Spark plugs, basic concepts, how to choose spark plugs and what are their differences. The device of a modern spark plug Types of automotive spark plugs

Spark plug device

The job of a spark plug in a gasoline car engine is to ignite the fuel / air mixture in the combustion chamber. The parts of the plug in the combustion chamber are exposed to high thermal, mechanical, electrical loads, as well as the chemical effect of the products of incomplete combustion of the fuel. The temperature in it varies from 70 to 2500 ° C, the gas pressure reaches 50-60 bar, and the voltage at the electrodes reaches 20 kV and above. Such harsh operating conditions determine the design features of the spark plugs and the materials used, since power, fuel efficiency, engine starting properties, as well as the toxicity of exhaust gases, depend on the uninterrupted sparking.

The main elements of any spark plug are a metal body, a ceramic insulator, electrodes and a contact rod. The body has a thread that is screwed into the cylinder head, a turnkey hexagon and a special coating to protect against corrosion. The support surface can be flat or tapered. In the first case, an O-ring is used to reliably seal the spark plug hole. The insulator is made of high-strength ceramic. To prevent the leakage of electricity on its surface (in the upper part of the insulator), annular grooves (current barriers) are made and a special glaze is applied, and part of the insulator on the side of the combustion chamber is made in the form of a cone (called thermal). Inside the ceramic part of the candle, a central electrode and a contact rod are fixed, between which a resistor can be located to suppress radio interference. The connection of these parts is sealed with a conductive glass mass (glass sealant). The side “earth” electrode is welded to the body.

The electrodes are made of heat-resistant metal or alloy. To improve the removal of heat from the thermal cone, the central electrode can be made of two metals (bimetallic electrode) - the central part of copper is enclosed in a heat-resistant shell. The bimetallic electrode has an increased resource due to the fact that the good thermal conductivity of copper prevents its excessive heating. This allows, in addition to improving thermoelasticity, to increase the reliability and durability of the plug. In order to increase the service life, spark plugs are available with multiple side electrodes and thin electrode with a central electrode covered with a layer of platinum or iridium. The service life of spark plugs (depending on the design) ranges from 30 to 100 thousand km.

The spark plug marking indicates its geometrical and seating dimensions, design features and glow number. Different manufacturers have their own designation system. Below are the markings used by Russian and leading foreign manufacturers, as well as a table of interchangeability of candles of different brands (to view, click on the desired picture - the file will open in a new window).

Heat number is an indicator of the thermal properties of the plug (its ability to heat up under various thermal loads of the engine). It is proportional to the average pressure at which glow ignition begins to appear in its cylinder during the test of the plug on a motorized calibration unit (uncontrolled process of ignition of the working mixture from the glowing elements of the plug). Candles with a low glow number are called hot candles. Their heat cone heats up to a temperature of 900 ° C (the temperature of the onset of glow ignition) at a relatively low heat load. Such plugs are used on low-power engines with low compression ratios. Cold spark plugs are ignited at high thermal loads and are used on highly accelerated engines.

Until the heat cone heats up to 400 ° C, carbon deposits form on it, leading to current leakage and disruption of sparking. Upon reaching this temperature, it (carbon deposits) begins to burn, and the candle is cleared (self-cleaning). The longer the heat cone, the larger its area, so it heats up to self-cleaning temperature with less heat load. In addition, the protrusion of this part of the insulator from the body enhances its blowing with gases, which further accelerates heating and improves cleaning from carbon deposits. An increase in the length of the heat cone leads to a decrease in the glow number (the spark plug becomes "hotter").

Diagnostics of the engine operation by the condition of the spark plugs

A spark plug can only ensure trouble-free operation if the following conditions are met:

• the spark plugs recommended by the engine manufacturer are used;
• the brand of gasoline specified in the vehicle manual is used;
• the ignition and power supply systems are in good order;
• the effort is not exceeded when screwing the spark plug into the head of the engine block.

