an attorney today, but that he isn’t worried by the lawsuit and has no plans to take down his Facebook group.

He’s watching, in the meantime, as the number of members in the group continues to grow. It jumped by 800 between Monday and Tuesday afternoon after news of the T & J lawsuit spread.

Contact Rex Hall Jr. at or (269) 388-7784.

decals facebook, google

Click here to buy this item!

Dragon Decal Car Graphic Vinyl Sticker Amazing Detail

You are Bidding on: Two (2) Fullside Vinyl Die Cut Vehicle Graphics. One for each side. They are mirror images of each other. They look identical when applied to your car. Color: One Color, Your Choice Of One Standard Color Model: Ferocious Dragon Notes: fast and the furious fast and furious fast and furious car decal fast and furious vehicle graphic Decals measure approximately 21?x90?. Die cut, no background, top quality, 6 year vinyl. Item is sold as pictured, no substitutions.

Click here to buy this item!

Furious Fast And Furious Car Graphics Fast And The Furious Car Graphics

decals car color, car graphics, color model, vehicle graphics, vinyl sticker

As befits one of the most vital parts of your vehicle’s engine, your spark plugs require replacement every 24 months or 30,000 miles to maintain optimal fuel economy and engine performance. You can save some money by doing it yourself.

The interval varies depending on your vehicle’s make and model. A vehicle equipped with the newer platinum-tipped spark plugs can go as far as 100,000 miles before plugs require replacement. Replacing your own spark plugs is relatively easy, as you’ll see from the instructions listed below.

The first thing you’ll want to do is gather all the tools you’ll need. Of course, you’ll start with a set of new spark plugs. Add a 3/8″ drive spark plug socket, extension and ratchet driver, a spark plug gap gauge, and a brush or rag and set aside some time.

Now we’re all ready to gap your spark plugs. Correct spark plug gaps can be found on the engine specifications decal underneath the hood. It’s a good practice to stick with the brand of plugs originally installed in your car at the factory. For Ford products they are Motorcraft, in General Motors products they are AC Delco; Chrysler products use Champion. Refer to a parts guide to find the correct spark plugs, or ask the salesperson in your local auto parts store.

Okay, let’s get to work.

Never change your spark plugs without the engine being cold. Wait two hours after driving to let it cool off. Grasp the plug wire by the boot, give the wire a twist and cautiously pull the spark plug wire out of the end of the spark plug. Don’t pull the wires themselves or you may damage them. TIP: changing the plugs one helps avoid mixing up the spark plug wires.

Use either a bicycle tire pump or an air compressor and pump a few bursts of air to rid the spark plug area of dirt, dust or gravel. Alternatively, clean off the old plug and the area around it with a rag or small brush. These steps help prevent any foreign material from falling down into the cylinder when the plug is removed.

Remove the plug by turning it counterclockwise with a spark plug socket and ratchet. Spark plug sockets have rubber linings that prevent damaging the plug’s ceramic case. Crack it loose, spin it out until it’s off the threads, and take it out by hand.

OK, time to set the gap of the new plug with a spark plug gap gauge (Remember the proper gap is specified on the engine specs decal underside of the hood). You can buy a gap gauge at your auto parts store. Slide the correct thickness wire or feeler between the inner and outer electrodes at the tip of the plug. The feeler will slide between the electrodes with a slight drag when the plugs are properly gapped. If the gap isn’t right, slightly bend the outer electrode until you achieve the right gap. Ensure the outer electrode is inline over the inner electrode.

Next, have a look at the cylinder head threads. Are they in good condition, clean, and free of dirt? New spark plug should freely screw into the cylinder head by hand. Any binding of the plug is an indication of debris or damage in the thread. TIP: lube the plug threads with a little grease or spray lubricant before you install them, this will make for an easier removal at your next spark plug change.

Insert the new plug into the spark plug hole by hand and turn it clockwise until it’s snug. After finger tightening the plug, firmly torque it with your spark plug wrench/socket. Be careful not to over-tighten the plugs.

Reattach the correct plug wire to the new plug with a twist on the boot until it’s firmly seated on top of the plug. You should feel and hear a click as the wire positively clamps onto the spark plug.

Repeat all the steps for the other plugs. Even taking your time this job will probably take you less than an hour. And that’s it for another two years or 30,000 miles!

decals engine performance, ford products, new spark, spark plug, spark plug gaps, spark plug wire

decals decal sticker, decal sticker maker, decal stickers for walls