What happens if one of the four spark plugs fails?
1 Answers
If one of the four spark plugs is damaged, it may cause slight engine vibration, but the impact is not significant. To ensure uniform ignition, it is recommended to replace all four spark plugs at the same time. Effects of a damaged spark plug: A damaged spark plug can directly lead to issues such as leakage in the vehicle's ignition system, increased fuel consumption, and reduced power. The most critical problem is difficulty in ignition, which affects the normal operation of the vehicle. Severe erosion of the spark plug, such as scarring at the top, damage, or melted electrodes, indicates that the spark plug is damaged and should be replaced. Methods to determine if a spark plug is damaged: Remove the spark plug and observe its appearance to assess its condition. A normal spark plug's insulator skirt and electrodes should 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 is contaminated with oil or deposits but is otherwise undamaged, it can continue to be used after cleaning off the oil and deposits. If the spark plug is severely damaged, showing signs such as scarring, black streaks, cracks, or melted electrodes, 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 wrong heat range was selected or that the air-fuel mixture is too rich, or that oil is leaking into the combustion chamber.