The most likely reason for premature spark plug failure is their contamination with incomplete combustion products or an increase in the spark gap due to wear of the electrodes. In this case, the technical condition of the engine has a decisive influence on the performance of the spark plugs. Even by appearance candles can be said a lot both about the operation of the engine as a whole, and about its individual units. Inspection of the spark plug should be carried out after prolonged engine operation; the ideal option would be to inspect the spark plug after a long trip on a suburban highway. The mistake of some motorists, for example, is that after a cold start of the engine at sub-zero temperatures and its unstable operation, the first thing to do is to unscrew the candles and, seeing black carbon, make hasty conclusions. But this carbon deposit could have formed during engine operation in cold start mode, when the mixture is forcibly enriched, and unstable work could be the result of, say, a bad state high-voltage wires... Therefore, if something does not suit you in the operation of the engine, and you decide to diagnose its operation with the help of candles, you need to drive at least 250-300 kilometers on initially clean candles, and only after that make some conclusions.

In photo # 1 depicts a spark plug removed from an engine whose performance can be considered excellent. The skirt of the center electrode is light brown in color, so carbon deposits and deposits are minimal. Complete absence of oil traces. The owner of this engine can only be envied, and there is something: it is economical fuel consumption and no need to add oil from replacement to replacement.

Photo # 2- a typical example of a spark plug from an engine with increased fuel consumption. The central electrode is covered with a velvety black carbon deposit. There are several reasons for this: rich air-fuel mixture (incorrect carburetor adjustment, ignition timing or malfunction of the injection system), clogged air filter.

Photo # 3- on the contrary, an example of an excessively poor air fuel mixture... The color of the electrode is from light gray to white. There is cause for concern here. Driving on a too lean mixture and under increased loads can cause significant overheating of both the plug itself and the combustion chamber, and overheating of the combustion chamber is a direct way to burnout of the exhaust valves.

In photo №4 the skirt of the central electrode of the candle has a characteristic reddish tint. This color can be compared to the color of red brick. Redness is caused by the operation of the engine on low-quality fuel containing an excessive amount of additives that contain metal. Long-term use of such fuel will lead to the fact that metal deposits form a conductive coating on the surface of the insulation, through which it will be easier for the current to pass than between the electrodes of the candle, and the candle will stop working.

In the photo number 5 the candle has pronounced traces of oil, especially in the threaded part. Engine with such candles after long stay has the habit of “tripping” for some time after starting, and as it warms up, the work stabilizes. The reason for this is the unsatisfactory condition of the valve stem seals. On the face increased consumption oils. In the first minutes of engine operation, at the time of warming up, there is a characteristic blue and white exhaust.

Photo No. 6- the spark plug is removed from the inoperative cylinder. The central electrode and its skirt are covered with a dense layer of oil mixed with droplets of unburned fuel and small particles from the destruction that occurred in this cylinder. The reason for this is the destruction of one of the valves or breakage of the partitions between the piston rings with the ingress of metal particles between the valve and its seat. In this case, the engine "troit" is no longer ceasing, a significant loss of power is noticeable, fuel consumption increases by one and a half, two times. There is only one way out - repair.

Photo No. 7- complete destruction of the central electrode with its ceramic skirt. The cause of this destruction could be one of the following factors: prolonged operation of the engine with detonation, the use of fuel with low octane number, very early ignition, and just a defective candle. The symptoms of engine operation are the same as in the previous case. The only thing that can be hoped for is that the particles of the central electrode were able to slip into exhaust system without getting stuck under the exhaust valve, otherwise repair of the cylinder head cannot be avoided either.

Photo No. 8 the last in this review. The electrode of the spark plug is overgrown with ash deposits, the color does not play a decisive role, it only indicates the operation of the fuel system. The reason for this build-up is the combustion of oil due to the development or occurrence of oil scraper piston rings... The engine has increased oil consumption; exhaust pipe strong blue smoke, exhaust smell similar to motorcycle.

