These plugs also use a small center electrode, which requires less voltage to generate a consistent spark. Iridium: These are the longest-lasting plugs and are more heat-resistant than platinum.They are more durable and allow for a longer lifespan. Platinum: These are similar to copper plugs, but the center electrode (and sometimes the ground electrode) use platinum.These are inexpensive, but not widely used today since they aren’t very durable. Copper: These spark plugs feature a center electrode that has a copper core coated with a nickel alloy.The most common characteristic of a spark plug has to do with the types of metal used: Manufacturers specify which plug to use in every engine application. Spark plugs use ceramic as an insulator, which helps manage heat and prevents the electrical spark from grounding out. Spark plugs vary in many ways, from size or reach, to heat range, and even in electrode design. Are There Different Types of Spark Plugs? Help create more heat when starting, especially in cold weather. That’s 0.001, or one one-thousandth of a second! And the whole process will repeat thousands of times per minute.įun Fact: Diesel engines do not use spark plugs! They operate using very highĬompression, which creates very high temperatures, to then auto-ignite diesel fuel.
When the spark is delivered at just the right moment, what started as chemical energy from the air/fuel mix gets converted to heat energy from the explosion and then to mechanical energy, which moves the crankshaft and eventually the drivetrain.Įach spark typically lasts about 1 millisecond. High voltage is necessary to jump the gap, which then producesĮach cylinder has ports or valves to let in the air and fuel (and to let out the exhaust), as well as a piston, which moves to create a pumping action to draw in and compress the combustible air/fuel mixture. The tip of the spark plug uses electrodes separated by a small gap. To get the explosion, an ignition system delivers high voltage to the spark plug, which protrudes into the cylinder. Is done with the intent that these two ingredients will mix to form a combustible recipe. The fuel system uses multiple components to deliver fuel - we’ll use gasoline in this example - either to the intake or directly to the chamber. How Do Spark Plugs Work?įor the internal combustion engine to function and produce power, it needs three things: air, fuel and ignition.Īir is funneled toward a cylinder’s combustion chamber using an intake system. Let’s discuss the combustion process to truly recognize and respect the spark plug’s role in the operation. The spark plug is responsible for delivering a quick, high-voltage jolt of electricity to initiate the explosion we call combustion. Whether engines are one cylinder or eight, one camshaft or four, carbureted or fuel-injected, the spark plug has been there the Spark plugs might be small parts on a vehicle, but they play a big role in helping it function on a daily basis.Įven with the continuing technological changes in automobiles, the mighty little spark plug has always been a big piece of the puzzle.
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