You can endlessly talk about the importance of candles in a car. Without them, not a single vehicle will budge. Moreover, if the candles are of poor quality, then driving will turn into a real test.

Many years ago, when choosing candles, drivers had to rely solely on their experience and the advice of their comrades. But in the new digital age, an era of global awareness is triumphant. Now everyone can use the research of Dutch or American companies if they want to.

It seemed that all the accents had long been set and there was no need to wonder which spark plugs for a car were better to choose. That's just not entirely true. The competition in the auto parts market is incredible. Because of this, competing companies are constantly introducing new technologies to life, making their products more reliable and easier to use.

This is not surprising, because the ignition system is one of the most important in the entire car. She is responsible for processing the current that comes from the generator. The fact is that the output current has a high voltage that can cause irreparable damage to the system.

Spark ignition is generated inside the system. Therefore, the slightest problems can lead to the car stalling and not starting again. That is why it is so important to know which candles are best for a car. After all, your safety on the road depends on their quality.

Making the right choice

You can endlessly talk about which candles for a car are better to choose, and how important it is. The fact is that every year the needs of engines only increase, as does the range.

Good quality auto spark plugs take into account the smallest characteristics of the engine and make it possible to achieve the highest productivity. The construction consists of a ceramic insulating sleeve that is resistant to high temperatures.

The classic design has two electrodes. More modern options range from two to four. An increase in the number of electrodes can significantly increase the service life of candles for cars. However, it cannot be said with certainty that such a design is better. The fact is that there are many additional factors that you should also pay attention to.

The main role of candles in a car is to provide maximum power and at the same time maintain minimum fuel consumption. This is ideal. Unfortunately, in reality, you often have to choose between these two parameters.

Important! When using good candles, the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere is reduced. Therefore, it is very important to choose the products that are really better.

Nowadays, the use of precious materials is popular. They make it possible to significantly improve the performance of the car in comparison with conventional ones.

Unfortunately, candles for cars interspersed with precious metals have their drawbacks - namely, a high price. Therefore, standard products are most often installed on middle-class cars. In this context, they fully justify themselves. However, we must admit that models with precious metals give more power gain and have a longer service life.

How are they made

To understand which candles for a car are better, you need to delve a little deeper into the topic, namely the production process. It is believed that the best products come from companies such as:

• Champion,
• Denso,
• Bosch.

The competition between these giants deserves special attention, allowing us, drivers, to buy candles better and better every year. Consider specific example... In the seventies, all brands produced products with a bimetallic center electrode. At first glance, market equilibrium was achieved, but it was not there.

Champion started to produce bimetallic spark plugs for cars with side electrode. They were significantly better than the aforementioned analogs due to their increased thermoelasticity.

Not much time passes and already in the eighties, candles for cars appear, with a central electrode made of platinum wire. Their performance was so much better than candles with other bimetallic electrodes that it was hard to believe in it.

At the same time, candles with silver electrodes begin to appear. They are used in sports cars, as silver significantly increases power.

The technology race stopped at the invention of NGK. It is it that is considered better than the rest at the moment. The electrodes in the structure are made of iridium. This design innovation has significantly increased the performance of spark plugs for cars.

What should be the best candles for a car

In fact, the list of candlestick requirements can be endless. But you need to highlight the main ones that will allow you to accurately determine which candles for a car are better.

Products must withstand ultra-high temperatures. When operating at maximum speed, the candles have to operate at 800-900 degrees. The maximum pressure value is 100 bar. If we talk about the voltage, then it is extremely high - about 40,000 V.

In addition, if you want to know exactly which candles are better, you cannot ignore the negative effects of the engine operation, which good products should cope with without problems. These include the combustion process of an air-fuel mixture of not very high quality.

Important! Good candles for a car must withstand at least 30 thousand kilometers.

When and what candles to buy

Now on the market or in a car store you can find products of the following types:

• with increased strength,
• standard,
• yttrium,
• with a platinum tip,
• with iridium tip.

Products with a standard design are used everywhere. Moreover, many car owners believe that they are better than everyone else. Admittedly, this is not unreasonable. They are very reliable and inexpensive. The only drawback is the short service life.

