If you don’t own an electric car, you may be getting from A to B with the assistance of an internal combustion engine. When your gas-guzzling vehicle starts sputtering, the source of this problem will usually be the car’s spark plugs.
This vital part of the car lasts 50,000 to 75,000 miles, and your engine will function properly until it sends you the warning signs that it’s time for a replacement. This article will help you to understand how long do spark plugs last in a car.
Even though spark plugs are not a high-maintenance part of your engine that requires frequent attention, if you completely ignore them, you will have severe problems with your car. The U.S. Federal Highway Administration estimates that the average car owner drives approximately 13,476 miles annually. If spark plugs last for no more than 30,000 miles, you’d need to replace them every two years.
This thorough guide will teach you what spark plugs are, how they work in your car, and give you more details about how often they last before it’s time for a replacement.
Contents
What Are Spark Plugs?
Spark plugs are comparable to little bolts of lightning that produce the energy necessary for igniting the fuel-air combination within your car engine’s combustion chamber. This small engine component helps turn your car on while providing the power required to keep it running.
The number of long spark plugs you need depends on how many cylinders your car has. The rule of thumb is one spark plug per cylinder. When you buy a spark plug, don’t forget it needs a separate wire to help it stay attached to the coil’s distributor. A spark plug is the most straightforward part of your engine, and its purpose is simple to understand, even for someone that’s not a mechanic. But timing is critical if you want it to perform optimally in your car.
When you replace spark plugs, ensure the bulb-shaped end is connected to the wirehead. This part of the spark plug produces the electricity required to disperse the power that starts your engine. Any electricity generated from the alternators goes through the coil, distributor, and the spark plugs center to the other side, which resembles a hook when you look at it. The high voltage measurements will range from 40,000 to 100,000 volts, so ceramic insulators are a must-have for safety.
The external core tab is considered the center electrode that supports fuel economy. Lastly, the gap you see in the middle between the powered electrodes and the hook is where sparks form that ignites the fuel-air combination inside the cylinder.
https://pixabay.com/photos/engine-porsche-spark-plugs-detail-579912/
How Does A Spark Plug Work?
Because of the initial spark, the fuel mixture is ignited within the combustion chamber. But every cylinder needs a sequence of tiny discharges to keep your vehicle turned on after this process. These discharges give the power to push the pistons from top to bottom. If you have faulty spark plugs, this is the point in time where you will have trouble.
While the pistons are moving, it’s essential to know that every cylinder has the same fuel and air to function together. So when the pistons move up within the cylinder, the iridium spark plugs ignite in your engine. The movement produces an electrical arc that pushes the pistons back downwards in the cylinder, so the engine is activated. The steps above are repeated in a loop as you drive your vehicle and stop when you turn it off.
How Often Should You Change Spark Plugs?
Spark plugs have a decent lifespan of 1 to 3 years, depending on how often you drive your car per year if your get regular engine checkups. The component of the spark plug that deteriorates fast is the electrode. If you look at the manual for your vehicle, it lets you know the steps you need to take for your car to perform efficiently.
As the introduction mentions, you can expect your spark plugs to last up to 30,000 miles of usage. However, if you drive at average speeds and don’t have a lead foot, you could push your platinum spark plugs life expectancy to 40,000 miles. Soon, as technology improves, we believe newer cars will come with spark plugs that last longer for up 100,000 miles, saving you money and time. Changing spark plugs every 2-3 years will be a thing of the past.
The most important piece of advice to remember is that the life span of your spark plugs will hinge on the job you do to maintain the entire engine. For example, if you have a valve cover gasket leak, the oil will travel its way to the interior of your cylinder, which will cause your spark plug to malfunction.
Following the maintenance schedule in the car’s manual is the best way to stay safe on the road, so you don’t have severe problems with your spark plugs in the future. Also, if you see any signs that your engine is misfiring, always inspect the spark plugs immediately. Whether you just bought them or they are older, an inspection will help you figure out other issues you need to consider to come up with a solution.
5 Signs That Let You Know When To Change Spark Plugs
#1 Engine Light Starts Flashing
When your spark plugs, coil packs, and wires need to be replaced, the engine light is activated to let you know. But it’s not guaranteed. For example, sometimes your spark plugs will fail, but the engine light will not come on, but this happens rarely.
Also, the engine light flashing can mean your car has other issues with its engine, which you need to consider before taking it to a mechanic.
To prevent this situation from happening, read the manufactures instruction booklet for your spark plugs, so you know exactly when to change them before a malfunction occurs. This simple precaution can save you thousands of dollars from misfiring plugs that put pressure on your vehicle’s catalytic converter, which is responsible for clearing your exhaust.
Some indicators you need to look out for include strong idling, unbalanced power when pushing your pedal, and above-average levels of smoke from your exhaust.
Flickr Image by Chris Isherwood
#2 Car Won’t Start
Without your spark plugs, your vehicle wouldn’t be able to start its engine because it will not have the spark needed for ignition. Expired and tattered spark plugs take longer to produce the spark necessary to power up the engine like a new one could. So if your car is trying to start but can’t, the source of this problem will usually be your spark plugs or broken coil wires. But if you are getting no signs of life at all from your car, the battery is the first place to inspect.
#3 You Must Refill Your Gas Tank More Than Before
Worn-out spark plugs increase your monthly spending on gasoline. When your spark plugs are old, your car will consume more gasoline and require you to fill your gas tank more often. The reason is that your engine is no longer burning fuel efficiently like it would with new spark plugs, which cost you more money if you drive a lot. The best way to avoid this situation is to regularly tune up your car and keep your spark plugs in the best condition possible.
#4 Car Engine Idles Roughly
Most new vehicles have very few sounds coming from their engines unless you own a muscle car. But if you realize your engine is starting to make loud, unusual sounds, the culprit is most likely your spark plugs, so you should get them inspected.
#5 Vehicle Doesn’t Speed Up Quickly
If you have owned your car for at least a few months, you already know how it handles and how the accelerator feels. So if your vehicle starts feeling different or doesn’t react to your turns like it used to or feels slower, there could be a problem with your spark plugs. We recommend you take it to a specialist immediately if you don’t know how to change spark plugs but the longer you wait, the higher the chance you give your engine more expensive problems.
Summing It Up
Now you understand how important it is to know when your spark plugs need to be changed and how long they last on average. When you buy a new car, save the manual in your vehicle so you know precisely the miles you need to drive before a replacement is necessary.
In addition, it would help if you always were on the lookout for all the signs, like the red engine light, because sometimes spark plugs will wear out before they are supposed to. Failure to listen to this guide’s advice will cost you more money in the long run if your malfunctioning spark plug damages other, more expensive parts of your engine.
1 thought on “How Long Do Spark Plugs Last In A Car”
Comments are closed.