How Long Does It Take to Break in Newly Replaced Spark Plugs?

[SanEmilia]

The normal break-in period is within 3,000 km, which typically takes about two months to reach under normal driving conditions. Spark plugs are critical components of a gasoline engine's ignition system. They introduce high voltage into the combustion chamber, creating a spark across the electrode gap to ignite the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder. Under high voltage, the air between the spark plug's center electrode and side electrode rapidly ionizes, forming positively charged ions and negatively charged free electrons. When the voltage between the electrodes reaches a certain level, the number of ions and electrons in the gas increases like an avalanche, causing the air to lose its insulating properties and forming a discharge channel, resulting in a "breakdown" phenomenon. At this point, the gas becomes a luminous body, known as a "spark." Along with thermal expansion, a "crackling" sound is also produced. The temperature of this electric spark can reach 2,000–3,000°C, sufficient to ignite the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder's combustion chamber.