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Spark plug connector colors

Discussion in 'Prius c Technical Discussion' started by type17volkswagen, May 18, 2013.

  1. type17volkswagen

    type17volkswagen Junior Member

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    Total newbie here. I bought my car three weeks ago and did basically no research before getting it so I just discovered this site. I was looking around under the hood and noticed that the color of the connector on the spark plugs is different. Two are grey and two are black, in alternating order. What's up with that?

    2012-Toyota-Prius-C-engine-top-view.jpg
     
    #1 type17volkswagen, May 18, 2013
  2. type17volkswagen

    type17volkswagen Junior Member

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    No one has replied yet. Because there is an order to the color and it's like this on all our cars, there's gotta be a reason for it. How about some guesses??? :confused:
     
    #2 type17volkswagen, Jun 8, 2013
  3. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

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    I haven't looked at this in detail... but on my 2001 Saturn I had 2 coil packs. My guess (again, this is without any research at all) would be that the PC has 2 as well and the colors indicate which pack they go to.
     
    #3 ztanos, Jun 8, 2013
  4. dick_larimore

    dick_larimore Member

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    This is done so you won't mix up the plug connectors. Hopefully you don't pull all four connectors of the spark plugs and then wonder which one goes on the correct plug.
     
    #4 dick_larimore, Jun 10, 2013
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  5. type17volkswagen

    type17volkswagen Junior Member

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    That makes complete sense. Thanks
     
    #5 type17volkswagen, Jun 11, 2013
  6. mahout

    mahout Active Member

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    Well, it just might be to keep the spark plug wires from attaching to the wrong coil packs. It may be possible to cnnect two adjacent plugs on the wrong wire but if one is notproperly alternating its wrong. Its also probable that the lengths of the spark plug wires are just long enogh to reach its coil as it is with many engines. Alternating colors can let you know you've attached a wire to a plug closer to number 1 than should be.
     
    #6 mahout, Jun 23, 2013
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