If you want fewer problems with the operation of your engine, remember about candles not only when the engine refuses to work. The manufacturer guarantees the trouble-free operation of the spark plug on a serviceable engine of 30 thousand kilometers. However, it will not be superfluous to check the condition of the candles on average every 10 thousand kilometers. First of all, this is checking and, if necessary, adjusting the gap to the required value, removing carbon deposits. It is better to remove carbon deposits with a metal brush, sandblasting destroys the ceramics of the central electrode, and you risk getting a copy from photo No. 7.

Spark plugs designed to ignite a fuel-air mixture in car engine, have several types of classification. First of all, this is a division by design, then there are differences in the materials of manufacture and in the thermal parameters of the candles.

Candle design

By their design, candles can be:
- two-electrode;
- multi-electrode.

How are spark plugs with two electrodes different? from those that have more of them? A classic two-electrode plug has one electrode protruding as a central one and one side, while in a multi-electrode structure, which also includes one central electrode, there will already be several side ones. The more electrodes, the more reliable the candle should work and the longer it can last. Although, of course, this version of the candles will be more expensive.

Candle materials

According to the materials from which the electrodes are made, candles are:
- platinum;
- iridium;
- classic.

In platinum spark plugs, the electrodes (both center and side) are made of platinum, which is highly resistant to temperature and corrosion. The platinum electrode practically does not fade, although it is, of course, not cheap. Such a candle lasts much longer than the "classic" one, the electrodes of which are made of copper.

However, standard spark plugs can work for quite a long time if their copper electrodes are covered with rare metals, for example, yttrium. Moreover, their cost will be less than that of platinum.

Thermal parameters

Another parameter by which you can divide car candles- their heat number, which determines the thermal parameters. How spark plugs differ with different glow numbers? Those with higher this parameter perform better with high temperatures, they heat up less and are called "cold", the rest - "hot". "Hot" candles are quite reliable under light load, so they are used at relatively short travel distances. For long trips, during which the temperature of the candle can rise significantly, it would be more expedient to use the "cold" option.

However, at present, the range of glow numbers on different candles is not too large, and the difference between "hot" and "cold" candles is small. This is due to almost the same fuel combustion processes in modern engines at any distance traveled by the car.

Spark plugs are a special device, the main purpose of which is to ignite the fuel-air mixture. These spark plugs are used in gasoline engines and differ in their performance characteristics. In this article, we will tell you about what cold spark plugs are. Let's take a closer look at how to tell the difference between hot and cold spark plugs.

Why choose the right spark plugs?

Many car owners, when operating their car, do not pay due attention to the issues of the correct choice and quality of the spark plugs used. But the indicators of engine power, its throttle response and fuel efficiency depend on this. That is why it is necessary to use quality candles, regularly maintain them and, if necessary, replace them.

The number of electrodes at the candle

Single and multi electrode hot and cold spark plugs are available today. Each of these varieties has certain advantages. Today, single electrode spark plugs are used primarily with older engines due to their short lifespan and instability.

Modern high-power high-powered engines use multi-electrode plugs, which can have up to four side electrodes. They are characterized by durability and stability in operation. We note a significant reduction in exhaust toxicity and a reduction in fuel consumption when using such multi-electronic spark plugs. Their only drawback is their high price, which leads to a significant increase in the cost of servicing and repairing a car, especially when it is required to replace them with a set on a six or eight-cylinder engine.

Center electrode material

When choosing spark plugs, you must first of all pay attention to the material from which the center electrode is made. In inexpensive spare parts, iron, nickel, copper or zinc can be used for its manufacture. If you flood the spark plugs on a cold one, then thick iron electrodes may be the cause. But in the spark plugs high level the electrode can be made of the noble metal platinum, iridium and silver. The use of such metals makes it possible to produce ultra-thin electrodes, which in turn gives a spark with a high power and prevents candles from flooding.

