how long do iridium spark plugs last? - After how many km do spark plugs need to be changed? Regular and iridium. — 22 answers
In the Service, Maintenance, Tuning section, answer the question After how many km are spark plugs changed? Regular and iridium. asked by the author Neurosis, the best answer is iridium after 60,000 km, regular after 30,000 km - this is with high-quality gasoline. Otherwise, the 1st filling is enough, regardless of what kind of candles and what type of filling (Lukoil, Pupkino village, etc.).
Reply from 22 replies[guru] Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: After how many km do spark plugs be changed? Conventional and iridium. Answer from Yergey [guru] Any spark plugs after 30t. kmAnswer from Salt[guru]…I don’t know how, but I change it as one of the candles comes out. I always have a set in stock Answer from luxury [newbie] 50,000....if normal... Answer from LeXa [guru] super cool spark plugs promise a mileage of 50 thousand, but with our gasoline 20-30 thousand is optimal, provided that everything is in order and the spark plugs are clean and dry Answer from Irida May [guru] I already have 80 thousand from the purchase from the salon - and everything is ok - it always starts up perfectly, etc. Answer from Bulat [guru] When the gasoline was changed every fall. Answer from Nikolas Skylar [active] 100 thousand miles or 160 thousand km, sometimes they run longer. Answer from Oracle [guru] The average annual mileage is 20 - 30 thousand; I change it before winter frosts - in the fall. but there were never any problems in cold weather. Answer from Dmitry Donskoy [active] simple 20-30, iridium 50-70 Answer from Sergey Sov [guru] Ordinary candles like 30-50 thousand. Iridium and platinum 80-100 thousand. But…. There is a big but. Candles change according to condition. With our gasoline, you can change the microwave after the first refueling.
Differences from ordinary candles
The main working part of the spark-forming device for a gasoline engine is the rod. In this case, special requirements are placed on the central electrode, namely its upper part, where the spark is formed.
The metal of this working surface must have the following basic characteristics:
- thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity;
- resistance to thermal erosion;
- infusibility.
In conventional spark plugs, iron-chromium + titanium or nickel alloys are used to make the central electrode. More modern are specimens with a rod made of copper and nickel. Their average resource is approximately 20-30 thousand kilometers of car mileage. At the same time, from about 10 thousand, fuel consumption increases by 4%, later – up to 9%.
According to reviews from manufacturers Bosch and NGK, the service life of iridium spark plugs reaches 150 thousand. At the same time, they work effectively throughout their entire service life. The reduced electrode diameter promotes better fuel combustion and increased energy output. Thanks to this, tension is concentrated in a limited area.
Iridium spark plugs: are they worth buying?
Hello again everyone! The condition of the spark plugs will determine how efficiently and smoothly the power unit of your car can function, and this applies to absolutely any brand. Some car owners manage to save money on this, but they simply do not know what qualities iridium spark plugs have. I suggest we talk about this in more detail.
Features of iridium
It was this metal, thanks to its unique properties, that could become a competitor to the traditional spark plugs that were used before. Such products first saw the light of day in 1994 and were adopted by the famous manufacturer NGK. Before this, products made from platinum were considered the highest quality, but iridium had a higher melting point, as well as corrosion resistance. They began to make spark plug tips from it, thereby achieving increased engine performance.
By the way, this metal melts at a temperature of almost 2500 degrees Celsius. It is widely used in a number of modern industries. However, pure iridium cannot boast of high electrical conductivity, and it is also fragile, which makes it difficult to perform various works with it. At the moment, it costs less on the market than platinum, so iridium candles are installed by owners of different brands of cars, including VAZ car owners.
In fact, very little of this metal is required; tips are equipped with it, as well as grounding electrodes. Essentially, these are pieces of wire that we find in our spark plugs. But millions of similar products are produced on an industrial scale around the world every year. The alloy of this metal is already highly electrically conductive, so the tips can be made really tiny, but they manage to concentrate the necessary electrical charge. Because of this, combustion in the cylinders improves when driving in various modes, and there is practically no loss of spark.
Main advantages
So, let's look at the main advantages of iridium spark plugs, which will help answer the question of which of them is better for a car engine:
- high strength properties of the metal and reliable sparking;
- the need for less voltage due to the compact size of the tip;
- high fuel efficiency;
- anti-corrosion characteristics, which are provided by a 3-valent nickel coating;
- increased melting point, which is ideally suited for modern internal combustion engines.
