To ensure you do not go past your spark plugs interval, research the type of spark plugs to learn whether they are suitable for your vehicle. Keep in mind that the spark plugs in most performance and luxury models tend to have shorter intervals.
This depends on the quality of spark plugs you have in your car. Top-quality spark plugs will last longer than lower-quality plugs. Most mechanics recommend you change your copper core spark plugs every 30, miles or every 50, miles for iridium core spark plugs. When your vehicle has a faulty spark plug, it can cause the check engine light to illuminate, signaling an issue.
In some instances, the check engine light may even be flashing instead of a solid light. When the warning light appears, it is essential that you or a professional mechanic look into the cause. Certain spark plugs are more efficient and perform better than others, and each type has a specific use case. That alone makes it important to check the recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer to ensure the correct spark plugs are installed in your vehicle. Below is everything you wanted to know about spark plugs including how the 5 most common types of spark plugs compare.
The purpose of a spark plug is to ignite the compressed mixture of air and fuel in each cylinder of a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine. There is an insulated center electrode running the length of the spark plug and one or more ground electrodes on the bottom end, separated from the exposed end of the center electrode by a space known as a spark gap.
When the voltage supplied from the ignition coil to the spark plug is high enough, the electrical energy jumps the gap, forming a spark. The electrodes were traditionally made of copper but now they are also being manufactured from rare materials like iridium and platinum.
Newer spark plugs utilize smaller center electrodes in order to lower the amount of voltage required to generate a spark. Less voltage required makes for a more efficient ignition system.
In most gasoline-powered vehicles, the number of spark plugs is equal to the number of cylinders. However, some high-powered vehicles use two spark plugs per cylinder. The best spark plug varies depending on the vehicle. Below you will find more details on each of these spark plugs and what they are good for.
The center electrode of this type of spark plug is a copper core coated with a nickel alloy. It has the largest diameter of all the other spark plugs, so it needs more voltage to generate a spark. Nickel alloy is a material that is soft and not very durable, so the spark plugs will need to be replaced more frequently than other types. Some cars are designed to use copper spark plugs despite their shorter lifespan.
In some of these cases, installing more expensive spark plugs may be a waste of money. Iridium spark plugs last the longest since iridium is harder and more durable than platinum. These spark plugs have a small center electrode which requires less voltage to generate a spark. These advantages are reflected in the higher price tag.
That could adversely affect the performance of the vehicle. The platinum metal lasts longer than nickel alloy before being worn away. These plugs also generate more heat, which reduces carbon buildup. This is the recommended material for new cars with a coil-on-plug ignition system. Double platinum spark plugs have platinum coating both the center and ground electrodes. This is more efficient and longer-lasting which makes these plugs a great choice for a wasted spark ignition system, which exerts more wear on both electrodes than do other ignition systems.
The spark for the latter gets wasted because the air-fuel mixture was already burnt on the previous stroke. These are less common than others and feature silver-coated electrode tips. These do not last as long as iridium or platinum spark plugs as the metal is less durable.
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