Of the advantages of candles with an electrode made of precious metals, we can note their excellent durability. So, for example, simple nickel plugs usually last 30,000 kilometers, and models with a platinum center electrode have a guaranteed service life of 100,000 kilometers.

Heat number, cold and warm candles

The heat number indicates the pressure in the cylinders at which the fuel mixture spontaneously ignites from a glowing plug. The appearance of such a glow ignition negatively affects the operation of the engine, leading to a loss of power and an increase in fuel consumption. Such spontaneous ignition of the fuel-air mixture leads to an increased load on piston group, which in turn reduces the engine life. Many car owners are wondering if spark plugs are cold and hot. This concept directly depends on the glow number.

It is the glow number that determines thermal conditions candle work. Accordingly, the higher this indicator, the more difficult conditions a particular spark plug is capable of operating. That is why it is necessary to consider this characteristic and compare with the performance of a specific combustion engine. It is customary to subdivide cold and hot spark plugs, the difference between which is in the glow number indicator. As you can tell from the name, cold candles slowly heat up, and subsequently dissipate the resulting heat quickly. On the contrary, hot varieties of spark plugs heat up quickly, but at the same time such devices themselves slowly dissipate heat.

Hot plugs are recommended for engines that run at standard rpm. crankshaft... In such power units, the candles are not exposed to serious temperature loads, which allows for trouble-free ignition and the absence of spontaneous ignition of the mixture. Self-cleaning hot plugs are popular, in which such cleaning is performed at relatively low temperatures, which improves the flammability of the fuel mixture.

But cold spark plugs are characterized by increased resistance to temperature loads and are recommended for use in turbocharged and forced power units. Self-cleaning of such spark plugs occurs at high temperatures, therefore, it is not recommended to install them in conventional atmospheric non-boosted engines. In atmospheric engines, the temperature regime will not allow cold spark plugs to self-clean, which will lead to ignition problems. Most manufacturers recommend using these types of cold plugs with premium vehicles and sports cars where forced and turbocharged engines are installed, which operate with a high temperature load.

How to choose the right cold and hot candles

Choosing hot and cold candles is easy. It is necessary to pay attention to the candlestick index, and based on this, a choice should be made. For hot ones, this index ranges from 11 to 14, and the marking of cold spark plugs is from 20 and above. You can also pick up candles based on the recommendations of the automaker. In the documentation for the car, you can find all the necessary information on factory spare parts, as well as recommendations for their selection when replacing. Also in the car manual, you can find suitable brands of candles that are recommended for a particular car. All this will significantly simplify the choice, and the car owner can guarantee the trouble-free operation of his car.

Conclusion

When operating a car, you will invariably face the need to replace spark plugs. When choosing such spare parts, it is necessary first of all to take into account the indicators of the heating number. Hot and cold spark plugs are popular, the differences between which are only in the glow number indicator. It is depending on this characteristic that it is customary to distinguish between cold and hot plugs, which are intended for atmospheric and forced engines. For sporty high-powered engines, it is recommended to use cold spark plugs to ensure maximum power. power unit and no ignition problems. But for economical subcompact and atmospheric engines hot plugs are recommended, which have an affordable cost and are durable in operation. In this article, we discussed how cold spark plugs differ from hot ones. We hope that after reading this article, you will not have any difficulties with the choice.

In a gasoline internal combustion engine (ICE) for ignition, compressed by a piston, a fuel-air mixture, an element called a spark plug is used. It was invented by Robert Bosch back in 1902, after which the company of the same name introduced it to.

What is her structure?

The basic design of a spark plug is about the same for any company that manufactures it. This is a metal case, electrodes, the number of which may vary depending on the brand, a ceramic insulator and a central contact rod passing through it. Further differences begin.

The center contact rod, for example, may have a flat-land tip. But it can have a U or V-groove. Can be pointed - if made of iridium, like DENSO candles. They even have a side electrode with a special shape. This company produces, perhaps, the most reliable candles - iridium-platinum.