So, let's look at what all these positive factors and reviews mean in practice. To achieve maximum igniter performance, you should ensure that the area between the electrode and the flame is as small as possible. That is why the diameter of the wire from which the electrode of a denso spark plug is made can be 0.4 mm. And for standard copper tips this figure is 0.8 mm. The less metal there is at the working end of the spark plug, the larger the working area will be for creating and spreading a spark. In turn, this will reduce voltage requirements and increase startup performance.
The effective clearance of iridium products can be properly monitored at idle speed of the engine, which is often unstable. The testing demonstrated the high flammability of such candles. Add to this the low voltage requirements and it becomes clear why platinum products are losing their place on automotive store shelves. Although they are still competitive analogues.
Thanks to better combustion of the fuel mixture, it is possible to achieve smooth engine operation in idle mode. In addition, its performance increases by as much as 8%, and this is no less important criterion than the question of how long such spark plugs last. And tips created on the basis of iridium help reduce fuel consumption by 5 and sometimes 7%.
About maintenance of iridium spark plugs
It would seem, what kind of selection of spark plugs could there be if iridium ones are so effective, and why aren’t all cars equipped with just these samples? The main disadvantage of such products is their high cost, which stops many car owners from purchasing them. Therefore, such sets are most in demand in cases where it is necessary to achieve maximum performance in the operation of the power unit.
But maintenance of iridium spark plugs is much simpler and their service life is longer. According to experts, they are quite capable of reaching up to 160 thousand kilometers. However, it is still recommended to replace more often, because the formation of carbon deposits and clogging is inevitable. Because of this, the performance of the motor will definitely decrease. However, it was candles made from this metal that became a technological breakthrough, possessing truly excellent characteristics. First of all, it is a super thin wire, and also laser welding, which is used to create a grounding electrode.
This will conclude our discussion of today's topic. Don't forget to subscribe to blog updates if for some reason you haven't done so yet. We always have interesting information on the most pressing topics for those who love cars. Bye everyone!
Sincerely, blog author Andrey Kulpanov
Author:Andrey
How long do iridium spark plugs last?
I will share my thoughts without complaint.
I work at Toyota, according to the regulations on those cars where iridium spark plugs are replaced after 100,000 km. Nobody changes before. Lancers have the same spark plugs. In the original Toyota box there are Denso, from the factory Denso and NGK are 50 to 50. It is on one engine in one Denso half-block in the second NGK. There were no questions about either one.
I installed Denso IK20 for myself and closed the issue 100,000 ahead.
As a preventative measure, you can change the entire car every 10,000, but what’s the point of replacing a good one with a new one?
There are maintenance regulations, but there is also the concept of service life based on engine hours. Passenger cars do not have an hour meter, so maintenance and oil changes occur not once every 350-400 hours, but once every 10-15,000 km, which is too much for some, but too early for others.
It is important to note that they show maximum returns over time.
INCREASING FUNCTION PERFORMANCE
Achieved due to the ability to produce candles with a smaller contact area. Thin alloy wire (about 0.4 mm) has a 2.5 times higher flammability limit compared to classic copper sets. Some alloy at the tip allows spark expansion, improving starting performance and reducing voltage costs.
SMOOTH IDLING
It is known that at idle the engine ignition is very weak. Testing shows that iridium spark plugs require less voltage, which, coupled with excellent ignitability, gives the engine the ability to operate with good performance even at idle. Conventional plugs do not allow maintaining a stable number of revolutions per minute, unlike iridium ones.
How long do ngk iridium spark plugs last?
The following main properties can be distinguished:
- the high melting point of iridium alloys makes it possible to use these products for high-tech engines;
- iridium tips of minimal diameter have high strength, which guarantees a constant spark to ignite the fuel assembly and start the engine in any weather;
- Nickel coating of devices increases anti-corrosion and anti-blocking properties;
- the voltage is supplied to the thin tip, so large values are not needed for sparking;
- Iridium SZ have good efficiency during fuel combustion;
- Long service life due to the high melting point of iridium.
Service life of iridium spark plugs
First of all, it is worth saying that there is a service life recommended by the manufacturer.
- preliminary tightening should be done with a slight force; if movement is difficult, you need to unscrew and start tightening the spark plug again;
- the final “squeezing” of the spark plug is done with medium force (at service stations, a torque wrench is used for this; the tightening torque is set in the range from 15 to 35 Nm, depending on the thread diameter and type of fit);
- The last stage of installation of spark plugs is the installation of high-voltage wires.
Why change spark plugs if the old ones work?
Theoretically, they can last ten years or more, especially if they are cleaned periodically.
There is an opinion that spark plugs should be changed only when obvious signs of wear appear, or when repairs related to problems with ignition and the engine as a whole are carried out.
