TIPS: What Bad Spark Plug Can Do To Your Car

Bad spark plugs causes your car to under perform, consume more fuel, and sometimes causes engine vibrations.

A spark plug is made of a material that conducts electricity encased in a ceramic body. Its threaded base screws into the top of an engine cylinder. Two electrodes on the base of the spark plug project into the combustion chamber. High-voltage current passes from the top of the spark plug to electrodes on its base. The current then arcs, or jumps the gap, between the electrodes, igniting fuel vapor in the combustion chamber.

The sound of your car’s engine should be constant and smooth. If your vehicle’s engine is making more noise than usual, have it checked out.

Dirty spark plugs and damaged wires make it difficult or impossible to deliver the spark needed to start the engine. They can even drain power from your battery.

Worn out or deteriorated spark plugs can decrease fuel economy by as much as 30 per cent. If you notice you’re filling the gas tank more often than usual, you might need new spark plugs. A sluggish engine can usually be easily fixed with the installation of fresh spark plugs.

If you notice your vehicle is consuming more fuel than it did before, accelerate sluggishly, vibrate, overheat, have your plugs check.