Learn all About Car Spark Plugs Part I

In this blog, we are going to talk about a vital part of any car that literally keeps the engine on. The auto part to which we are referring is the spark plugs. They are in charge of transmitting the ignition inside the combustion chamber. Since they play an important role, they can be purchased at any auto repair shop. However, it is not as simple as it may seem.  There is one type of spark plugs for each car that guarantees it proper performance.

How do Spark Plugs work?

Spark plugs receive a high voltage to generate a spark. The resulting spark must last enough and has the intensity to inflame the mix of air and gasoline.   Moreover, they are made of ceramic materials to resist high temperatures.

These auto parts are exposed to continuous wear. For that reason, it is necessary to change them periodically. Normally, here at OC Truck and Car Repair LLC, we replace them every time we perform an engine tuning.

Quick note:  You should never combine new and old spark plugs. If you do it, it will affect the engine performance and the fuel efficiency.

How does an auto repair shop know when to replace spark plugs?

Sometimes, spark plugs replacement time is specified in the car owner’s manual. Most of the car manuals recommend you replace them approximately every 30,000 miles. So if your car is properly working follow the previous advice. However, spark plugs replacement time will dependon other factors. These causes are the following:

Oil Leaks

During an engine inspection, we pull out spark plugs of the engine. These need to be clean. If there are not relatively clean or have oil, your engine may have an oil leak. And, that means that you have to replace them more frequently.

High Revs

Aggressive driving habits put cars into their limits.  Of course! High car revolutions mean additional wear and tear on your car spark plugs. And, it will result that you are going to need to replace them more often.

To the contrary, lighter foot drivers will not need to replace their spark plugs more often.

Long life

Similar to other car parts, there are a variety of options in the market for spark plugs. Some of them such as platinum or iridium spark plugs have a longer life. On the other hand, copper spark plugs have the shortest lifespan.

High Performance

Regarding spark plugs, high performance means more wear and tear. So when using this type of spark plugs, you will need to replace them frequently. They have the shortest lifespan because the electrode wears down faster.

These are the four most common factors for spark plugs replacement. Other factors will only be identifying by a professional auto repair shop inspection. If you lived near Beltsville, MD, and its surrounding regions, contact OC truck and Car Repair LLC. We are the most trusted auto repair shop in the area.

Follow us on our social media: Facebook and Google +. We will post within two weeks the second part of Learn all About Car Spark Plugs: “Spark Plugs Replacement like a Pro Auto Repair Shop.”