#SPARK PLUG CROSS REFERENCE HOW TO#

These models donвЂ™t come with gaskets, and you shouldnвЂ™t use ones either. The gasket is the single differentiating factor between these and tapered-seat models.В Tapered-seat spark plugs, on the other hand, use the outer shell of the plug itself to create a seal. Otherwise, the plugs wonвЂ™t seal properly, and you might even damage something.ДЇlat-seat spark plugs use crushable metal gaskets to seal properly. These standards arenвЂ™t interchangeable вЂ“ you need to make sure that you get the proper one. Okay, so you found new plugs that are the same size, but what about the seal? Right now, there are two standards when it comes to spark plugs sealsвЂ“ flat seat or tapered seat. Type of Sealing (Flat Seat or Tapered Seat) More importantly, though, other things should be considered as well. However, you canвЂ™t do that when buying online. Luckily, you can visually compare spark plugs for the tread girth and length. If itвЂ™s too short, then the spark wonвЂ™t reach the air/fuel mixture contained in the combustion chamber and it will probably not work at all. If the spark plug is too long, it will not seal properly, and the engine will lose compression. The length of the tread and electrode is equally important, if not even more. Like most things, if the new plugs have different thread diameters, you wonвЂ™t be able to fit them inside. When you cross-reference spark plugs, you need to make sure that they will at least fit in your motor. The first and most obvious area where spark plugs differ is the thread size and length. That said, copper plugs are great for performance engines thanks to the excellent dissipation properties, and theyвЂ™re much cheaper too. They create a better spark than platinum and copper models, and last longer. Within these brands, you can find designs that will fit your vehicle nicely and perform excellently throughout the years.ДЇor the best performance and longevity, we recommend going for iridium plugs. If you want to replace your plugs for better ones, we recommend models from Denso, Bosch, NGK, Acdelco, Champion, etc. Today, many companies offer a wide range of designs that cover almost every vehicle ever made. Sure, they are still good enough вЂ“ 100,000-miles is no joke, but you can do even better. Higher-quality spark plugs might be twice as expensive, which is why car manufacturers donвЂ™t always use them in new cars. Yes, you heard that right вЂ“ aftermarket models are usually better than factory ones.ДЄs always, price is the determining factor of how durable the plugs will be. That alone should be a reason enough for you to purchase new and better spark plugs. Conventional copper plugs should be replaced every 30,000-50,000 miles or so while iridium and platinum spark plugs may last over 100,000 miles.ДЄnd, interestingly, most manufacturers donвЂ™t use the highest-quality plugs from the factory. Depending on the type of plugs installed on your engine, youвЂ™ll need to replace them at different intervals. Why Would I Want New Spark Plugs?ДЇirst of all, spark plugs donвЂ™t last forever. By cross-referencing spark plugs, youвЂ™ll be sure that the new ones will have the same specs as the old ones. The determining features of a spark plug are thread size and length, type of sealing, electrode type, material and length, and heat dissipation. In other words, you either need to buy the same plugs or purchase others but with the same characteristics. If you donвЂ™t want that happening to you, you need to replace your spark plugs with ones specifically made for your engine or cross-reference the plugs if you decided to go with another brand. In some cases, the engine might even stop running because of unsuitable spark plugs. Choosing the right spark plug for your car is very important вЂ“ using the wrong spark plugs for your engine will not only reduce its fuel-efficiency but may also damage internal components. Some spark plugs are better for fuel-efficient engines, while others are better for performance engines.

When car manufacturers design an engine, they decide on one type of plug depending on what they want to achieve.

#SPARK PLUG CROSS REFERENCE HOW TO#

DonвЂ™t worry вЂ“ we will straighten things out here and teach you how to correctly and easily cross-reference spark plugs.ДЄlthough all plugs are all basically doing the same thing, they still differ in many ways. Today we have a variety of spark plugs to choose from and that may sometimes create confusion among drivers. Even the spark plugs are the same, but of course, modernized. Ever since that happened, we continued to use the same principle when designing internal combustion engines. Nikolaus Otto then perfected the design and decided to use spark plugs in the worldвЂ™s first four-cycle engine. When Etienne Lenoir developed the first internal combustion engine, he used jumping sparks to ignite the air-fuel mixture.

Spark plug cross reference