The issue of replacing candles, as well as the frequency of this procedure, is as controversial as the question of whether or ... As with any issue, the first step is to refer to the instruction manual. It, as they say, indicates in black and white the interval after which the spark plugs must be replaced.
Moreover, in the same manual, the manufacturer and brand of the candles themselves, which are recommended to be installed, will be indicated. It would seem that the problem is solved, the answer to the question is found, the article can be finished! However, the reality is not so simple...
Well, firstly, the manufacturer, as we know, does not always indicate in the manual what is really best for our car. There can be many reasons for this, I will not list them, I will say one thing that the main one is the financial benefit of the automaker itself, which has concluded a contract with this spark plug manufacturer. Moreover, time goes by, new, more advanced products appear, and it is not at all necessary to put old-style candles on your typewriter, which are obsolete and may have already been discontinued.
We go further - the frequency of replacement. It is also most likely due to the automaker or spark plug manufacturer. That's right, in most cases it is, but there are several important nuances that cannot be ignored.
- In pursuit of a buyer, spark plug manufacturers attribute to their products unprecedented properties and unnaturally high mileage, after which they need to be changed. Some promise uninterrupted operation for 30-50 thousand kilometers, while others promise even 100 thousand. Who knows, maybe someone believes in such "marketing", but in most cases such indicators are designed for mean people who want to replace candles once and for all and forget about it ... Even if there are such "long-playing" candles, in any case, they were not tested in our harsh climate and fuel. I think you understand what I mean .... The fact is that the manufacturer of candles hardly put their own candles and drove 100 thousand km to find out if they "survive" or not. Most likely, tests were carried out, according to the results of which the corresponding conclusions were drawn. Therefore, when deciding how much to change the candles on your car, take into account the quality of our fuel, take into account the age of your car, its serviceability, uneven loads and difficult operating conditions, and only then draw any conclusion. And don't believe everything that is written...
- Sometimes the replacement of spark plugs is simply necessary, for example, when the spark plugs are in a terrible state for one reason or another, or in case of problems with the engine (fuel consumption has increased, dynamics have disappeared, etc.). Therefore, in this situation, you are unlikely to listen to the manufacturer, who said that there will be enough candles for 100 thousand kilometers.
As you can see, there are quite a few reasons why candles can change earlier than the stipulated interval, so the answer to the question: "When to change candles?" everyone will have their own. In short, it all depends on the condition of the engine, its age and the quality of the candles.
How often to change spark plugs?
- If the car is new, it is recommended to change the spark plugs during regular maintenance at the dealer, after 10 thousand kilometers, this will ensure proper engine break-in and smooth operation.
- If the car has a significant mileage, but you care about how much the engine eats per 100 km, how it works and how your car accelerates, then it is better to change the candles after 20-30 thousand km. run, provided that the candles themselves are able to overpower this run. If the spark plugs are of high quality, then most likely they will be able to run 30 thousand.
- If the car is used regularly, the operating conditions are not the best, and the fuel is either bad or very bad, it is better to change the candles more often, for example, every 10-15 thousand km. Moreover, given all the above arguments, it is also recommended to make it more frequent.
Many who "understand" the issue of candles, and cars in general, are now probably nervously grimacing and complaining, they say, why change them if the engine already works like a clock? There are some, right? So, indeed, some candles and motors are really capable of demonstrating iron endurance, but only SOME. Are you sure that your motor or spark plugs are exactly like this? Is not a fact! The fact is that it is not so easy to notice even a slightly increased “eating up” of fuel, and if the BC still does not show consumption, then it is completely impossible. Perhaps for some this "insignificant" does not play any role, but if you add up + 1-3 liters for every hundred run. If this does not scare you, then calculate how much you will overpay for 1000 or 10,000 km. As for me, taking into account fuel prices, an impressive figure will come out, therefore, whatever one may say, it will be cheaper ahead of schedule. Thus, you will save money and please the motor, which, in turn, will not let you down at the most inopportune moment.
