What are the symptoms of spark plug aging?
4 Answers
Symptoms of spark plug aging: Difficulty starting, low power, excessive exhaust emissions, increased fuel consumption. Steps for replacing spark plugs: Open the hood, lift the plastic cover of the engine, remove the high-voltage distributor wires, and mark each cylinder's position to avoid confusion. Use a spark plug socket to remove the spark plugs one by one. While removing them, check for external debris like leaves or dust and ensure thorough cleaning. Place the new spark plug into the spark plug hole, hand-tighten it a few turns, and then use the socket to tighten it further. Reinstall the removed high-voltage distributor wires according to the firing order and secure the cover. Methods to determine if a spark plug is damaged: Remove the spark plug and observe its condition 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 burn. If the spark plug has oil stains or deposits but is not damaged, it can continue to be used after cleaning off the oil and deposits. If the spark plug is severely damaged, showing signs like blistering at the top, black streaks, cracks, or melted electrodes, identify the cause of the damage. After troubleshooting, replace the spark plug. Additionally, if the spark plug appears black as if smoked, it indicates the wrong heat range was selected or the air-fuel mixture is too rich, with oil creeping up.
When you notice your engine shaking like it's dancing and feeling sluggish during acceleration, I suspect it might be due to worn-out spark plugs. After aging, their ignition efficiency drops, leading to incomplete combustion of the air-fuel mixture in the cylinders. This causes starting difficulties, especially in cold weather, with the engine roaring noticeably louder. Fuel consumption also creeps up silently – previously consuming 8L per 100km, now rising to over 10L, which really hurts the wallet. There's also the emission issue, with exhaust turning black and harming the environment. If not replaced promptly, the engine warning light might illuminate, potentially even damaging the catalytic converter. I recommend checking spark plugs every 20,000 kilometers to prevent these minor issues from becoming major headaches.
When spark plugs age from prolonged use, the most noticeable symptoms are increased engine vibration and unstable idling, making the car feel like it's groaning. Starting becomes troublesome, especially in the morning, requiring multiple turns of the key before the engine fires up. Acceleration becomes sluggish and weak, necessitating deeper throttle presses when climbing hills, which naturally leads to higher fuel consumption—I've seen many such cases in my ten years of driving. Occasionally, black smoke may appear from the exhaust, indicating incomplete combustion. Aging spark plugs can also affect the spark plug wires, potentially causing issues with the entire ignition system. It's advisable to replace old spark plugs as soon as possible to avoid more significant damage.
When spark plugs age, the engine may experience misfires, lack of power during acceleration, difficulty climbing hills, and prolonged starting times, especially in winter. Idle becomes unstable with noticeable body shaking. Aged spark plugs fail to ignite the air-fuel mixture, leading to significantly increased fuel consumption and environmental impact. Timely replacement can resolve these annoying symptoms.