Some models may not have a side electrode at all - in particular, SAAB engineers have developed a motor in which the piston itself has a pointed projection, the function of which is the same as that of the side electrode. When the piston is as close as possible to the top dead center, a spark jumps between it and the central electrode, igniting the compressed air-fuel mixture.

The already mentioned two or more side electrodes also change the operating modes and parameters of the motor for the better. At the same time, the requirements for working clearances also increase, which do not generally recommend changing or somehow touching by bending or unbending, but only strictly maintaining the factory parameters of their manufacture.

At the same time, the principle of operation of a candle with two or more electrodes is simple, no technical tweaks are required for it stable work: when, as the electrode is depleted, its "eaten" by the spark, the spark starts to fail, it automatically appears on the unused electrode, and the process ICE operation continues without interruption.

The metal case in the lower part with a thread for screwing into the cylinder head (cylinder head) has a flat or conical ring-shaped platform. For candles with a flat platform, a crimp washer made of soft metal is included in the kit, which prevents the compressed air-fuel mixture or combustion products from breaking through to the outside. For candles with a tapered profile, there is no need for such a ring after the thread, the tapered profile itself reliably clogs the top of the combustion chamber.

Central insulators in all models are made of heat-resistant ceramics. It is on it that the marking is applied with the type, name of the manufacturer, etc. Inside, between the contact for the wire and the rod with the central contact, a resistor is placed, the main function of which is to suppress radio interference that occurs at the time of a spark discharge. Taking into account the development of radio and telecommunications and their implementation in car systems, including electronic control injection, the placement of such a resistor has become mandatory in the spark plug device.

In the part that is screwed into the cylinder head, the central insulator has the shape of a gradually tapering cone - this is done in order to more efficiently remove heat, preventing overheating.

View of a modern candle

Variety of technical solutions in development and production gasoline engines internal combustion has given rise to many models of candles for them. Depending on the fuel used for the car, the compression ratio in the cylinder, the ignition control method (mechanical, with a distributor, or electronic), they can be divided into the following types.

Types of candles

They are classified according to several characteristics:

1. Heat number.
2. The number of electrodes.
3. Spark gap.
4. Temperature range.
5. Service life.
6. Heat resistance characteristics.

In addition, some types of spark plugs from different years of production of the same company may differ in the length of the threaded skirt: early car models had a smaller thickness of the cylinder heads, which were made of cast iron and, accordingly, the thread needed a shorter one. With the transition to cylinder heads made of aluminum alloys, their thickness increased, which means that the length of the thread in it also became larger.

An experienced motorist at the beginning will always pay attention to the glow number, which shows with what pressure the glow effect can occur, that is, the engine continues to work after the ignition circuit is broken, when the engine continues to work from contact with an electrode heated to critical values.

In this case, the use of a spark plug with a glow number higher than the recommended one is still permissible, with a lower one - the operation of the engine is prohibited! Otherwise, an unlucky driver will quickly face the problem of burning pistons, valves and a breakdown of the cylinder head gasket.

For high-quality and stable sparking, over the past two decades, candles have been produced with two, three and even four side electrodes.

But the stability of operation can be achieved in another way: the location of auxiliary elements that play the role of these electrodes, on the insulator of the candle itself. Several circular electrical discharges wander around the central electrode, and thus, the likelihood of engine failure is significantly reduced.

Brisk sports candle with intermediate electrodes on insulator

Here are a few more important points in the characteristics of the candles:

