Your spark plugs will not necessarily give you a warning when they are going bad, but you will start to have problems with your automobile once they need to be replaced. Dad’s Automotive can replace the spark plugs and also inspect your ignition system to see if anything else needs to be done. Below, you will find signs of faulty spark plugs that indicate it’s time for new ones in the engine.
Hard/No Starts
You probably already know this but the spark plugs produce sparks in the cylinders to ignite the fuel and air. This is what starts your automobile and keeps it running. If some of the spark plugs are unable to produce a spark, you will have a difficult time getting your engine started. If none of the spark plugs are producing sparks, you will be unable to get your engine started.
Misfiring Engine
As we just mentioned, the sparks that ignite the fuel and air are what keeps your engine running. Therefore, you need continual sparks generated by the spark plugs in each cylinder. When this does not happen, the engine will misfire. In other words, one or more cylinder will not detonate the fuel and air. This can make your engine stutter while you are driving it.
Rough Idling
It will also make your engine idle rough when you are sitting at a stop. You need the engine firing on all cylinders in order for it to operate smoothly. Bad spark plugs are not able to generate sparks in all of the cylinders. Consequently, the engine will continue to idle roughly until you have the spark plugs replaced so the engine is firing on all cylinders as it should be.
Surging/Lagging
As if the above weren’t enough, the misfiring engine may also surge or lag when you accelerate. This can make your ride jerky and bouncy. It can also create stalling problems. In fact, engines are known to stall frequently when the spark plugs are bad.
Poor Economy
Finally, as you can see, bad spark plugs create all kinds of problems with your engine’s performance. Unfortunately, this also means that your engine will burn through gasoline or diesel fuel more quickly. You have probably heard that regular tune-ups help your engine to run efficiently. This is true, and you cannot expect to get good gas mileage with bad spark plugs.
Call Dad’s Automotive in New Era, MI, today if your vehicle is overdue for a spark plug replacement.
