Can replacing better spark plugs really increase power?

The spark plug is only responsible for igniting the fire. Therefore, no matter how good the spark plug is, it cannot improve the power of the car.

This is like: I want to buy a computer for office use, as long as Word and Excel can be used.

No matter how high-end or expensive a computer is, it won’t mean that much to me. Changing to a better spark plug will not improve the power.

The main function of the spark plug is to ignite the mixed gas in the cylinder. When the car is working normally, it has nothing to do with whether it is powerful or not.

There is a paper in the journal "Construction Machinery", "Determination of Spark Plug Ignition Energy".

In order for the engine to operate normally, the discharge spark energy generated by the spark plug must be large enough to enable the fire core formed by the spark in the combustible mixture to complete the physical and chemical processes and expand the flame.

Speaking in human language: The spark plug is the one who does the work, which is what we call the "tool man" in dialect today.

As long as you can light it up, you have completed the task.

This is like: when you want to smoke, use a match to "click" to light the cigarette, or use a lighter to light it...

Or: when you look around, gas Light a cigarette on the stove, or whatever. Once you light the cigarette, it has nothing to do with the fire source.

Whether a cigarette is good or not is determined by the tobacco leaves or other flavors of the cigarette itself. Anyway, it has nothing to do with the match.

This is the same as the factors that affect car power, which were also discussed in the previous video.

Car power is determined by four main factors: air intake volume, rotation speed, mechanical efficiency and combustion process.

In other words, the power of the car has been determined when it leaves the factory. As long as it is not modified, it is impossible to make the power exceed the original factory level by just changing the spark plug. Good spark plugs last longer

So why do people still change spark plugs?

When we change to better spark plugs, we actually just change to spark plugs with better electrode materials. The difference is: the service life will be longer.

For example: nickel alloy spark plugs have a service life of about 20,000 to 30,000 kilometers; single platinum spark plugs have a service life of 40,000 kilometers; and iridium spark plugs have a service life of 80,000 kilometers.

What really need good spark plugs are those cars with so-called "bad" engine conditions.

Some turbine cars need to replace spark plugs every 20,000 kilometers. The reason is: the spark plugs on turbine cars corrode faster than those on naturally aspirated cars. For example: the Passat maintenance manual recommends replacing spark plugs every 20,000 kilometers.

As mentioned in the previous video, the temperature of the turbine engine is higher, and the intake air temperature is 40 to 60°C higher than that of ordinary naturally aspirated engines.

There is also a paper in the "Automotive Engineering" journal, "Research on the Effect of High-Energy Ignition on Spark Plug Electrode Corrosion" mentioned above.

Higher in-cylinder pressure, stronger vortex, and higher in-cylinder temperature will accelerate the corrosion of the spark plug, thus reducing the life of the spark plug.

This is like: People who work hard will definitely consume more energy, so they should eat more steamed buns when eating to replenish nutrients.

If your nutrition is worse than others, you still have to work more, right? Life is shortened. Why do some people feel that the power becomes stronger after replacing them?

Some friends think: "I just changed to a better spark plug, and then I felt that the power became stronger." So what exactly is the reason? What's going on? Although it will not increase the power, it can restore it

This is how it is said: when you replace this new spark plug, it is not called "power becomes stronger", it restores you to the original level. .

You feel that the power has become stronger, but in fact you have forgotten that your original spark plug is getting older with use. The credit is not a "more powerful" spark plug, but a "new" spark plug.

Old spark plugs have more or less carbon deposits, and the carbon deposit problem does affect engine power.

There are papers in "Chemical Minerals and Processing" and "A Brief Discussion on Spark Plugs".

The mixture is too rich, the engine is idling for a long time without load, the calorific value is too high, too much lubricating oil, etc. can easily cause carbon deposits to form on the spark plug insulator, causing problems with ignition performance and loss of power. decline.

In addition, after the spark plug ages, the electrodes will wear and corrode, the gap will become larger, and poor ignition will occur.

There is knowledge about spark plugs on the DENSO official website. When the electrode gap becomes larger, the voltage required for spark plug ignition will become larger.

When the electrode wear reaches a certain level, the voltage provided by the ignition coil is insufficient. If it is insufficient, the spark plug will fail.

It hinders the stable ignition of the mixture, thereby reducing the engine horsepower.

It’s like: when climbing a mountain, if the slope is too steep, then we can only climb slowly, or simply cannot climb it at all, except for rock climbing.

Psychological effects lead to the feeling that the power has been improved

Some friends, the original spark plugs were not used for long, and they replaced them with better spark plugs, and they felt: "Well" the power has been improved. "That may be a psychological effect.

Because in behavioral economics, there is something called the "Veblen effect." That is: the higher the price of a product, the more willing consumers are to buy it. , I think the effect of the product will be better.

To put it bluntly, spark plugs are expensive. I thought in my heart: it will definitely be more effective, the power will be better, and the fuel consumption will definitely be lower, and the ignition will be better. I think it's a little smoother than before.

Actually, these changes are minimal.

It's just like a 500-yuan Nike T-shirt. , more comfortable to wear than the 80 yuan domestic ones. This is a psychological effect, right? The most fundamental effect is to extend the service life

In short, the most fundamental effect of changing to a better spark plug is to extend its use. Lifespan has nothing to do with improving power.

But because the original spark plug was old, it feels like the power has improved. In fact, it is called "recovering power".