• Violation of such a parameter as a spark gap will also adversely affect the operation of the motor;
• Heat resistance is no less important, its temperature Range, meaning the heating of the part that is immersed in the space between the piston and the cylinder head. The temperature range inside the working part is normally within the range of 500-900⁰С. Going outside this range means a decrease in the resource. In particular, for all types of spark plugs, a decrease in temperature leads to a rapid build-up of carbon deposits;
• In a normally adjusted engine, the performance depends on the mileage and is approximately 30,000 km for spark plugs operating on the classic ignition scheme, and 20,000 - on the electronic one. However, the highest in price (but also the most reliable) DENSO candles have a service life of up to 5-6 years. Or, in other words, they will provide mileage without replacement under the condition of standard operation for about 150,000 - 200,000 kilometers. True, the requirements for maintaining the regimes according to the instructions have been tightened. These requirements include the use of fuels with an octane rating in no way lower than the recommended one, and their installation strictly according to the rules. In particular, it is not allowed to tighten them into the cylinder head with a force higher or lower than the recommended ones, which may entail nullifying all their advantages;
• The thermal parameter shows the relationship between the engine modes and working temperature candles. To increase it, the dimensions of the heat cone are increased, however, adhering to the recommended value of 900 degrees. Going beyond these limits increases the risk of glow ignition.

Precious metals in candle construction

The gradation of species depends not only on the declared parameters. When describing the performance of a spark plug, you also need to consider what material the electrode tips are made of.

The cheapest candles are nickel. The simplicity of the design also determines a short service life, so their replacement is often done after 15-18 thousand kilometers. Although in urban conditions, given the roughness of operation (standing with a running engine in traffic jams, frequent alternation of acceleration and braking at traffic lights), this mileage can be safely divided by two, so that the operating time of nickel candles is normally no more than a year.

In platinum candles platinum solders are made, which increases their service life up to 50,000 kilometers. Check out the cost of platinum in any exchanger - and you will understand why these tweaks make them so expensive.

There are already two precious metals in iridium candles: iridium in the form of soldering on the tip of the central electrode and platinum on the side ones. Taking into account the cost of iridium, the price for them in comparison with nickel increases by 50-60%. But specifications spark plugs with iridium are such that you can drive with them from 60 to 200 thousand kilometers.

Candle parameters such as: thread diameter; key head number for it; length of a threaded skirt; the gap between the electrodes also refer to their technical characteristics.

Conclusion

Progress does not stand still. New technologies have made it possible, for example, to bring the degree of purification of metals for electrodes to 99.999%. Iridium, platinum and even nickel of this purity can increase the life of a spark plug by another 15-18%, let's take DENSO as an example. In addition, engineering thought continued their development, proposing a torch and pre-chamber type of spark generation, which made the operation of the motors even more stable.

As for the inevitable price increase in this case, the very possibility of looking under the hood as rarely as possible during the operation of the car already justifies the purchase of each spark plug even for 10-20 dollars apiece.

Car candles are usually given little attention by car owners. As a rule, only the question is of interest: which spark plugs to choose if the car jams and there is a problem with ignition. Then it is the candles that become the main "accused".

Attempts to "clean" or "dry" them, naturally, do not lead to anything, and you still have to change the candles. In such a situation, the majority shows unforgivable negligence. Buying the first spark plugs offered by the seller in a store or in a car market, they install them and again, albeit after a while, face the same problems.

The best option is to get a competent opinion from an auto repair shop employee.

There are a great variety of spark plugs on the market today. They differ in size, heating number, materials from which they are made, as well as principles of operation and, of course, in price.

Candle selection criteria

The two main indicators that significantly affect the choice of a candle are the glow number and the size (geometric).

• Candle size. Everything is clear here: a candle that is too small may simply not screw into the socket in the engine. As a result, its electrodes will be at an unacceptably large distance from the combustion chamber. In the case of the opposite situation, when the length of the plug is longer than the recommended one, the electrodes "stick out" too much from the socket, which leads to the possibility of the piston hitting them. In both cases, nothing good, as you know, has to wait.
• Heat number - shows the temperature mode of the candle. The higher it is, the more the candle is said to be "colder", therefore, it can work in a more aggressive, high-temperature environment. A low number means that the plug is "hot" and will often overheat, which will naturally have a detrimental effect on its lifespan.

