They are used in petrol engines to ignite air-fuel mixture. They comprise a metal threaded shell with two electrodes at one end and a terminal – at the other one. They also have very good insulation.
What are the types of spark plugs?
Copper. These components have a copper core and their central electrode has a nickel-alloy coating. They are the cheapest option offered on the market. Copper spares are usually used in cars built before the 1980s equipped with a low-voltage distributor. Nevertheless, they show high performance in turbocharged vehicles and engines with high compression ratios. That’s they are often used as original parts in high-performance cars. Their main disadvantage is their short service life – they need replacement every 32 000 km.
Platinum. These spark plugs last much longer than copper ones – up to 160 000 km. However, they produce more heat and reduce debris build-up. It becomes possible thanks to a platinum disc welded to the electrodes.
Iridium. Components of this type are more expensive than of the previous ones but they also last up to 25% longer than platinum ones. Besides, due to their small electrode, they consume less power.
Silver. These spark plugs have silver-coated electrodes. They conduct electricity pretty well but do not last as long as platinum or iridium ones. They can be found in motorcycles, for instance.
Double platinum. This type of spark plugs is specially designed for vehicles equipped with the wasted spark system. However, it is not recommended to use them in electronic distributor ignition systems.
What are the symptoms of faulty spark plugs?
Misfiring, backfiring, knocking
Higher fuel consumption
Power loss
Hard starts
Rough idling
Increased exhaust emissions and strong smell from the tailpipe.
What causes bad spark plugs?
Oil, fuel or carbon deposits on the plugs
Incorrect spark plug gap or heat range
Corrosion and mechanical damage
There is a great number of spark plug manufacturers. Most known are NGK, Bosch, Champion, Denso, OEM, Motorcraft.
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