Maintaining your vehicle is an incredibly rewarding task and learning how to replace your spark plugs is a great place to start. There’s a decent probability you will need to replace your set of spark plugs several times over the course of owning a 2009 Chrysler Town & Country. Spark plugs are one of the most important components inside your engine as they start the entire combustion process that starts and keeps your engine running for many thousands of miles. Similar to most engine parts and components, spark plugs experience wear over time and eventually need to be replaced, but fortunately this is a repair you can do on your own. Odds are, if you’ve found yourself here, you have no idea how to do that, or perhaps you’d just like to know what kind of spark plugs you need to buy. The complete process of changing your spark plugs should take about 20-45 minutes. This article will go over everything you should need to know about your Chrysler Town & Country’s spark plugs, whether you need some baseline information or a full, step-by-step guide to performing a spark plug change.
Correct spark plugs on a 2009 Chrysler Town & Country
Recommended 3.8L V6 2009 Chrysler Town & Country Spark Plugs
For the 3.8L V6 2009 Chrysler Town & Country, you can use AUTOLITE AP5426 spark plugs. As this 3.8L V6 features 6 cylinders, ensure that you purchase at least 6 spark plugs in total.Recommended 3.3L V6 2009 Chrysler Town & Country Spark Plugs
For the 3.3L V6 2009 Chrysler Town & Country, you can use BOSCH 6720 spark plugs. As this 3.3L V6 features 6 cylinders, ensure that you purchase at least 6 spark plugs in total.Recommended 4.0L V6 2009 Chrysler Town & Country Spark Plugs
For the 4.0L V6 2009 Chrysler Town & Country, you can use CHAMPION 9034 spark plugs. As this 4.0L V6 features 6 cylinders, ensure that you purchase at least 6 spark plugs in total.These spark plugs are an exact fit for their respective engines and will match the required specifications. As this 2009 Chrysler Town & Country features a 6 cylinder engine, ensure you purchase 6 spark plugs. We always try to recommend the best possible spark plugs for the money, and these spark plugs are either a factory recomendation or an equivalent replacement available now at an affordable price.
How often should I change my spark plugs?
Very generally, it is advised that you replace spark plugs once every 20,000 to 40,000 miles. Of course, please make sure to check your owner’s manual to determine the exact interval determined by Chrysler for the 2009 Town & Country. Of course, if you drive your vehicle more aggressively or own a undefined with some modifications, you may want to consider changing your spark plugs closer to the 20,000 miles end of that spectrum.
However, there are also classic signs of a car that needs a spark plug replacement prematurely, such as:
- Problems starting your engine
- Rough idle
- Engine misfiring
As a quick note, keep in mind that this list is absolutely not comprehensive, and these problems on their own do not necessarily point to the spark plugs being the standalone culprit. However, the best way to prevent any issues with your vehicle is to take care of it with routine maintenance, and you are definitely doing so with the responsible decision to replace your Chrysler Town & Country’s spark plugs on a regular basis.
Changing spark plugs on a 2009 Chrysler Town & Country
This is a process you should be able to do on your own with some commonplace garage tools. Of course, consult your owner’s manual, as well as a factory service manual or an equivalent Haynes or Chiltons manual. The video shown below does a good job of outlining the process.
Helpful Tools
As noted before, you should be able to accomplish a spark plug change with some regular tools you probably already have. However, there are a few tools that are specific to this job that you may not have, and we also want to recommend some commonplace tools that you should absolutely have in your toolbox if you do not already.
- A spark plug gap tool. This allows you to check the gap of your spark plugs and increase or decrease it if necessary. Most plugs will come pregapped, but if this is not the case, you should absolutely have one of these.
- I also highly recommend you have a feeler gauge as it makes it a bit easier to check the exact gap, and it is useful for quite a few other jobs.
- A set of spark plug sockets – These come in extremely handy because many standard sockets are not deep enough for spark plugs. Additionally, some spark plug holes are a bit smaller, so it requires a thinner wall like the one featured in the product here to fit. The linked product also features a magnet to keep a good hold of the spark plug so you do not drop it into your engine bay!
- A spark plug tester – this is definitely a niche tool, but it can save you a ton of time. Although we’ve discussed spark plug replacement being a good thing to replace regularly and not just when issues occur, you may also be replacing your spark plugs because of a problem. This tool can help you diagnose the exact problem.
- A torque wrench is a very important tool to have in your arsenal. You should check your FSM (factory service manual) or owner’s manual to determine the correct torque rating to use when putting in the new spark plugs for your 2009 Chrysler Town & Country to be confident they are installed properly.
Tips for changing spark plugs on your 2009 Chrysler Town & Country
Be sure to watch the video above before you attempt to repair the spark plugs on your 2009 Chrysler Town & Country, as well as review your factory service manual. Be sure to check the tips shown here to help you as you perform this repair.
- The most important thing is to avoid overtightening the plugs or worse, cracking them due to overtightenting. Use a torque wrench capable of lower, more precise torque ratings to be sure that you don’t make this mistake.
- It’s not a bad idea to use dielectric grease when installing new spark plugs. You can apply a a little bit to the inside of the boot and the ceramic part of your spark plugs. It lessens the chance of voltage leak and helps avoid the misfortune of the boot fusing to the spark plug over time.
- Before beginning, disconnect the negative terminal of your battery. You should always disconnect the battery anytime you work on the electrical system of your ChryslerTown & Country or any other vehicle.
- Note that this is not official advice as many spark plug manufacturers advise against the use of anti-seize. However, I have heard from numerous old-school mechanics that they always apply a small amount of anti-seize to the threads of their spark plugs, especially on older vehicles.
- You should replace spark plugs on a cold engine. Wait at least 30 minutes after your engine has been running before attempting to replace the spark plugs on your 2009 Chrysler Town & Country