Hence, a simple conclusion suggests itself: in order to choose the right candle, you need to find the car manual (operating manual) and in it a list of possible replaceable analogs. Knowing the exact size of the candle, you can experiment with different glow numbers.

Variety of candle designs

The usual design is spark plugs and there are no motorists who have never seen a classic spark plug. At the top it has a ceramic body, and at the bottom - a metal "glass" equipped with a thread. The side and center electrodes with a diameter of about 2.5 mm produce a spark. The design is simple and therefore ingenious, over the decades since the beginning of their production, only the diameters of the electrodes have changed, and even the length of the candle.

Such a plug is inexpensive, in some cases it improves engine performance - for example, it reduces power gain or consumption. But such a candle also serves for a rather short time. it is unlikely to be revealed.

Multi-electrode plugs

The central electrode in such a candle is surrounded by several side electrodes (usually there are about 3-4 of them). Such a candle is immediately easily distinguished from a single-electrode one. A new principle of spark formation is used here. When the electrode is worn out and dirty, the spark “moves” to another, cleaner, serviceable electrode, which guarantees an increase in the service life and, as a consequence, a better and more stable spark.

Such plugs have another advantage: on a single-electrode plug, the side electrode slightly covers the igniting fuel, which leads to the fact that this fuel burns more slowly and worse. Such a problem when using multi-electrode plug does not arise, since the torch ignites exactly in the center of the spark and is not covered by anything. This results in a significant increase in engine power. In addition, and, due to this, environmental indicators are noticeably improved.

Platinum and iridium candles

Candle Tests different types show that thinner electrodes provide an increase in the spark power, and, consequently, the motor power also increases, sometimes even quite significantly.

The spark generated at the sharp edge of the electrode has a higher temperature.

However, another problem appears - not every metal can withstand such temperature loads. Platinum and iridium are best suited for this purpose. They have the best anti-degradation characteristics. "Strong" spark, in addition to the power added to the engine, there is another big plus - the spark is formed on the side of the electrode, and not at its end. In this case, the power of the spark is such that it tears off all the formed carbon deposits and dirt from the electrode, a certain self-cleaning process is obtained.

Prechamber spark plugs

The electrodes of a candle of this design have the form of a rocket nozzle - a prechamber. During the application of a high-voltage pulse, a breakdown occurs in the gap between the electrodes, and the resulting plasma bunch is pushed with great force into the combustion chamber. At the same time, the fuel mixture in the spark plug prechamber is ignited.

Combustion products are injected at high speed through a nozzle into the cylinders of the internal combustion engine. In this case, a volumetric ignition of the main fuel mixture is formed, in contrast to a conventional spark plug, which has a point ignition. There is a significant increase in speed, fuel combustion efficiency, engine power increases, decreases.

A professional approach to choosing a candle

Based on your design, which spark plugs should you choose? It all depends on the type of car and how intensively it is used. There is no need to spend large sums on candles, if the volume of the car's engine does not exceed 2-2.5 liters, if you drive it moderately, do not participate in races. Of course, track racing enthusiasts or should often opt for premium spark plugs.

Here, manufacturers use and mix various advanced technologies that have a positive effect on their performance. However, expensive metals and high tech require payment, and considerable.

Terms of use

Candles can be classified into three main types. They have different prices and are intended for different terms use, and you can choose them based on which quality seems preferable.

• Yttrium, are cheap, but they will have to be changed more often, on average it is recommended for every 25 thousand km. mileage. With the quality level of our gasoline and diesel fuel, this figure can be safely divided by 2. So it is definitely worth changing them about once a year.
• Iridium. The price is already higher, but they will last a little longer - up to 50 thousand km.
• Platinum is the most expensive. The investment is justified by durability. It is believed that a car with them will run up to 100 thousand kilometers.

In how to choose spark plugs, it is important to remember that not only mileage distinguishes spark plugs from each other, but also the material from which they are made. Iridium, nickel and platinum are used in the manufacture of the main element of spark plugs - the center electrode. An electric discharge passes through it.