If you don't know when to change spark plugs , you can check and visually inspect them, after which it will be easier to make a decision - to change or not to change. Based on the table below, draw a conclusion about the condition of the candles in your car. Click on the picture to enlarge.
Symptoms that indicate the need to replace spark plugs:
1. Excessive fuel consumption;
2. Vibration, car twitching;
3., quadruples, fives ... (-:;
5. Deterioration of dynamics, traction is gone;
4. Carbon deposits on candles, damage or wear of the central electrode. Increased gap between electrodes.
Prevention
- So that the replacement of candles is not frequent, watch what you fill in the tank, avoid the "left" gas stations.
- Regularly check the condition of the candles, for example, every 5 thousand kilometers. This will save you from excessive fuel consumption and unpleasant surprises on the road, especially in winter.
- Buy a set of spark plugs and carry them with you, as they say, just in case.
- Keep an eye on the oil level in the engine, as well as its condition.
- Buy only high-quality candles, preferably those recommended by the manufacturer of your car, but this does not mean that others are contraindicated for you. You have the right to choose similar candles, the main thing is that they fit the parameters (working temperature, glow number, number of side electrodes, thread diameter, etc.). Leading spark plug manufacturers: NGK, BOSCH, Brisk, DENSO.
I have everything, I hope you draw the right conclusions. Those who liked the article can express their gratitude in the comments. Those who do not like it can also express their disagreement. If you think that the article is incomplete, please feel free to add to me, using, again, the comment form. Bye everyone, until we meet again at. Take care of yourself and your VAZik!
The interval for replacing spark plugs depends on various factors. The main ones will be described below. First of all, it should be borne in mind that the life of original products exceeds the life of counterfeit products by several times. Many branded candles work without problems even for 50 thousand km, but for third-party products this is almost unrealistic.
The service life of spark plugs also depends on the quality of the fuel. Car owners who constantly refuel the car with low-quality diesel or gasoline change candles quite often. Usually this procedure should be performed every 20-30 thousand kilometers traveled.
Experienced car owners can easily determine when to change spark plugs. The operation and sound of the engine change, extraneous noise and vibration occur. Sometimes the car even starts to twitch.
In addition, the condition of the candles depends on how well the oil filter, oil and the product itself are replaced. Poor quality oil often leads to the rapid formation of deposits on spark plugs, in a negative way on their service life. Excessively low or high oil levels in the engine can lead to the same results.
With an increase in the number of kilometers a car has been driven, it is necessary to replace spark plugs more and more often, since they are subject to wear, like any materials. To prolong the life of your spark plugs, try to refuel only with high-quality fuel and avoid using the services of dubious gas stations.
Also keep an eye on the oil level in the power unit of the machine. Buy only original spark plugs suitable for your car. You need to purchase them in stores where reliability and high quality products are guaranteed.
The most correct approach to choosing a spark plug is to be guided by the recommendations of the manufacturer of your car. Usually, the instruction manual indicates which manufacturer and type of spark plug is suitable for your car engine. If you don’t have it, you can pick up products from the catalogs of candle manufacturers (as a rule, they are available from sellers). You can also choose a spark plug and selection method. For example, knowing the designation of a spark plug of a brand suitable for the engine of your car, you can choose a similar one from other manufacturers.
Then, spark plugs can also be determined by the presence or absence of soot. If you find that quite a lot of it has already gathered, the candle needs to be replaced urgently, regardless of its service life. Cleaning of soot must be done regularly.
Pay due attention to the care of all components of the car, as you use a single mechanism where all systems are interconnected.
Quite often, we hear all sorts of opinions about how long spark plugs can last. Some believe that the average mileage of a candle is 20,000 km, others claim that you can drive a hundred. There is no unequivocal opinion on this issue in the professional community. Dmitry Makutenus, director of the AutoHit spare parts store for Japanese cars, will help us figure out the problem.
- Dmitry, how often should spark plugs be changed?
- To begin with, we will divide the candles into two main groups: simple and platinum / iridium. The candle functions in a knot closed from the eyes and without withdrawal, we are not able to assess its wear. Car manufacturers recommend changing spark plugs during scheduled maintenance, which is 10-15 thousand km. mileage (by the way, recently this recommendation has also been written for platinum / iridium candles, most likely, this is a loophole left for official services to be able to earn decent money on their replacement).
