A spark plug supplies the spark that ignites the air/fuel mixture in your engine. When you pull the trigger of your lawnmower, weed eater, go-kart (OK maybe not a go-kart), chainsaw, car, etc., power is transferred from the battery to the ignition coil.
The high voltage moving through this coil creates an electromagnetic field inside it. At one end of this coil, there is a small metal tab called ‘the breaker point’. This tab moves with respect to the base thus creating an open and closed circuit (very rapid ones).
These quick circuits create a high voltage within the ignition coil which attracts electrons through one wire to another. As these electrons move to their destination they pass atoms of air or fuel. These atoms are then given either a negative or positive charge.
The high voltage ignition coil is the most misunderstood part of an engine. A lot of people think it is responsible for burning fuel but actually, it is just there to control when the spark plugs fire by sending out high voltage current through them.
When the current passes between two electrodes on each plug, one electrode becomes positively charged and another negatively charged thus creating ionized paths for the electrons to flow through which creates sparks at both points (the spark plugs). These sparks ignite the air/fuel mixture of your machine.
High voltage produces high energy currents that break down the resistance in our engines’ cylinders thus making them function smoothly (not like some chunky old computer).
When you turn on an engine, the current from your ignition coil runs through a resistor. This resistor is in place to reduce the energy going into your spark plugs and also protect them from burning out.
The job of a spark plug is to generate high voltage electrostatic charges capable of jumping across small air/fuel mixture holes in the cylinder and igniting it so that it makes usable power for our machines.
If you give your car or any other machine regular maintenance then this shouldn’t be too hard currently but if you’re new to all this then you might get confused at times. This section will tell you when to replace your spark plugs based on their type.
Spark plugs are made up of different metals which have varying lifespan and wear rates. So the first question you should ask yourself is what’s your machine’s RPM? Does it run at a low speed or a high speed?
If you answered a low speed then the spark plug that suits you best is a copper one while if you answered a high speed then your best option would be a platinum one.
If you have an old car that has been sitting around for years in someone’s garage running from time to time, it’s best to get rid of it because it could damage your cars body and interior over time or cause corrosion on other parts so if this does sound like your baby then probably go with either a platinum or iridium plug.
Spark plugs lose their conductivity over time because of this build-up so if you go with the copper ones, be sure to clean them after every 20-25 hours of use or 1 year whichever comes first.
This will help prolong their life expectancy and also increase horsepower even more especially on older engines that are running sub-par. So what should you do if your engine doesn’t have either a copper plug or a platinum one? Well, then it’s time for an upgrade!
If you want optimum performance from your machine then consider replacing your spark plugs with the latest model available in terms of technology since everything is constantly being updated, improved, and modified nowadays.
Many people think that spark plug wires are not important and just take them for granted so they never bother to check out their condition. But after replacing your plugs with one of the criteria mentioned above and switching to a different type than you had previously, you might notice these:
Ever wonder why old cars used to lose power as they approached 100,000 miles? Well, besides those reasons stated earlier, it’s because those engines weren’t designed with the latest technology like modern machines.
If this sounds like you then upgrade because there’s no use running an engine that’s about ready to keel over because it puts unnecessary strain on other components which can lead up to more serious problems such as major repair bills.
You might get suspicious when you notice your gas tank is always half empty even though you only fill it up once a week.
This means that it’s burning fuel faster than usual and if this happens then either switch to a bigger engine or upgrade your plugs and wires because inefficiency in terms of RPM, speed, and fuel economy will lead to lower MPG (miles per gallon) which in turn leads to increased costs at the pump.
If your car is struggling to pick up speed when driving on the road or increase RPMs then there might be something wrong with that machine’s electrical system especially its spark plug wires which are very important for optimum engine performance since they provide the necessary voltage to where it needs to go without any problems.
An engine knocking sound is probably one of the worst sounds a car can make because it means that metal pieces are striking each other abnormally, causing damage over time and affecting the entire vehicle as a whole not just one part.
The reason this happens is that those pieces aren’t fitting together as intended anymore which could be from lack of maintenance by the user or a faulty part. If this is you then get your engine looked at by a professional ASAP!