If you compare three candles made of different metals, you can see that the nickel center electrode is thicker, and from other materials it is thin, like the tip of a needle.

In winter, the spark plugs are flooded for those who put the spark plugs with nickel electrodes.

A droplet of fuel on a thick central electrode is freely suspended, and in this case, there is no need to even think about any kind of ignition.

Iridium plugs have an intentionally smaller electrode for better and faster flammability. The droplet simply has nothing to hang on to. Experts recommend putting such a candle even for those who store their car in a warm garage at night. During the day, the operation of cars is still the same for most - on the street.

If finances permit, you can put platinum candles. They are ideal for complex engines: GTI, D4, NEO DI and Subarov boxer motors... Due to the design of some of them, cheap nickel plugs simply won't last long. And in Subaru, just replacing the spark plugs costs a significant amount of money. Therefore, platinum for such machines is the most expedient and, paradoxically, economical option. I put it and forgot it.

Non-contact spark plugs

Such candles are designed to ignite the main combustible mixture in the cylinders of engines using a spark discharge between the electrodes. In BSZ, candles A-17DVR are used, having a gap of 0.7-0.8 mm.

Video tips for car enthusiasts on how to change candles

Conclusion!

The individual characteristics of the engines give their own characteristics in the choice of spark plugs for your vehicle. This is especially true during operation. Dear site visitors can tell about the whims of their motors, it will be interesting to many.

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According to the official statement of Rosstandart, the reason for the withdrawal was the likelihood of weakening the fixation of the retaining ring on the support bracket of the pedal mechanism. Previously Volkswagen announced the recall of 391,000 Tuaregs around the world for the same reason. As Rosstandart explains, as part of the recall campaign in Russia, all cars will ...

Mercedes Owners forget what parking problems are

According to Zetsche, cited by Autocar, in the near future, cars will not be easy vehicles, but personal assistants who will greatly simplify people's lives, ceasing to provoke stress. In particular, the CEO of Daimler said that soon on Mercedes cars there will be special sensors that “will track the parameters of the passengers' body and correct the situation ...

Named average price new car in Russia

If in 2006 the weighted average price of a car was about 450 thousand rubles, then in 2016 it was already 1.36 million rubles. Such data are provided by the analytical agency "Autostat", which has studied the situation on the market. Like 10 years ago, the most expensive Russian market there are foreign cars. Now the average price of a new car ...

Mercedes will release a mini-Gelenevagen: new details

The new model, designed to become an alternative to the sleek Mercedes-Benz GLA, will receive a brutal appearance in the style of Gelenevagen - Mercedes-Benz G-class... The German edition Auto Bild managed to find out new details about this model. So, if you believe inside information, then the Mercedes-Benz GLB will have an angular design. On the other hand, complete ...

GMC SUV turned into a sports car

Hennessey Performance has always been famous for its ability to generously add additional horses to the "pumped" car, but this time the Americans were clearly modest. GMC Yukon Denali could turn into a real monster, fortunately, that the 6.2-liter "eight" allows you to do this, but Hennessey minders limited themselves to a rather modest "bonus" by increasing the engine power ...

The regions of Russia with the oldest cars are named

At the same time, the youngest vehicle fleet is listed in the Republic of Tatarstan ( average age- 9.3 years), and the oldest - in the Kamchatka Territory (20.9 years). Such data in its research are cited by the analytical agency "Autostat". As it turned out, in addition to Tatarstan, only two Russian regions have an average age passenger cars less...

HOW to choose a car for rent, choose a car for rent.

How to choose a car rental Car rental is a very popular service. It is often needed by people who have come to another city on business without personal car; those who want to make a good impression with an expensive car, etc. And, of course, a rare wedding ...

The cheapest cars in the world

Low-cost cars have always been in high demand among people with low incomes. But this contingent is always much larger than that which exclusive, expensive cars can afford. Forbes: Cheap Cars of 2016 A few years ago, the whole world believed ...