Top 7 Spark plugs of 2018: our selection

What a spark plug is for?

There are two systems in a vehicle that need to be glued with a help of electricity- an ignition system and the combustion chamber. This is where a spark plug is needed. A spark plug essentially transports electric current between the ignition and the combustion. Having spark plugs that function properly is the absolute key for the engine to run smoothly. Best performance spark plugs would make your engine smoothly revving for the long stretch of time without needing to check it.

The types of spark plugs

The different kinds of spark plugs available today are classified as per the type of metal their main parts are made of. These types are:

1. Copper / nickel / normal spark plugs

These spark plugs utilize coating made of nickel alloy, while the inner part of it is made of copper.They are usually the cheapest, but have a shorter life than other types have.

2. Platinum spark plugs

These spark plugs utilize platinum center electrode.They have longer life than normal, nickel spark plugs, as platinum succumbs to erosion way less than nickel does.

3. Double platinum spark plugs

“Double platinum” spark plugs have platinum-made plating on both the center electrode as well as the ground electrode.These plugs prove to be of even longer lifespan that single-platinum spark plugs described above.

4. Iridium spark plugs

Iridium spark plugs are often considered finest of all.They provide the longest lifespan across all types. They also ensure the smoothest run of an engine.

5. Silver spark plugs

When it comes to the conducting properties, silver spark plugs are hard to beat. They are usually the most expensive of all.

How many spark plugs are installed in your engine?

Depending on the type of an engine, the amount of spark plugs varies.

How many spark plugs in a v4 engine?

V4 has four cylinders, and features, consequently, four spark plugs. In racing cars, they usually install twin-spark engines, making the total of spark plugs 8.

How many spark plugs in a v6 engine?

But for most vehicles equipped with a V6 under the hood, there are six (6) spark plugs. The exception is if your vehicle carries with a twin-spark engine, which would carry the doubled amount of spark plugs, meaning 12 pieces.

How many spark plugs in a V8 engine?

V8 engines feature 8 spark plugs. If an engine is double-cylinder, you would need 16 spark plugs.

Spark Plugs: top 5 curious facts

We selected top-5 curious facts about spark plugs that may come off as improbable. The misunderstanding stems from many reviewers as well as regular car owners not understanding what do spark plugs do and how exactly their functioning is affecting the engine performance.

1.Fine wired plugs are “hotter” in turbo/super-charged vehicles?

Actually, sometimes the opposite is true. Take Dodge Hellcat of 2018, which reaches 707 horsepower with 6.2 liter engine. This engine carries an iridium plug.

2. A spark plug with a copper as a core is less efficient in burning carbon-deposits that fine-wired ones. As a fine-wired plug is hotter than a regular one, it will burn off deposits easier.

3. A dual-purpose vehicle, for example, street-and-drag, requires different heat range as opposed to “regular” s.

4. treet-drive one. For the latter, you might want to add extended nose plug.

5. The more horsepower you squeeze, the more it is dependent on pre-ignintion. Before settling with a permanent spark plug for the high-horsepower vehicle, it is a good strategy to test it with the coldest plug with a short-ground electrode.

6. An extra gap in a power-adder-app can be a root of misfiring. A lot of naturally-aspirated motоrs would benefit from a bit wider-than-normal gap of 0.045-0.050 inches.

Comparing spark plugs in our selection by material/weight/the price per unit.

Why and when to change spark plugs on your vehicle

How often do I change a plug?

Most vehicles manufacturers suggest replacing old plugs every 30 thousand miles. It should be noted, that the timeframe may vary depending on the type of stark plugs that would affect its longevity.

That is, copper plugs have the shortest lifetime of all, while finer spark plugs, such as iridium, may serve you 4 times as long. There is no universal timeframe as far as changing spark plugs goes. Always refer your manual or get in touch with the manufacturer of your car to make sure how often to change spark plugs.

How to check spark plugs?

The symptoms of bad spark plugs include either of those or any combination of those:

• Rattling or knocking noises your motor makes;
• The rough idle;
• Troubles with starting a vehicle caused by misfires;
• Sluggish performance;
• Above-average waste of fuel. This is not a tell-tale sign of a plug being worn-out, but you need to inspect your spark plugs and make sure a motor gets the right heat at the right time;
• Crackings in the upper or lower part of the insulator of the plug;
• Chipped/broken insulator tips;
• Damaged plug boots.

If you want to change spark plugs yourself, follow these steps to determine when to change spark plugs.

How to change spark plugs?

1. Cool the engine down.
2. Take the boot of a plug and carefully rotate it 90 degrees-counter-clockwise; then pull out the boot and the cable.
3. Clean the accumulated dust/dirt with a brush or an air-blaster.
4. Ease each plug one/ two turns.
5. Remove spark plugs and sort them out just so you know later to what cylinder each plug belongs.
6. Take dialectic grease and apply it to the boot area.
7. Follow the gap guide to make sure you install new plugs accordingly. Remember, that gaps vary from engine to engine and you should follow the guidelines to determine how tight should spark plugs be.
8. Follow the manual for glowing plugs to the proper torque.

The best spark plug of 2018: our recommendation

Among the spark plugs we reviewed and tested, we recommend:

Bosch 9652 Double Iridium Spark Plug – 4X Longer Service Life (Pack of 1).

At around $4.29 per item, these double-iridium plugs allow for the smoothest run among its class with the lowest probability of misfiring. Bosch always manufacturers top rated spark plugs and never fails to deliver the product without any serious downsides.

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