What is a Spark Plug? Components of Spark Plug

Need to know about Spark Plug? Here is the complete guide for you about Spark Plug

What is a Spark Plug?

Spark plug was first invented in 1860 by Etienne Lenoir, it is also known as Sparking plug. This is an electronic device that adjusts into the cylinder head of a combustion spark-ignition engine and helps to ignite compressed fuel or mixture of air through an electric spark.Components of Spark Plug

Components of a Spark Plug

There three major components of spark plug, those are-

The Housing: The insulator use to have a boundary by a shell, the housing helps to shape that outer shell. It provides support to the insulator and places the spark plug properly within the engine.

Insulator: The middle part of the electrode use to surround by a hexagon-shaped metal threaded shell, known as an insulator. The top and bottom parts of the insulator usually remain uncovered. The tapped socket in the engine holds the spark plug by the help of an insulator.

Electrode: The central electrode is a thick metal wire and may contain a resistor. It remains connected by a metal wire to the output end of an ignition cable. The resistor emits the radio noise from the sparking.

Working process of Spark Plug

To provide the necessary power to the engine spark plug works as a backbone. The fuel, as well as the gasoline and the air mixture into the cylinder, create an extremely combustible bonding. To create a spark from the spark plug the coil releases the exact voltage. Due to the ignition, a small bang occurs and power the engine. This process continues very swiftly by a spark plug.

Different types of Spark Plug

We can find four basic types of spark plugs. All perform well in different vehicles. What kind of spark plug is needed it depends on a vehicles’ manufacturer suggestion but anyone can always upgrade it too.

Copper Spark Plug: It is made of solid copper. A copper spark plug is best for older vehicles as well as small engines because they do not require excessive electric current. Because of the biggest diameter, this spark plug requires more voltage.

Iridium Spark Plug: Although it is costly but nowadays many car manufacturers suggest iridium spark plugs for their vehicles because of its’ optimum performance, average ignitibility, excellent acceleration, etc. It is actually a long-lasting one and needs less voltage too.

Platinum Spark Plug: Its’ central electrode is made from platinum. It helps to reduce gap erosion.  Platinum spark plug fires quickly and cleanly. But the fact is it is not so strong.

Double Platinum Spark Plug: This type of spark plug is platinum-to-platinum firing, good for a waste spark system. It gives ignition for two times. The advantage is that environmental conditions can not affect this spark plug at all. On the contrary, this is not for electrical DIS.

What are the important things you need to know when buy a Spark Plug?

You should know some important information when planning to buy a spark plug. Those are-

1. First of all, one needs to know the brand name of the vehicle such as Audi, BMW, Acura and etc.
2. The model name and year of the vehicle.
3. You need to also remember if the transmission system of your vehicle is an automatic or a manual one.
4. Engine type and the number of cylinders.
5. Details about engines’ displacement are equally important to know. Its’ vary from new vehicles’ to older.
6. Fuel system.
7. The part number for the spark plug.
8. The space between the central and side electrodes is known as the spark plug gap. It is also a necessary thing to know when anyone wishes to buy a spark plug.

Components of Spark Plug

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