In addition, it has high resistance to corrosion processes.
The reliability of spark formation can be increased by increasing the gap between the electrodes or reducing the diameter of the central electrode due to the use of chemically resistant noble and refractory metals for its manufacture. If you increase the gap, it becomes necessary to increase the voltage for sparking. When using noble metals, the cost of protective equipment increases. Manufacturers have taken both paths.
Since the 1980s, iridium in the form of an alloy has been used to produce igniters. Due to its fragility and low electrical conductivity, iridium is not used in its pure form. Its best properties are manifested in alloys. Iridium electrodes are made by laser welding.
The energy of the igniter also increases the speed due to excellent combustion.
INCREASED ENGINE PERFORMANCE
Unlike others, iridium ignition devices tend to increase engine efficiency by up to 8%.
LOWER FUEL CONSUMPTION
Alloy tips reduce fuel requirements by 5-7%.
NEGATIVE QUALITIES
The first thing that catches your eye is the high price of such candles. But given the long service life, high vehicle efficiency, excellent quality and temperature resistance, the price is justified, although it is higher than standard copper spark plugs.
Depending on the car model, iridium spark plugs may provide little or no performance improvement - it depends on the current state of the car. In addition, special engine efficiency is not always required and many vehicles will be limited to standard kits.
How long do Denso iridium spark plugs last?
Attention Still, there is no need to worry, because when we buy a kit for our model, we receive ready-made samples that only need to be re-adjusted when repairing the engine or cleaning the spark plugs themselves. For example, Denso products have a factory-set gap. Before installing new ones, it is recommended to check the spark plug visually for bent electrodes.
Is it worth installing iridium samples on old cars that have driven hundreds of thousands, or is it better to get by with a more budget option? This is a difficult question that cannot be answered unequivocally.
The question here is, first of all, economic feasibility. On new injection models, expensive iridium options pay for themselves quite quickly.
How long do iridium spark plugs last?
Manufacturers' efforts are aimed at improving technical characteristics, since the principle of operation always remains the same. There's no point in reinventing the wheel. Therefore, manufacturers are working to increase the service life of iridium spark plugs, and reviews from many drivers are proof of this. No less attention is paid to how reliably the spark works.
This will allow the fuel mixture to burn completely. In this regard, each subsequent generation of spark plugs allows you to save on fuel. Also, many manufacturers are addressing the issue of reducing harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
Basic properties
The first company to use iridium, thereby improving the quality of SZ, was the Japanese company NGK. The reason why iridium was chosen was that this metal has a very high melting point, exceeding even platinum.
How long do ngk iridium spark plugs last?
Thanks to the use of very thin wire, about 0.4 mm thick, the manufacturer was able to achieve a higher quality and more powerful spark. A thin electrode concentrates the charge of the spark plug into a smaller area, resulting in a spark occurring even at low voltage.
- Improved idle performance. Due to the excellent flammability, the combustion efficiency of the fuel-air mixture increases and the engine speed increases.
- Increase in car engine power by at least 6%. If you read reviews of iridium spark plugs, it is easy to notice that many drivers note positive changes in the performance of the car after installing them.
- Reduced fuel consumption. Tests confirm that fuel savings can reach 7%.
- Reducing exhaust toxicity.
How long do Denso iridium spark plugs last on a naturally aspirated engine?
The application of noble metals to the electrode increases the life of the spark plug and reduces the gap between the electrode and the insulator.
When is it still necessary to change spark plugs?
Like any replaceable elements in a car, spark plugs can be replaced as planned during operating hours or emergencyly as a result of a failure. In the first case, when carrying out the next maintenance of the car in a service center or independently, it is recommended to replace the spark plugs when the car's mileage reaches within 10-15 thousand kilometers, regardless of their condition. At the same time, we advise you not to throw away the removed candles, but to hide them, just in case, in a place that is easily accessible to you.
It should be noted that with this approach, you deliberately incur additional costs associated with the early purchase of a new set of spark plugs, but you save yourself from headaches by preventing forced emergency situations.
How long do iridium spark plugs last?
This happens not only due to improved technical characteristics of the engine, but also due to reduced maintenance costs, as well as a significant reduction in fuel consumption - and such spark plugs pay for themselves quite quickly.
An old carburetor car, regardless of whether it has iridium or regular spark plugs, will not “drive better”, and there will be no significant savings on gasoline. However, the operation of the ignition system will undoubtedly improve and become more stable, starting the engine in cold weather will be easier, and the engine will stop reacting violently to low-quality gasoline. Car maintenance is also important, especially one that runs on liquefied gas.