Experienced drivers recommend determining the wear time of a candle by mileage - every 20-30 thousand kilometers. We open the catalog of the NGK candle manufacturer, it contains a recommendation for replacing spark plugs for cars with a mileage of 15-20 thousand km (platinum / iridium - 100 thousand km), for small cars 7-10 thousand km.
There are situations that, due to poor-quality gasoline, the electrodes of the candles “burn out” ahead of time, and in this case, any driver will feel the wear of the candles due to uneven engine operation and a drop in traction. Another extreme is when the owner of a car drives 40-80 thousand km on "simple" candles, not realizing that with "worn" candles, he loses the power of the car, respectively, consumes more gasoline (not to mention the difficulty of starting the engine in winter time).
I'm not going to invent anything new, and in this case - I recommend changing the candles in accordance with the recommendations of the candle manufacturers that I cited above (for cars with "simple" candles 15-20 thousand km, for platinum / iridium candles - 100 thousand km. ). I propose not to evaluate your candles by eye, tooth, tongue, but to direct your research abilities to other necessary things.
- And what are the signs of wear of spark plugs, if we still want to evaluate them by eye?
- Indirectly (meaning, in advance, before professional diagnostics), you can determine the wear of candles by the so-called "twitching" of the car and vibration (the engine is "troit").
In any case, before contacting a professional diagnostician, you can conduct a visual inspection (unless, of course, the candles are easily removed, in six to eight cylinder engines, the candles are removed through the analysis of the intake tract, and this is at least time consuming).
First of all, let's pay attention to the size of the gap of the electrodes and carbon deposits. On any candle there is a marking of the type of this candle, where there is information about the gap of the electrodes - this is the last digit in the marking, it is indicated in millimeters (the absence of a number means that the gap should be 8 mm.). If the actual gap is greater than the declared one, then this is a sign of a “greater” mileage of the candle and it needs to be urgently changed.
In an ideal ignition, there should be no carbon deposits on the candles, because with proper combustion, the electrodes of the candles are self-cleaning. There may be black or white soot on the candles, this itself does not indicate the quality of the candles, this indicates an incorrectly set ignition (then this is the work of a diagnostician). But if the candles differ in appearance (for example, there will be soot on one candle, or it will be “wet”), then this is an occasion to remember when you last changed the candles and replace accordingly (not one with signs of wear, but all) .
The next thing to pay attention to is the change in the type of ceramic insulator. If there are cracks in it, they are usually filled with a brown coating (covered with a "cobweb"). This is a clear defect of the spark plug and ideally the whole set should be replaced.
Another common defect is the appearance of a brown “skirt” on the electrode. In this case, the metal body of the candle and the ceramic insulator are delaminated, combustion products get into the “gap” formed, so a brown “skirt” appears at the junction of the metal and ceramics. Small traces (“skirts”) are not criminal, but if this skirt is large in size and dark brown, then this candle should be replaced.
The above recommendations should be considered in the light of the mileage of the desired candles. And if, the total mileage of the kit is 15-20 thousand km. (for platinum and iridium 80-100), then the entire set of candles should be changed, regardless of their appearance.
- A oIs it mandatory to use spark plugs recommended by the manufacturer?
- As a rule, the manufacturer in the user manual indicates one or two candle manufacturers and their type. Different manufacturers have different designations and type systems, but, as a rule (there are exclusive types developed according to the terms of reference of automakers for some exclusive car brands), 98% of types are produced by the main candle manufacturers, although they have different markings (i.e. each manufacturer has its own labeling system), but are identical.
Therefore, in addition to those indicated in the user manual, you can install candles from other manufacturers that suit you in terms of design and glow number. It is possible to change the type of candle in the direction of improvement and rise in price (i.e., instead of “simple” candles, put new types developed by candle manufacturers after the release of the car model, for example, Denso Type “TT”). You can put a similar type, but with a platinum or iridium electrode. You can supply a similar type, but with more electrodes, etc.).
