![]() The first and most obvious sign of a bad spark plug is the good old-fashioned check engine light. From rough idling to decreased gas mileage or a failure to start altogether, there are a few tell-tale signs of a failing or broken spark plug to keep an eye out for. Use a torque wrench and follow the guidelines found on the spark plug packaging to ensure it’s properly installed, or you could be looking at some serious pre-ignition issues or reduced performance.įaulty or worn-out spark plugs can have a noticeable effect behind the wheel. Spark plugs need to be correctly seated in the cylinder head to properly dissipate heat, but this can be a tricky maneuver to pull off by feel alone. Lastly, the way the spark plug was installed can affect performance. ![]() Certain driving habits, like chronically cruising along at low speeds or leaving your vehicle idling for extended periods of time, can also contribute to these annoying carbon deposits. There are a number of factors that can cause this carbon buildup, including a rich fuel/air mixture from dirty fuel injectors or air filters. This black, sooty residue can wreak havoc on a spark plug’s timing, leading to misfires, a lack of acceleration, and harder-than-normal ignition when you go to start up the engine. If your vehicle starts burning through oil at a higher rate than normal, your spark plugs could well be on their last legs, so keep an eye on that dipstick.Ĭarbon buildup is another common way to foul up a spark plug. When oil starts to seep into the combustion chamber, it can coat the tip of the spark plug, making for an irregular ignition cycle––or possibly no ignition at all. ![]() This is especially true of your engine’s combustion chamber, which in theory shouldn’t contain anything but air and fuel. Oil is one of the most essential fluids in any vehicle, but oil showing up in the wrong place can result in some real headaches. In addition to the electrodes wearing out, spark plugs can also simply become too dirty to work properly. Overheating doesn’t only cause an electrode to wear out prematurely but can even warp or melt parts of the cylinder or engine block. This is due to a particularly hot element within the cylinder––usually an exhaust valve, carbon residue, or the spark plug itself––providing enough heat to create a combustion reaction without the spark plug ever firing. Pre-ignition occurs when a cylinder ignites at the wrong time, throwing off the engine’s timing and leading to some potentially serious damage. This can be caused by a number of factors, including pre-ignition or a poorly functioning cooling system. Overheating is another factor that can also cause the electrode to wear out at an accelerated rate. The ignition coil can help out to an extent––sending a higher voltage to the worn plug to help bridge the gap––but eventually, a replacement will be in order. It’s not a fast process–the average spark plug will fire hundreds of million times in its lifespan––but it is inevitable.ĭrivers looking to maximize vehicle performance should follow a set schedule for replacing spark plugs because even though they still might technically be functioning, worn plugs can have a noticeable effect on engine performance and fuel efficiency. Every time a spark is produced, a tiny amount of material burns off the tip of the electrode, which over time, will eventually result in a gap that’s too wide for the spark to jump. When an electric current is fed to a spark plug from the ignition coil, the current jumps the gap between the electrodes, producing a spark that’s used to ignite the air/fuel mixture that powers the engine. At the tip of every spark plug is an electrode, a small gap, and a ground electrode. There are many reasons spark plugs might wear out, including normal wear and tear. Below we’ll examine some common reasons why spark plugs wear out, signs and symptoms of a failing or broken spark plug, and finish up with a step-by-step guide outlining how to use an inline spark tester. mechanic’s toolbox, allowing drivers to quickly diagnose ignition issues without the hassle––or cost––of visiting an auto repair shop. These simple tools, which can usually be found for no more than $20, make a valuable addition to any D.I.Y. This is where inline spark testers come in. That’s not to say it’s a walk in the park, as narrowing down which spark plug needs to be replaced can be a task unto itself. Luckily replacing your spark plugs is one of the easier repair tasks you’ll face, requiring little more than some common tools, new spark plugs, and a little lubricant. They’re also often one of the first components under the hood that will need to be replaced, with older designs lasting as little as 10,000 miles. As the ignition source for the entire internal combustion process, spark plugs are an integral part of your vehicle’s engine.
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