How spark plug problems lead to pointless spending on engine repairs
- January 29, 2024
- 0
Car owners have long been accustomed to the fact that if there are problems with the engine, they simply connect it to a diagnostic scanner and the nature
Car owners have long been accustomed to the fact that if there are problems with the engine, they simply connect it to a diagnostic scanner and the nature of the problem will become clear day by day. But this is not always the case. With ‘old-fashioned’ diagnostic methods we can sometimes understand the problem much more accurately.
Did the petrol engine start to jerk during use? Or does it hang for no reason? Or suddenly no more power? No problem: the scanner at the car service center tells us everything and shows us everything, right? It turns out, yes. And then the car owner begins an exciting period in his life: one after another, the sensors in the engine are replaced by new, freshly purchased ones, but the symptoms of the “disease” do not disappear. A common and extremely unpleasant situation for a personal budget.
Meanwhile, the problem may just turn out to be a problem with one of the spark plugs. The fact is that the diagnostic scanner cannot see what is happening in the cylinder. Yes, the computer can detect errors. Or, for example, detect too high currents in a high-voltage circuit. With such “introductory information”, not every car mechanic will blame the spark plug itself for a malfunction.
And sometimes it is the other way around: an experienced diagnostician realizes that the problem is in the candle, but pretends not to have understood this. And it begins to issue “diagnoses” – one more expensive than the other for the car owner. Sometimes the diagnostic equipment does this itself: if the spark plug does not work properly (for example contaminated with deposits), it can cause a whole series of “errors” in the engine…
The result is the same: expensive attempts to ‘cure’ the power source by successively replacing sensors that supposedly ‘fool’ it. Of course, this tactic only produces one result: a lot of time and money wasted on purchasing new components and paying for the standard hours of the gas station staff.
That is why, when the engine is unstable, does not start or exhibits other similar “tricks”, the diagnosis should start from the spark plugs. Moreover, the methods in this area are used exactly the same as those our grandfathers used when repairing their Zhiguli cars.
On relatively old engines, you should remove the high-voltage wires from the spark plugs one by one and observe the behavior of the device. If the spark plug is turned off and the engine runs the same (although unstable) as before, then this is what it is: the “weak link”. However, most modern engines have an ignition coil on each spark plug. This means you can’t actually pull the high voltage wires off while the engine is running. Therefore, you should unscrew each spark plug and visually examine its condition, assessing its performance.
It is unacceptable for the candle to be covered with a rough layer of soot, splashed with oil or have melted parts. If nothing of the sort is observed, you should check the gap between the electrodes for compliance with the standard and put the spark plug back in place, then proceed to checking the next one.
Only after this procedure should you start repairing the engine, making sure that everything is in order with the spark itself. After all, replacing spark plugs is a much more cost-effective measure than removing “problems” in the engine control system.
photo globallookpress.com
Has the petrol engine started to jerk while driving? Or does it hang for no reason? Or suddenly no more power? No problem: the scanner at the car service center tells us everything and shows us everything, right? It turns out, yes. And then the car owner begins an exciting period in his life: one after another, the sensors in the engine are replaced by new, freshly purchased ones, but the symptoms of the “disease” do not disappear. A common and extremely unpleasant situation for a personal budget.
Meanwhile, the problem may just turn out to be a problem with one of the spark plugs. The fact is that the diagnostic scanner cannot see what is happening in the cylinder. Yes, the computer can detect errors. Or, for example, detect too high currents in a high-voltage circuit. With such “introductory information”, not every car mechanic will blame the spark plug itself for a malfunction.
And sometimes it is the other way around: an experienced diagnostician realizes that the problem is in the candle, but pretends not to have understood this. And it begins to issue “diagnoses” – one more expensive than the other for the car owner. Sometimes the diagnostic equipment itself does this work: if the spark plug does not work correctly (for example, contaminated with deposits), it can cause a whole series of “errors” in the engine…
The result is the same: expensive attempts to ‘cure’ the power source by successively replacing sensors that supposedly ‘fool’ it. Of course, this tactic only produces one result: a lot of time and money wasted on purchasing new components and paying for the standard hours of the gas station staff.
That is why, when the engine is unstable, does not start or exhibits other similar “tricks”, the diagnosis should start from the spark plugs. Moreover, the methods in this area are used exactly the same as those our grandfathers used when repairing their Zhiguli cars.
On relatively old engines, you should remove the high-voltage wires from the spark plugs one by one and observe the behavior of the device. If the spark plug is turned off and the engine runs the same (although unstable) as before, then this is what it is: the “weak link”. However, most modern engines have an ignition coil on each spark plug. This means you can’t actually pull the high voltage wires off while the engine is running. Therefore, you should unscrew each spark plug and visually examine its condition, assessing its performance.
It is unacceptable for the candle to be covered with a rough layer of soot, splashed with oil or have melted parts. If nothing of the sort is observed, you should check the gap between the electrodes for compliance with the standard and put the spark plug back in place, then proceed to checking the next one.
Only after this procedure should you start repairing the engine, making sure that everything is in order with the spark itself. After all, replacing spark plugs is a much more cost-effective measure than removing “problems” in the engine control system.
Source: Avto Vzglyad
Donald Salinas is an experienced automobile journalist and writer for Div Bracket. He brings his readers the latest news and developments from the world of automobiles, offering a unique and knowledgeable perspective on the latest trends and innovations in the automotive industry.
