Spark plugs seem like basic pieces of equipment. However, these incredible parts are extremely important for your vehicle because you can’t even start your vehicle’s engine without them. Due to their durability and simple functionality, it’s easy to overlook them. Discover what spark plugs do I need for my vehicle in the following article.
But you’ll need to pay a whole lot of attention to them even if just one of the spark plugs of your engine fails to perform its task. Let’s discuss what spark plugs are along with a detailed buying guide to choose the best option for your vehicle.
Contents
What Are Spark Plugs?
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A vehicle engine is a remarkable machine that allows you to convert gasoline (or diesel) into actual movement. It all happens because of the internal combustion principle. Your vehicle’s engine converts a source of potential energy into kinetic energy through the process of combustion.
The valves of your engine fill the cylinder with the air and fuel mixture during the engine cycle. The mixture of fuel and air is highly explosive and the piton of your engine compresses this mixture by pressing it into a very small space by moving upwards.
The mixture is ignited when it’s at its peak compression with a small spark and resultantly your vehicle moves forwards or backward. The spark that ignited the fuel and air mixture is created by the spark plugs as they create an electrical arc.
Without spark plugs, it’s not possible to ignite the fuel and air mixture and your vehicle won’t move. Generally, all spark plugs are manufactured using durable materials that can withstand extremely high temperatures.
Additionally, regardless of the material, spark plugs wear out over time and decrease the performance of your vehicle’s engine. That’s why spark plugs must be changed after a certain period of time recommended by the manufacturer.
What Spark Plugs Do I Need?
Hot and cold are two main categories of spark plugs based on temperature. The type of spark plug you should choose depends upon the type and the working mechanism of the engine your car features. If you have a high-performance sporty vehicle, you’ll need to use cold spark plugs.
The high-performance engines with more horsepower create more heat as they require high compression. A cold spark plug helps these engines by conducting and transferring more heat out of the combustion chamber to keep the engine cool.
On the other hand, standard cars that people use for daily commuting use hot spark plugs. They don’t need to transfer heat out of the combustion chamber. They allow the engine to run efficiently and effectively and they also burn off the carbon deposits.
Consider using the following detailed buying guide to choose the right spark plugs for your vehicle.
Material
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As mentioned, different spark plugs are made of different materials and they also come with different characteristics. Primarily, there are four different types of spark plugs available in the market.
Copper Spark Plugs
A spark plug with a central electrode made of copper and nickel alloy coating is called a copper spark plug. It’s a flexible product that comes with an affordable price tag.
Silver Spark Plugs
Silver spark plugs offer a longer lifespan than copper ones but they cost a little bit more. This type of spark plug is most commonly used in old European performance motorcycles and vehicles.
Platinum Spark Plugs
Platinum spark plugs come with a central electrode featuring a platinum disc. They’re very durable and offer a longer lifespan than both copper and silver spark plugs. The platinum spark plugs are divided into two further categories known as single platinum spark plugs and double platinum spark plugs. In a double platinum spark plug, both the ground and center electrodes have a platinum coating.
Iridium Spark Plugs
Iridium spark plugs are the hardest and most durable spark plugs and offer the best electricity conduction. They are also further divided into two categories, which are single iridium spark plugs and double iridium spark plugs. Instead of platinum, they have iridium coating on both center and ground electrodes.
Spark Plugs Material: Comparison Chart
| Properties | Copper Spark Plugs | Silver Spark Plugs | Platinum Spark Plugs | Iridium Spark Plugs |
| Durability | 20,000 to 30,000 miles | 30,000 to 50,000 miles | 70,000 to 100,000 miles | 100,000 to 150,000 miles |
| Melting Point | Least | medium | high | highest |
| Voltage Requirements | Most | More | Medium | Least |
| Mechanical Strength | least | low | medium | highest |
| Melting Point | Least | low | Medium | highest |
Go Through the User Manual
The first and the most important factor to consider while buying a new spark plug is to follow your manufacturer’s recommendations. You’ll find all the information in the user manual of your vehicle including the spark plug material and type.
The user manual also offers information such as engine displacement, size, make and model, year of manufacture, the number of cylinders, and fuel injection type. Many user manuals also provide users with information about the most suitable brand of spark plugs.
Quality
It’s not advisable to try to save a few bucks and buy a poor-quality spark plug. You might save some money but in the long run, it will cost you a lot more than a high-quality product. That’s because you will need to change the poor-quality spark plugs more frequently.
Better yet, high-quality products also allow you to save money on fuel. Copper spark plugs are the most common but more durable and reliable spark plugs such as iridium and platinum are also available. However, you should only use the material that’s recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer. Otherwise, you’ll end up paying more and having poor performance.
Driving Habits and Car Usage
Consider the main purpose of your vehicle and your driving habits are also important while buying a new spark plug. For example, standard vehicles that people use for daily commuting are very different from the high-performance vehicle that is used occasionally and both of them will need different types of spark plugs for the best driving experience and engine performance.
