We know, we know – money’s tight right now and everyone is looking to put off any non-emergency auto repair and maintenance items they can. But we’ve got three great reasons why you shouldn’t put off replacing your old spark plugs.
Reason 1: New spark plugs help keep your engine at its peak performance and efficiency levels. Of course, every vehicle on the road will misfire from time to time. But as those misfires get more and more frequent, they also get more troublesome. Frequent misfires mean increased exhaust emissions, wasted gas and reduced power. Misfires caused by worn spark plugs will cause older vehicles to buck, stall, run rough or start slow. Vehicles made since 1996 have OBD II onboard diagnostic systems that track ignition misfires and shines a warning light.
Reason 2: New spark plugs can significantly improve cold starting. Worn or dirty spark plugs require higher voltage to get a strong enough spark to start a vehicle. By the time you’ve cranked the engine umpteen times hoping for an eventual start, you just might have run your battery dead. Now, you’ve got two problems. Keeping your vehicle stocked with a good set of spark plugs instead means lesser voltage requirements on your ignition system, which decreases the chances of a misfire and leaves more amps for the starter and injectors.
Reason 3: As if reasons 1 and 2 weren’t enough to convince an auto owner of the importance of a good set of plugs, this one may do the trick. New spark plugs will minimize your risk of a catalytic converter failure. Just one misfire can dump enough draw fuel into your vehicle’s exhaust to overheat and damage the converter. The resulting load of unburned gasoline in the exhaust will jack up the operating temperature of your converter and may cause a meltdown of the converter substrate, which in turn will form a restriction or full blockage of the exhaust, literally choking your engine. Your vehicle may run, but it will lack power and eat up your fuel economy. And we can assure you that a new catalytic converter is a whole lot pricier than a new set of spark plugs.
Bottom line, when it comes to slacking on replacing your old spark plugs, its “pay a little now or a lot later.” E3 Spark Plugs advises you dig out that auto owner’s manual and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for timely car spark plug or truck spark plug changes – preferably before you have to call your buddy last minute for a ride to work.