Platinum-tipped products are best used in vehicles that are subject to excessive stress. The unique property of platinum allows the creation of incredibly thin electrodes, which in turn ensures ignition stability. Additional advantages of this technology include:

• heat resistance,
• wear resistance,
• high resistance to erosion processes.

Product life with platinum is twice that of standard design. Of course, the price of such candles for a car is appropriate. But there are people willing to pay any price for quality.

Iridium electrode allows to achieve qualitatively new power parameters. The diameter of the electrode in the design is reduced to 0.6 mm. This ensures rapid ignition and protection of the entire system.

The conical shape allows you to reduce fuel consumption for cars. In addition, resistance to high temperatures and erosion has also increased by an order of magnitude. The service life in comparison with conventional products has increased two and a half times. You can hardly find a better product.

What to do if the car runs on gas

Now gas cylinders are installed in many cars. This allows significant savings in fuel costs. But a natural question arises, which spark plugs are better for such cars?

Gas gives a very high temperature during combustion. This also increases the rate of oxidation and sludge formation. It is not surprising that only expensive candles are suitable for gas cars. It is best to choose products with iridium or platinum electrodes.

Important! When choosing candles for a car with gas cylinders, pay attention first of all to the heat rating. It should be low.

Outcome

The choice of candles is a responsible occupation, which must be approached with due reverence. The mode of operation of the car and the type of fuel are of particular importance. Remember that gas has a much higher combustion temperature, which means that cars with cylinders need products with first-class electrodes.

For cars with gasoline engines, in principle, any candles can be suitable. Most of the products differ in terms of service life. Of course, there are other differences, but only professionals can notice them.

Very rarely, motorists pay due attention to spark plugs, even when carrying out maintenance... Only in the event of a breakdown, the suspicion immediately falls on the candles. After several attempts to revive old candles, car owners come to the conclusion that they need to be replaced. The question then becomes which spark plugs are better?

Spark plugs are usually selected based on two main parameters: the glow number and the size of the plug itself. Which candles are suitable for a particular car engine is usually indicated in the owner's manual. And it is worthwhile to select candles only according to the documentation for your car. By geometrical dimensions usually everything is clear. A candle of an unsuitable small or large size simply will not fit into its seat, and if it is short, then the electrodes will not reach the combustion chamber, and the fuel and air mixture will not detonate. Of all the brands of candles, it is best to choose those with an average cost.

Be sure to watch the video:

You should dwell on the second parameters - the incandescence number. Many do not know what it means, and the glow number is the parameter responsible for the temperature of the spark plug. The higher this parameter, the higher the temperatures the candle can function. Thus, you can understand which spark plugs are better. For example, in engines of sports or racing cars, only spark plugs with the highest heat rating are required. Very often such cars work on increased revsAlso, the engine power in sports cars is much more than in conventional cars. Therefore, when purchasing such a vehicle, it is best to choose the appropriate spark plugs.

Spark plugs are as follows:

• Single electrode spark plugs.
• Multi-electrode spark plugs.
• Candles in designs dominated by precious metals.

Candles with one electrode

These spark plugs are the most common variant of this product. The most popular Japanese single-electrode plugs. They are simple in design so they are not overpriced. The upper part of the candle is made of ceramics, and at the bottom there is a metal body with thread, thanks to which the candle, without much effort, is screwed into the body. To improve contact, the candle must be tightened with a special wrench.

Two electrodes provide the ignition spark. Both the center and side electrodes are usually the same size (2.5 mm), but some manufacturers prefer to make them different. If the side or main electrode is slightly thinner, it will create a better spark and increase the motor power. Since the production of the first single electrode spark plugs, changes have only been made to the diameter and length of the lower metal part. The material from which the electrodes are made has also changed, now they are usually made of copper.

Single electrode spark plugs are the most economical option, as their prices are very affordable. But even the most expensive brand of such a plug has a short service life and cannot allow the full potential of a car engine to be revealed. Such candles are suitable for very a large number machines.

Candles with different numbers of electrodes

The main quality of multi-electrode spark plugs is their long service life. This is ensured by the fact that several side electrodes are connected to the central electrode at once. During operation, if carbon deposits appear on one of the electrodes, the spark will spread to the adjacent one and the candle will continue to function properly. Candles with a similar design are capable of providing high-quality detonation of the fuel and air mixture in the engine cylinders. Also, multi-electrode spark plugs allow the engine to deliver more power. The cost of an automotive spark plug with multiple electrodes is not much higher than the cost of a single electrode spark plug.

