- 6/12/2024
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Why engines need a spark plugs?
In order to know the function of the plugs in a car, you first need to know how the engine works. The car engine, known as the internal combustion engine, is a simple and complex machine at the same time, and its main function is to convert the mixture of air and gasoline after burning it into kinetic energy in order to move the wheels and move the car on the road.
The goal of internal combustion in a car engine is to rotate and start the engine, and the process of starting the engine requires many components such as valves, camshaft, crankshaft, crankshaft, pistons, fuel pump, and many other components such as pistons or pulleys.
As for the function of the spark plugs in the engine is to generate the spark that ignites the air-fuel mixture, which leads to the explosion that makes your engine produce kinetic energy and move the car, as the bobbins generate the flame through two metal parts that are not in contact but are close enough to each other so that electricity can be generated in the gap between them, and the spark occurs of course inside the cylinders, and each cylinder contains one plug.
Spark plugs are designed to be able to withstand millions of explosions before they wear out and need to be replaced, but over time, too many explosions wear out and damage the poles of the plugs, resulting in a weaker or no spark at all, which will affect your engine's operation.
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What are the symptoms of failing spark plugs?
As for the symptoms of the failing spark plugs in the car, they are as follows:
You won't be able to start the engine
One of the most essential symptoms of the life span end of the spark plug, or if its damaged, is the inability to start the engine, so here is either one or more spark plugs that unable to generate a spark, this will affect the process of starting the engine, which may work after several attempts, but you should know that the loss of the ability to start the engine has other reasons that you should be aware of.
Weakness of the engine while idle
If you notice that the car's engine runs inconsistently and incorrectly while parked for several minutes or more, there is a possibility that one or more of the spark plugs are generating a light spark that is unable to burn the mixture as required for the engine to function properly.
The car is not accelerating well
The acceleration of the car occurs when the driver presses the accelerator pedal hard, whether when the car is parked or when it is moving, and if you feel that your car accelerates slow and unresponsive, there is a high possibility that there is an issue with the spark plugs and that one or more of them need to be changed, and in this case driving the car is uncomfortable and can even cause you trouble at times.
Loud engine noise
One of the most important symptoms of damaged or life-ended spark plugs is the abnormally high engine sound, when one or more plugs are damaged, the engine will work harder to compensate for the weakness in the cylinder that has a spark defect, and this leads to the engine sounding audibly even from inside the car during stopping or while moving, and this sound is accompanied by vibrations that are sometimes violent.
Engine fluctuations
Damaged or nearly expired spark plugs make the engine's work fluctuate and intermittent, specifically you will feel that the engine's power is not constant, as it is normal for a certain period, then its performance suddenly weakens and then returns strong again, and even one damaged spark plug is enough to cause this issue, which can sometimes be accompanied by a popping sound from the engine due to the defect in the ignition process.
Increased fuel consumption
When the spark plugs are damaged or close to be damaged, they cannot burn fuel in the combustion chamber in an effective way, and when this happens, the car needs more fuel to compensate for the weak spark often, and this will definitely increase the rate of fuel consumption significantly whether your car is old or new.
Smoke from the exhaust
Damaged or nearly expired spark plugs can contribute to thick black and sometimes white smoke coming out of the exhaust in addition to high carbon emissions; due to not generating a proper spark to burn the air-fuel mixture, and when you notice this smoke, you should head to the dealership or your trusted mechanic to examine the issue and solve it before it gets to next phase.
Check engine light on
Every car has a computer that reads all the systems and gives commands to each system so that the car works without any issues, and if there is a malfunction or issue in one of the spark plugs, whether damage, end of life, or contamination with fuel and carbon, the system gives a command to show yellow sign “Check Engine” in the dashboard means you know that there is an issue that must be recognized and resolved.