Heat Range
As mentioned, all types of spark plugs are categorized into two different classes, which are hot spark plugs and cold spark plugs. A spark plug with better heat insulation is known as a hot spark plug and the one that comes with better heat conduction is known as a cold spark plug.
Manufacturers usually use specific numbers to denote the spark plug’s heat range. Some manufacturers use descending numbers for cold spark plugs and others use the opposite system for cold spark plugs.
Size of the Spark Plug
The size of the nut or thread is one common and important way to specify a spark plug. The following are some of the most common nut and thread sizes that are used in the United States:
- 10 millimeters with 16-millimeter nut
- 12 millimeters with 14, 16, or 17.5-millimeter nut
- 14 millimeters with 16, or 20.63-millimeter nut
- 18 millimeters with 20.63-millimeter nut
Gap Style
A single spark plug can be used for multiple types of engines but the opposite is not true. It means you need to choose the spark plug with a gap that’s recommended for your vehicle’s engine. The typical gap of a spark plug for a standard vehicle ranges from 0.023 to 0.071 inches or 0.6 to 1.8 millimeters.
Electrodes
Although it is a little more expensive, it is worthwhile to choose the spark plug that comes with four electrodes, which is recognized because of the eight triggering points to ignite the fuel and air mixture to start the vehicle’s engine. This sort of model not only accelerates the ignition but also improves the overall performance of the engine.
How Many Spark Plugs Does Your Vehicle Need?
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Experts suggest that you should change all the spark plugs installed in your vehicle’s engine in sets. It means, if your car uses 4 spark plugs and one of them goes faulty, you should change all four of them. That’s because all the spark plugs should have similar electrical resistance levels so that they can provide optimal performance.
The number of spark plugs that your vehicle needs depends upon the number of cylinders that are present in your vehicle’s engine. For example, if you have an inline-four engine, your vehicle will need four spark plugs. The same is the case with inline-six and inline-eight as they will need six and eight spark plugs respectively.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Some vehicles need two spark plugs for a single cylinder. These vehicles include Alfa Romeo Twin Spark, HEMI V8, some Mercedes Benz vehicles, and some high-performance motorcycles such as Ducati Multistrada and Honda VT500.
But if you use a standard vehicle then it’ll use as many spark plugs as there are cylinders installed in its engine.
Important Tips to Improve the Life of Your Spark Plugs
You can practice the following if you want to improve the life and performance of your vehicle’s spark plugs.
Clean Spark Plug Electrodes
First, you will need to remove your spark plugs from their terminals. Use a spark plug socket wrench for this purpose and remove each plug very carefully. Use a thinner liquid like gasoline or diesel to soak the spark plug. You can also use isopropyl alcohol as well if you want.
After that use sandpaper or a toothbrush in order to scrape away crusty and hard residue present on the electrodes. You should not use a wire brush even if the deposits are difficult to remove.
Clean the Mounting Area
Cleaning off the terminals of the spark plugs is also important to improve the life and performance of your spark plugs. It can lead to the misalignment of the spark plug because of the combustion debris that gets accumulated on the gap. Clean the terminal properly to get rid of oil and debris before reinstalling the spark plugs.
Check and Adjust the Gap
The gap between the center and ground electrodes is extremely critical and it must be very precise. If the spacing is too small, the electrical arc will be quite feeble. If it is too strong, it can fail to generate a spark in the first place.
So, consult your owner’s handbook to determine the optimal spark gap. In order to verify the gap width, use a gap gauge and make the required adjustments. Be extremely cautious while changing the gap, because the side electrode is extremely fragile and it can easily break off.
Choose the Right Type
It is critical that you select the right spark plug type for your car before installing one in the engine. Installing a cold spark plug in a standard (low-performance) car will result in a delayed spark release because it will lose heat very quickly.
Similarly, utilizing a hot spark plug in an engine with high horsepower may simply cause the tip to melt away quickly because of the high heat. So, make sure to use the plug that is recommended by the manufacturer for your vehicle’s engine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Common Symptoms of Faulty Spark Plugs?
You’ll need to change your vehicle’s spark plugs if you experience any of the following symptoms.
- Difficult to start the vehicle
- Poor gas mileage
- Engine misfire
- Decreased acceleration
- Noisy and rough engine idling
- Loud engine while driving normally
- Check engine light goes on
Which Spark Plug is Better, Platinum or Iridium?
Iridium spark plugs are made of a harder metal that offers a higher melting point as compared to spark plugs made of platinum, therefore they last longer. Some automobile manuals specify iridium spark plugs, in which case you should not downgrade.
On the downside, iridium spark plugs are the most expensive. Platinum spark plugs endure longer and are more expensive than copper and silver plugs, but they are less durable than iridium ones and they’re also less expensive.
Final Words
Make sure you buy the right spark plugs for your vehicle if you need to replace them. Most auto parts stores, as well as mechanics, will assist you with this, and there will be a wide variety of models to pick from.
High-quality metals such as iridium and platinum are more expensive than ordinary metals such as copper, but they last significantly longer. According to the general rule of thumb, you should buy spark plugs with the same model and brands that your vehicle came with.