Spark plugs with added precious metals

The latter category represents a new generation of automotive spark plug products that incorporate precious materials. And now the demand is high for the best candles with iridium or platinum electrodes. It is logical to clarify that the cost of such candles can be disproportionately high, but quality, reliability and a long service life can be directly proportional to the price.

The main advantages of spark plugs made of expensive metals, which will help you quickly choose the right products:

• Extremely long service life. This is because iridium is one of the strongest metals on earth and can withstand high temperatures. Engine operation, even at high speeds and for a long time, is not capable of causing damage to the iridium plugs.
• Improving the reliability of the engine. Correctly set gap between the electrodes and the useful qualities of precious metals allow to normalize the operation of the motor and improve its dynamics.
• The correct ignition spark can reduce fuel consumption, which creates a certain amount of economy.

The finest thin electrodes, coated with a thin layer of iridium or platinum, deliver a spark of power that ordinary automotive spark plugs cannot match. Platinum and iridium, among metals, have the longest life. Also, electrodes made of such metals are self-cleaning. The spark that occurs on the side of the main electrode removes all carbon deposits, which increases the life of such a spark plug several times.

How to make a choice

In order to decide and find out which spark plugs are better and choose the most suitable ones, you first need to find out what requirements are imposed on the spark plugs for your car. You should not put expensive candles made of an alloy of iridium and platinum in Soviet cars. In old engines, such candles will not bring the expected result, and at a price they will cost as much as a third of the engine. Most inexpensive candle brands are better suited for domestic manufacturer... The choice can stop at both single-electrode and multi-electrode plugs. But if a sports car, with a large engine, then the choice should be stopped on candles with the addition of precious metals.

Thread, insulator and two contacts. And this is the working element of the ignition system, on which the operation of the entire engine depends? And there is. A spark plug is not as simple as it seems, not as cheap as people ask for it, and not as hardy as they say on the packaging. Candle candle strife, and which spark plugs are best for gasoline engine, and which for gas, which for frost, and which for heat, also matters. Let's try to at least briefly understand this sparkling story so that the candles serve effectively and for a long time.

Candle design and parameters

In the photo - a spark plug, a working body of the car ignition system

At first glance, it is not so complicated. But this only seems to be, because the spark plug is non-separable and attracts attention extremely rarely. If you look closely at the cross-section of the candle, you can clearly see its main elements:

1. Contact conclusion. It serves to securely connect the high-voltage wire.
2. Insulator. It insulates not only from the passage of electricity, but primarily from high temperatures, which is why it is so massive. And this is only the visible part of it. The main part is located in the combustion chamber and protects the working part of the electrode from overheating.
3. The corrugated part of the insulator does not just hold the cap off high-voltage wire, but also prevents possible breakdowns to the case.
4. Electrodes. A spark is generated between them when a high voltage pulse is applied.
5. Sealing gasket on the threaded part. Prevents gases from escaping from the combustion chamber.

For all its simplicity, the candle has a lot of characteristics that affect the quality, intensity of sparking, and this largely depends on the materials from which the candle is made. First, let's turn to the parameters of the candles, which are equally important for any car, be it carburetor VAZ 2107, injection Renault Duster or engine two stroke motorcycle Izh Jupiter.

Video tutorial on which spark plugs are better

Spark plug characteristics

Before deciding which spark plugs are best for a particular engine, you need to determine the glow number of the plug. This is the most important parameter that affects the selection of the spark plug to the engine.

The heat number characterizes the pressure at which the mixture self-ignites without sparking and is a conditional number. Something like the ratio of pressure, fuel grade, temperature in the combustion chamber. And these data, of course, come from the car for which the plug is selected. This parameter must be strictly observed when installing candles with a small tolerance for short-term use upwards. If you use a candle with a lower glow number, the consequences can be the most dire, up to the destruction of the block head, piston and gas distribution mechanism, and the most harmless can be a breakdown of the head gasket. Domestic candles can still be somehow divided according to the glow number (8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26). Imported manufacturers reject this classification and divide candles into hot and cold.