You must understand that the car manufacturer, when completing spare parts for his car, is guided by the principle of "necessary sufficiency". That is, he cannot install worse candles on his car, but he doesn’t install them better because of their higher cost. Therefore, the process of selecting the type of candles is a creative process and is limited only by your wallet.
- Then, tell me how to choose the right spark plugs?
- The easiest thing is to open the car manual and, in accordance with the information received, buy candles. And we are happy to sell you candles in our auto parts store! If you have lost the manual or want to improve the quality of the ignition system, then the consultants of our auto shop will help you with the choice.
Spark plugs are an important part of any car engine. They are involved in the ignition system of the car. The design of modern spark plugs is quite strong, however, under high loads (which occur in the engine), they wear out, and even low-quality fuel simply kills them (read the useful article -). After a certain period of time, it is better for us to replace them, that's just - after how much to change? Let's think...
But if your car is already out of warranty? Then how often to change the spark plugs? After all, you yourself have to monitor their condition.
I traveled a lot both on official services and on unofficial services that deal with car maintenance. And you know, all the masters say one thing, the more often you change, the better!
Ideally, it should be changed at every oil change! That is, after 15 - 20,000 kilometers! But if you use branded candles, then this pleasure is not cheap. So how much is real - they can work normally?
Guys, do not delay the replacement, no matter what high-quality candles you have, even or from any other noble metals, it is recommended to change the candles no more than after 40 - 50,000 kilometers! Remember!
If you have cheap candles, bought in large stores (for example, in AUCHAN), then we change these with each oil change. Preferably 10 - 15,000 kilometers. Such candles do not last long, and they do not always destroy the core itself or its insulation, it happens that the candle is broken at the place where the metal part is attached.
Here is a simple example in the photo, it didn’t even pass 12,000 kilometers, it was on a VAZ 2114.
The engine troiled terribly, and the spark left the upper part, moisture was evidently affected, the candle simply rusted. Changed the whole set.
I had branded candles on my FORD FUSION, after the engine began to run unevenly, I just changed them. The mileage on this kit was approximately 55,000 kilometers. After I installed new ones, the engine was restored.
That's all, change the spark plugs more often and your engine will run at 100%.
11.10.2012There are 3 most common myths about spark plugs: when, how often and how often you need to change spark plugs.
Heed our advice and save on fuel consumption and new spark plugs.
Myth #1 Spark plug life
Most people and car owners assume that spark plug life is set by the manufacturer. And he can set both 30, 40, and even all 70 thousand km. run.
The reality of this problem is this: A normal factory spark plug should run 30,000 miles. But this does not apply to fake spark plug kits, which are now in abundance on the market. A fake can last you as much as 5 thousand, or it may not work at all.
Myth #2 Fuel consumption
Many people think that while the car is driving, you can not change the candles and save money on this.
In reality, the picture of this situation is slightly different: if your spark plugs have already worked 30,000 km (or even 10,000 km, depending on the brand), then it is recommended to replace the spark plugs with new ones in order to avoid overspending gasoline (). So the picture in financial terms is as follows: it is much more profitable to save on fuel than on candles, because. the cost of candles is small compared to fuel.
Myth No. 3 Extending the life of candles
Logically, the quieter we drive, the longer the service life. In practice, things are a little different.
There is a concept called "self-cleaning spark plugs". This means that at high speeds, the engine cleans the spark plug from carbon deposits, which prolongs the service life. You also need to periodically check the gap in the spark plugs. It must meet the factory requirements of both the candle itself and your car. Therefore, always buy the right spark plugs. Do not fill the spark plugs, especially in winter - let the engine warm up, only then start driving.
So, let's sum up a little. How often to change spark plugs:
- From 20,000 km and above, if the candles are working properly.
- 10,000 km - if you want to save on fuel. In winter, you need to let the engine warm up, and from time to time you need to check the gaps on the candles. At the same time, do not forget to carry an additional set of candles with you, and then everything will be fine with you.
