6 Symptoms of Faulty or Damaged Spark Plugs

Fuel would be unable to ignite in the combustion chamber without the presence of a spark. For many years, spark plugs have been an integral part of the internal combustion engine. Spark plugs are designed to provide an electrical signal from the ignition coil at a specified moment to ignite the air-fuel combination inside the combustion chamber.

Each car requires a unique spark plug manufactured of specified materials and installed with a specific spark plug gap established by a professional during installation. Good spark plugs will effectively burn fuel, but poor or faulty spark plugs will cause the engine to not start at all.

Check your car's MOT status and schedule an appointment with a mechanic if you're experiencing slow acceleration, lack of power, poor fuel efficiency, engine misfires, or trouble starting your car. These are all signs that your spark plugs are malfunctioning.

Spark plugs, like engine oil, fuel filters, and air filters, need to be serviced and maintained on a regular basis to keep your engine operating smoothly. Spark plugs must be changed every 30,000 to 50,000 miles in most cars.

Some modern vehicles on the other hand, feature improved ignition systems that theoretically eliminate the need for spark plug replacement. There are times when a spark plug wears out or exhibits indications of failure, regardless of any warranties or promises made by the car manufacturer.

Six frequent signs of worn-out or clogged spark plugs that need to be changed by a car mechanic as soon as possible are listed below:

1.      Slow acceleration - In most vehicles, a malfunction with the ignition system is the most prevalent reason of poor acceleration. The issue might be a broken sensor in today's sophisticated engines, which have several sensors that inform the onboard computer and ignition system when to send electric pulses to fire the spark plug. Occasionally, though, the problem is as simple as a worn-out spark plug.The components of a spark plug work together to create a hot enough spark to ignite the air-fuel combination. When such materials wear out, the spark plug's effectiveness is diminished, which can result in a considerable loss of vehicle acceleration. It's conceivable that your next MOT may fail the emissions test. As a result, it's a good idea to check MOT status of your car and get the spark plugs changed ahead of time.A broken spark plug that must be replaced might be the cause of your car's sluggishness or inability to accelerate as rapidly as it once did. However, you should see a professional to investigate this problem because it might be caused by a variety of other reasons such as blocked or filthy fuel injectors, or problems with oxygen sensors.

2.      Reduced Fuel Economy - In the combustion cycle, a fully functional spark plug aids in the efficient burning of fuel. When this happens, your car's fuel efficiency will be better than average. When the spark plug isn't operating properly, it's usually because the spacing between the electrodes is too tight or too far apart. Instead,then replacing the spark plug totally, many mechanics will remove it, inspect it, and adjust the gap to factory values. A worn-out spark plug might be to blame for an increase in fuel usage in your car.

3.      Misfiring Engine - When the engine misfires, it's usually due to a problem with the ignition system. It's frequently caused to a sensor failure in newer autos. However, it might also be caused by a broken spark plug wire or the spark plug tip that attaches to the wire. Intermittent stuttering or sputtering noises from the engine indicate an engine misfire. If the engine continues to misfire, exhaust emissions will rise, engine power will fall, and fuel efficiency will suffer. Was this one of the reasons of a failed MOT test on a MOT history check of your car?

4.      Engine Surging or Hesitation - While accelerating, you may notice the engine hesitating. The engine is not reacting appropriately to the driver in this scenario. It may have a brief burst of power before slowing down. In its combustion process, the engine is drawing in more air than it should, resulting in a delay in power delivery. A spark plug issue might be indicated by the combination of reluctance and surging.

5.      Rough Idle - When your engine is idling, it may sound rough due to a faulty spark plug. Your car will tremble because of the all-encompassing, frenetic sound. It might be an indication of a spark plug problem if a cylinder misfires only when the engine is running. This can also cause your dashboard's check engine light to illuminate. If you check MOT history and find that your car failed a prior MOT because the engine management light was on, a simple maintenance like spark plug replacement might have been the cause.

6.      Starting Difficulties - If you're experiencing trouble starting your vehicle, it might be because your spark plugs are worn out. The engine's ignition system, as previously said, is made up of numerous separate components that must work together to function properly. As soon as you discover problems starting your car, you should contact a skilled mechanic.

Whatever the problem is, you may require new spark plugs when they wear out. Taking care of your spark plugs on a regular basis will help your engine last for thousands of miles.