The work of the heart of the car - the engine depends on spark plugs

The gap on the spark plug electrodes is also important and it is indicated in the vehicle adjustment instructions. This is just the distance between the side and center electrodes and is determined individually for each type of motor. Moreover, if the recommended clearance is 0.8 mm in the 2114 or 2109 motor, it is not a fact that the engine will work stably with just such a clearance. The sparking process is greatly influenced by gasoline, more precisely, its quality, and it is extremely unstable. Therefore, sometimes it may be necessary to change the gap to a smaller side in order to make it easier to pierce the spark. And in some cases, on the contrary, in order for the spark to be more powerful, the gap can be increased. The gap is set using a special calibrated dipstick, but you should clean the spark plugs from carbon deposits.

Self-cleaning of candles is one of the main properties that are appreciated in operation. The concept, of course, is rather arbitrary, but some candles can go through 90 thousand without replacement or elementary cleaning, while others refuse to give a spark after 5 thousand km. Here, all questions are only to the candle manufacturer and to the oil refinery. Some of the fuel burns, and some of it, the heaviest fractions, remain on the walls of the combustion chamber and on the piston bottom, on the valves and on the plug contacts. Every manufacturer wants to see their candles on the podium, as the most persistent and not amenable to soot formation on them, but this is not always true. And this can only be verified empirically. Perhaps that's why the Japanese nGK candles and are considered the most combatant, despite the identical characteristics with other candles. They know something there. Even when they approach the heat number, just put the spark plug a little colder and the engine will run better.

Types of spark plugs

As such, there is no classification of candles, but there is a conditional division of them into ordinary, iridium and platinum. It is clear that these are the names of the materials that are included in the composition of the electrodes to one degree or another. Classic candles have copper electrodes, while others have a certain percentage of platinum and iridium alloy. There are also combined candles, where the electrode is copper, but covered with special alloys to increase the resource. Platinum and iridium candles are the most durable, and alloy-based candles from them practically do not fade.

There are candles with one or two, and there are also three external electrodes. Theoretically, this should increase the intensity of sparking, but, as practice and research in the laboratory have shown, the spark does not grow anymore. The only advantage of multi-contact candles is the fact that when one electrode cokes, the second is switched on, and both of them practically do not work at the same time.

When to change candles

Each manufacturer tries to set its own terms for replacing candles. So, for VAZ of old issues, the spark plug resource was 25-30 thousand km. It should be borne in mind that it was about those candles that were available at that time and about the car design that was then. Today, on the same tenth family VAZ, 2112, Priore, 2114, 2115 with an injector, GAZ cars, replacement of candles can take place on 30 thousand, although the plant does not insist on this. More modern carssuch as the popular Chevrolet Lanos 1.5, Lacetti 1.6, Daewoo Nexia, Renault Logan, Hyundai Accent, Volkswagen Polo Sedan, with a low compression ratio, can also do with replacing candles in the area of \u200b\u200b60 thousand km. This is if the candles are standard. More expensive candles will not bother much longer, but it is more advisable to put them on cars with more high degree compression and running on gasoline with a higher octane number. For Ford Focus 2, Hyundai Solaris, Mitsubishi Lancer, as well as recent Lada Granta, Lada Kalina 2 normal mileage platinum or iridium candles, even with our gasoline, it will be 80-90 thousand km.

And if the candles are not changed?

It's still better to change. It does not matter if a car is on gas or with LPG, the resource of candles has a certain limit and the first signs that the candles are asking for an exit can be a difficult start and sluggish dynamics when good condition motor and all systems. Also, if fuel consumption is growing out of the blue, it doesn’t hurt to unscrew a couple of candles and see what condition they are in. The most tragic result of neglecting a spark plug can be engine detonation. It will be all the more dangerous because no one is waiting for it and everything seems to be working properly. Only the result can be one shock wave that will disable half of the engine.

Therefore, when installing candles on a car, it is necessary to check the glow number with the one indicated by the manufacturer and, whenever possible, it is worth looking at the candles and the state of the electrodes, to control the gap between them. And, of course, the fuel should be of the highest quality, then the candles will not remind of themselves 50, or even 60 thousand kilometers.

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