In addition, we should not forget about non-standard configurations and tuned versions, which are assembled in single versions and are intended for specific races or competitions, in other words, they do not have the status of a serial car. Let's look at how to determine the quantity and where they are located below.
How many spark plugs are there in an internal combustion engine?
As a rule, passenger cars have a four-cylinder engine, so there will be only 4 spark plugs.
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How to understand when it's time to change spark plugs
It is impossible to determine exactly how often spark plugs need to be changed, because the operating conditions of each car are individual. You need to focus primarily on the service interval specified in the manual or service book of the car, taking into account difficult conditions. Practice shows that if a car regularly passes and drives in close to optimal mode, high-quality nickel spark plugs last 30–40 thousand km, platinum spark plugs – 50–60 thousand km, and iridium spark plugs – 80–100 thousand km.
Since not all factors affecting the service life of spark plugs can be taken into account and identified, it is advisable to remove and inspect them every 15,000 thousand km. This will allow not only to detect signs of wear in a timely manner, but also to perform preliminary engine diagnostics based on the color of soot.
Cracks in the ceramic coating of candles
Visual signs indicating the need to replace spark plugs :
- noticeable change in shape or damage to the electrodes, especially the central one;
- cracks or other defects on the insulator;
- thick velvety or varnish coating of any color;
- abundant black deposits on the outer part of the insulator in the area of the coil cap or explosive wire.
The visual difference of one spark plug from the others, the presence of denser carbon deposits, oil or fuel should alert you. This indirectly indicates problems with the engine, ignition system or mixture formation, but the cause of misfire may also be the spark plug itself. Only checking will help you understand whether this is the reason.
Spark plugs in normal condition have no visible differences from new ones, with the exception of a thin, easily removable light brown or grayish coating. A brown ring about 1 cm wide on the outer part of the insulator is also not a sign of a malfunction. This is just a trace of a corona discharge, that is, dust and oil particles attracted to the insulator and deposited on it.
Do I need to change spark plugs when switching to gas?
Yttrium spark plugs Plazmofor Super for the mixed gas-gasoline cycle
The gas-air mixture is leaner than the gasoline-air mixture, burns longer, which leads to an increased temperature in the combustion chamber, but at the same time burns cleaner. Because of these features, when installing LPG, it is usually recommended to replace the spark plugs with more suitable ones.
It is worth noting that there are no so-called special spark plugs for gas. The parts recommended for installation together with HBO are cold spark plugs with a platinum, iridium or silver electrode and a gap reduced to 0.7–0.8 mm. They can also be used for an engine running on gasoline, especially since in most cases, starting and warming up occurs on this fuel, even in the presence of gas equipment.
High-quality platinum or iridium spark plugs do not need to be changed when switching to gas. They resist heat well and provide stable ignition of a denser gas-air mixture. But it is still better to replace nickel ones with more suitable ones - with them the ignition efficiency will be lower, and the electrodes will quickly become unusable. However, if you are ready to change spark plugs every 10–20 thousand km, and do not consider a slight loss of dynamics to be a problem, you can leave them.
Replacement process
Tools and materials:
- Special key for candles;
- Compressor.
Progress:
- Unscrew and put aside all unnecessary elements.
- Disconnect the high-voltage wires, hold only the tip.
- Blow out the spark plug well using a compressor.
- Use a spark plug wrench to unscrew the old system element.
- Assess the condition of the parts.
- Whether an old or a new spark plug, when screwing it into place, press it with your hand so that the thread falls into place.
- Replace the high voltage wire.
- So check all the spark plugs.
- After checking and replacing, screw back all previously removed parts.
In almost all cars, spark plugs are changed in the same way. The only difference is the number of parts that need to be removed.
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Important points
- Since spark plugs are installed directly into the engine, their inspection can only be carried out by disassembling some of the parts.
- Remember that whether to change all the spark plugs or just one depends on when the kit was installed.
- When unscrewing the spark plugs, you should use a special tool - a spark plug wrench.
- The spark plugs can only be removed from a cooled engine.
- Before replacing consumables, read the vehicle manual for specific instructions on removing parts.
- Before purchasing, check to see if the bushings are interchangeable for your car.
Summary
Spark plugs are an extremely important functional element of the internal combustion engine, without which a car engine simply would not work. To free yourself from the need for expensive repairs and maintenance of the cylinder head, as well as cleaning the combustion chambers, it is strongly recommended that you regularly check the condition of the spark plugs. This is not so difficult to do, but it guarantees the absence of any defects in the operation of the car and the risk of breaking down on the road, when maximum reliability is required from the car.
Number of electrodes (side)
Initially, the design of the spark plug provided for only one side electrode, but several years ago manufacturers began to experiment and two-electrode, three- and even four-electrode spark plugs . Some “distant” car owners mistakenly believe that the number of electrodes doubles the performance of the spark plug, and therefore increases the engine power. This is a huge misconception, the purpose of quantity is quality and stability, that is, when one fails, the second will pick up, thus sparking becomes more stable and this is felt well at low speeds. In addition, multi-electrode spark plugs boast a longer service life.
In addition, for several days now there have been candles on sale that are completely devoid of side electrodes; their task is performed by auxiliary electrodes, which are placed on the insulator. This design is quite promising; when the candle is operating, several discharges occur in turn, which allows you to achieve the effect of a “dancing” spark. Their only drawback today can be considered their high cost.
Change intervals for ignition system components
Every car model has a manual. So, it is in this “smart” book that the period for replacing consumable parts and fluids is carefully described.
If you follow these recommendations, you will not have any major repairs to your vehicle for many years.
Averaged indicators for different brands of cars can be indicated as:
- Simple spark plugs are changed every 25,000 kilometers.
- Spark plugs with platinum and iridium are changed every 100,000 km.
When the machine is operated only for short distances, carbon deposits may form on the spark plugs prematurely. The reason is that the engine does not have time to warm up properly. It is recommended to thoroughly warm up the engine at idle speed at least once every 7 days.
FAQ
What is the service life of spark plugs?
The average resource of nickel spark plugs is 45, platinum – 80, iridium – 120 thousand km. In practice, due to difficult operating conditions and low quality fuel, they last 1.5–2 times less.
What happens if you don't change the spark plugs for a long time?
At the initial stage, untimely replacement of spark plugs can lead to difficult cold starting of the engine, loss of dynamics and increased fuel consumption. If they continue to be used, detonation, glow ignition, misfire and ignition of the air-fuel mixture in the exhaust are possible, which can lead to failure of the exhaust system and engine components.
What is the benefit of replacing spark plugs?
Regular replacement of spark plugs guarantees efficient functioning of the ignition system, easy starting and stable operation of the engine, compliance with factory fuel consumption and acceleration dynamics.
Do I need to change spark plugs for the winter?
There is no need to replace spark plugs seasonally. It makes sense to change them for the winter only if their service life is already running out or there are obvious signs of wear. Cold starting in this case will be difficult. The ambient temperature does not affect the operation of the spark plugs, but humidity may have an effect if there is a breakdown of the insulator.
