How many kilometers should the Lavida spark plug be replaced?
2 Answers
Lavida spark plugs should be replaced every 40,000 kilometers. Methods to determine if the spark plug is damaged: Remove the spark plug for observation, and judge the usage condition of the spark plug based on the following appearance colors. A normal spark plug's insulator skirt and electrodes appear gray-white, gray-yellow, or light brown. A properly functioning spark plug has a reddish-brown insulator skirt, with an electrode gap between 0.8-0.9mm, and no signs of electrode burning. If the spark plug has oil stains or deposits, and the spark plug itself is not damaged, it can continue to be used after cleaning the oil stains and deposits. If the spark plug is severely damaged, with phenomena such as blistering at the top, black streaks, cracking, or electrode melting, the cause of the damage should be identified. After troubleshooting, replace the spark plug with a new one. Additionally, if the spark plug appears black as if smoked, it indicates that the spark plug's heat range is incorrect or the air-fuel mixture is too rich, with oil seeping up.
I've driven a Lavida for many years, and spark plugs are indeed very important—don't wait until problems arise to replace them. Generally, it's recommended to inspect or replace the spark plugs in a Lavida every 30,000 kilometers or so, depending on the manual and the type of spark plugs you use. Last time, I delayed until nearly 40,000 kilometers before replacing them, and as a result, fuel consumption shot up, and I could feel the engine shaking during startup. I quickly took it to a repair shop to get it fixed. The reason? Spark plugs are responsible for igniting and starting the engine. Over time, carbon buildup or electrode wear can affect combustion efficiency, and in severe cases, it may even lead to ignition failure or damage to other components. It's best to handle this during regular maintenance to avoid emergency fixes. After replacement, the car ran much smoother, fuel consumption returned to normal, and it felt totally worth it. Remember, the Lavida's factory manual usually recommends checking at 30,000 kilometers. If you're using high-end iridium spark plugs, they might last up to 60,000 kilometers, but don't gamble on luck.
