The spark plugs in an automobile can last anywhere from 30,000 miles to 100,000 miles. It depends on the age of your vehicle and the type of plugs used. Generally, the best way to determine when you need to have the spark plugs changed is to check your owner’s manual to see what the manufacturer recommends. Otherwise, here are the signs that you need to have your spark plugs changed.
Hard/No Starts
As you know, the spark plugs generate sparks to light the air and fuel in the cylinders. You’ve got one plug in each cylinder. They generate sparks when you first start your automobile, and they continue to generate sparks while the engine is running. If the spark plugs are having a difficult time generating sparks, it is going to become difficult to get your car started.
Misfiring/Stalling
In addition, the engine will misfire and stall while you are driving. This is a sign that the combustion is suffering because the spark plugs are not generating sparks when they need to. Unfortunately, you will continue to have this problem until you have the plugs replaced. In order for your engine to run efficiently, you need the plugs firing all the time in the proper order.
Rough Idling
Pay attention to how your vehicle feels when you are sitting at an idle. If the automobile is jerking and you can hear the engine cutting out briefly, the spark plugs are misfiring. The stuttering could stall the engine in severe cases. If the engine keeps running, head to our shop right away so we can replace the spark plugs and restore your engine’s performance.
Lagging/Surging
Speaking of engine performance, you will notice a problem with yours if the spark plugs are bad. Depending on how the plugs are misfiring, the engine and acceleration may start to lag. In fact, you may be driving a sputtering mess. If the plugs are firing too frequently, the engine will surge and your vehicle will pick up speed even though your foot pressure is the same.
Increased Consumption
All of these problems are going to increase the engine’s consumption of fuel. There’s no way to avoid it because the engine will use more fuel to help it run with the malfunctioning spark plugs. This is why it’s important to have the engine tuned every 30,000 miles to make sure the plugs are replaced when they need it. This ensures you always get good fuel mileage.
We can tune your engine up, so call us today. We’d be happy to replace the spark plugs if they need it.
