The short answer is spark plugs help start your engine and keep it moving. They are the necessary component that ignite the air and fuel mixtures within the cylinders. Costly damage can occur down the road if you don’t maintain regular cleaning or changing of your engine’s spark plugs.
How Often And When
On average you should replace your car’s spark plugs every 30,000 miles. However it will vary depending on the make and model of your car, and of course how much wear and tear it’s already seen. Make sure you consult your car’s manual to get a more accurate marker.
But let’s just say you have no idea when the last time they were changed. Or perhaps your car is dealing with some issues that might be attributed to faulty spark plugs. Here are some general symptoms that might point to faulty spark plug issue:
Engine Issues
Generally drivers know the sound of their own car, and are familiar with how it sounds while idling. So a hiccup, jump or misfire should not go unnoticed. If you notice your car is not humming like it should this could mean an inconsistent performance of your car’s spark plugs.
Starting Issues
If you start noticing issues starting your car, this could be a sign of faulty or dirty spark plugs. Misfiring spark plugs can actually drain the battery. But if your car isn’t starting like it used to, look at the battery and the spark plugs.
Fuel Issues
Spark plug issues have been known to increase gas consumption by 30%. If you notice a surge in how many times you’re filling up a week, this could be a sign of faulty spark plugs. Fuel issues could relate to a variety of things, like air pressure, tire alignment and of course dirty spark plugs. However beyond putting air in your tires, changing the spark plug is should be one of the first things on the list to look at.
Accelerating Issues
If you notice a sluggishness in the pep of your car, this could point to spark plug issues. Poor acceleration can be attributed to misfiring spark plugs not igniting the necessary components in the car’s cylinders. Bring your car in for spark plug maintenance before you go installing a nitrous tank.
Spark plug issues can cause detrimental damage to many important parts of your engine. Regular maintenance is a relatively easy preventative maintenance step that your car and wallet will appreciate.
