Have you ever been driving along the roads of Mt. Kisco, NY, when you felt your car’s engine jolt and stutter? That might have been misfiring in one of your cylinders where the spark plug failed to ignite the fuel. When spark plugs get old, they start to fail, potentially causing all sorts of engine problems. Let’s look at how long your plugs should last, plus a few signs that you might need to replace your plugs pronto.
Every 80,000 to 100,000 Miles
Plugs are pretty durable engine components that usually last a good 80,000 to 100,000 miles in a well-kept vehicle. For most drivers, this is six or seven years of driving.
What Causes Plugs to Wear Out Faster?
Certain conditions can cause damage to plugs, requiring them to be replaced earlier than expected. Motor oil leaking into a combustion chamber will lead to premature failure in a spark plug, as will overheating in the engine due to a coolant leak or faulty radiator.
Any interruption to the inflow of oxygen into an engine leads to an excess of unburned fuel in the chambers which coats plugs in a sooty residue of carbon. This also dramatically diminishes the lifespan of plugs. You can reduce the chance of these problems occurring and grant your plugs a longer lifespan with regular engine inspections and careful maintenance.
Signs of Faulty Plugs
When a spark plug falters, it causes engine problems that can rapidly develop into more expensive damage. For this reason, it pays to know the signs of trouble so you can react quickly and have the guilty plug cleaned or replaced.
Loss of Engine Power
If you’re not accelerating as rapidly as before, one or more of your cylinders is probably misfiring. You’re most likely to notice the resulting loss of power when starting your car or when you need a quick burst of speed.
Rough Idling
With failing plugs, you’ll no longer be idling smoothly. Your engine will likely sputter and cough. It might also sporadically surge into unexpected revving.
Lower Gas Mileage
With poorer fuel efficiency, you’ll no longer be driving as far on a full tank of gas. So if you find yourself spending more on fuel each week, take a look at your plugs.
Black Smoke
With the fuel-air mixture inside a combustion chamber no longer burning as efficiently, excess unburned fuel will try to escape. It usually begins pouring out of your tailpipe in the form of black smoke.
Have your plugs examined today by experienced technicians at DARCARS Lexus of Mt. Kisco. Just schedule a service appointment online now. We’re your trusted Lexus dealership in Mt. Kisco, NY, that provides customer service as high in quality as our vehicles.
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