This sound might be the cause of metal pieces hitting each other abnormally, but it’s also probably due to lack of oil which causes the machine to overheat and seize up, causing your vehicle to shut off on you while going 70 miles per hour on a highway or interstate ramp.
That’s why it’s important to always keep an eye out for any signs of leakage because that will never lead to anything good!
Motorcycles and cars require ignition coils and spark plug wires to function properly which means that you need to take care of them and get repairs when needed because if this doesn’t happen then there’s a chance that your vehicle could break down while driving or just not start at all.
This can be quite dangerous especially when stuck on the side of the road where passing motorists will likely crash into you due to not paying attention while trying to avoid debris such as broken glass or plastic from your car’s lights (if they were still working) which might get lodged inside their tire, which can cause a blowout once enough speed is obtained after changing lanes to pass you by.
If you have a lot of experience tinkering with car parts then it should be safe to say that you know what you’re doing and could replace the part on your own.
There’s nothing too complicated about how to go about doing this, but if you’ve never done this before, it is recommendable that you use some sort of guide or instructional video on YouTube just to make sure that everything will go smoothly.
If one of the wires breaks while trying to remove it from its precise location where four more just like it are connected directly after the same distance which means they share an assembly so rotating them in an alternating order might not work since they can get twisted up during removal or installation so be prepared.
Having someone help you will make things go faster even if you don’t need their assistance with the actual removal or installation of the part then at least there’s someone to keep watch over your car just in case something bad happened like a nut or bolt wasn’t tightened enough which could lead to tampering with other components, so having an extra pair of eyes is always helpful.
Yes, they can be fixed but only if the wires are burnt out because this means that they broke down completely and couldn’t send electricity through them anymore.
Getting one replaced would be recommended since there’s no way they could ever work properly again after experiencing this type of damage arising from excessive resistance which heats up the wire until it starts burning.
This often happens when the spark plug wire is not installed properly and it gets pinched near where it connects to the coil pack or ignition coil.
If this never happened then there’s a chance that other parts might’ve failed such as the spark plugs which will need to be replaced so getting those checked immediately would be recommended before anything else.
An average cost for a set of eight spark plug wires is between $20 and $50. Some higher-performance aftermarket sets can cost up to $200. The price varies depending on the type of wire, the material used in its construction, the length of each wire (some use different lengths for various cylinders), and other factors.
If the engine cranks but doesn’t start, there could be an issue with your spark plug wires although not having enough voltage supplied to them be another one, especially when trying to fire up your engine.
But if there is nothing wrong with the voltage and you get the same result, then it might mean that there’s a problem with your fuel pump since it sends gasoline to your cylinders before powering them so without replacing the pump or getting it repaired.
You won’t be able to get anywhere, especially in an emergency situation where you need reliable transportation to use for work or school.
If they are produced from high-quality materials and well-made components then a set of spark plug wires could last over 100,000 miles because this is one part of a machine that doesn’t contain any electrical parts, which can fail but instead metal pieces that rub together when electricity passes through them.
Yes, if you’re the owner of an older car and it’s for one reason or another cannot be taken in for a general checkup because it’s still running well enough to last a few more months or even years then there are some actions you can take to prolong their lifespan such as:
Spark plug wires should have very low resistance so that the maximum amount of voltage is delivered to the plugs. If there is too much resistance, it can overheat the wire and cause it to fail.
You can test for excessive resistance with an ohmmeter. The reading you get should be very close to zero. If it is not, the wire needs to be replaced.
Spark plug wires are one of the more integral parts of your engine because they handle electricity that causes your engine to run which can be quite dangerous if left unattended for too long, but the chance of this happening is slim to none unless you’re driving an old car or motorcycle.
If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to replace either of these two components then make sure that you know what you’re doing first before spending any money on replacement parts.
That’s because there won’t be anything wrong with it if it’s still good as new. Just don’t waste your time and money on something that will just break down again even faster than before so it would’ve been better off if you spent some extra cash on getting repairs done by professionals.