How long do iridium spark plugs last on gas?
This difference depends on the type of vehicle and can be very significant.
Moreover, the ignition voltage required to ignite a mixture of air and LPG is significantly higher than the voltage required to ignite a mixture of air and gasoline. For the latter, an ignition voltage of 10–15 kV is usually sufficient. LPG engines require about 25–30 kV.
The increased voltage and high combustion temperatures in this type of engine shorten the life of the spark plugs.
In this regard, in gas engines, it is recommended to use iridium spark plugs with platinum side electrodes.
DENSO's Iridium Tough range of spark plugs provides the best ignition performance of any spark plug on the market.
How to distinguish iridium spark plugs from regular spark plugs
Iridium and regular spark plug.
In conclusion, let’s touch on the most interesting and pressing issue. How can you distinguish an iridium spark plug from a fake? There are two known methods, visual and hardware.
The visual method consists of inspecting the central electrode. If the shape of the central electrode is needle-shaped, then you are most likely holding an iridium product. Of course, you can give this look to a regular copper-nickel electrode, but this is associated with certain labor costs, which will not give the counterfeiter a benefit in price. Therefore, this method, in principle, allows one to reliably distinguish a genuine product from a counterfeit one.
The hardware method involves checking the spark plug using a generator. Many retail businesses have similar display equipment and use it to increase the attractiveness of their products. Connect the spark plug to the circuit and apply ignition voltage to it. An iridium spark plug produces a pure white spark, whereas a spark discharge that occurs between conventional steel or copper-nickel electrodes contains red and yellow inclusions.
If the center electrode in the spark plug is needle-shaped and the spark is pure white, then you can be sure that the spark plug is iridium.
How long do iridium spark plugs last?
High-quality combustion of the air-fuel mixture ensures a minimum hydrocarbon content in the exhaust.
- Successful engine starting in any conditions. The properties of iridium spark plugs guarantee engine starting even at low temperatures.
- Long period of operation. Some manufacturers claim that the service life of iridium spark plugs is 150,000 km, but this figure is still a little overestimated (as practice shows, the service life of iridium spark plugs is 110-120 thousand km).
Iridium spark plugs have a lot of advantages, but, as you know, everything good comes at a price.
Iridium and platinum spark plugs can easily withstand mileage of 100,000 km or more, but this is also with a relatively new engine.
Internal combustion engines running on gas have an increased combustion temperature of the fuel-air mixture; their service life should be reduced by 20-30%. Another factor in a similar reduction in the replacement period for spark plugs is the use of low-quality gasoline.
Their extraordinary replacement is carried out after major and major emergency repairs, or after the car has been parked for a long time.
Replacement sequence
Despite its apparent simplicity, this operation should be taken responsibly. Replacement should be made as a complete set (!).
How long do ngk iridium spark plugs last?
Automotive innovation is how iridium can be described. Spark plugs made from this material are worthy competitors to platinum ones. By replacing a classic set of spark plugs with an iridium one, you can significantly improve the performance of your vehicle. Most drivers prefer these spark plugs, as they are more durable, stronger and extend the life of their cars.
New product on the automotive spare parts market
Iridium spark plugs are a relatively new product, which, despite the fact that they have been on the market recently, have already gained popularity among many car enthusiasts. The design of the candles was already installed in the very first samples, and therefore the new product is practically no different from its analogues.
Thus, if you want to spend money on good spark plugs at one time and not return to this issue, at least until your car reaches 100-160 thousand kilometers on the speedometer, then we recommend paying attention to Iridium Denso spark plugs or an improved version - Iridium Denso TT (Twin Tip), Iridium Denso SIP (super ignition), Iridium Denso Tough
NGK products have also proven themselves well - one such candle will cost you about 450-900 rubles
POSITIVE TRAITS
Testing shows that iridium spark plugs have many advantages over analogues. They were originally created to achieve greater productivity, fully meeting expectations.
Attention
In addition, the distance between the electrodes should be taken into account.
The ground electrode is important. In 1974, DENSO developed the U-groove ground electrode design, which subsequently became widely used. This groove allows for a greater concentration of sparks in a smaller area and increases ignition efficiency.
Another way to improve ignition efficiency is to use a precious metal spike welded to the ground electrode.
Lower cost and higher efficiency?
In 2003, DENSO introduced Super Spark Plugs (SIPs) with a thin platinum spike on the ground electrode.
Based on this design, DENSO Twin Tip (TT) spark plugs were developed and introduced to the auto parts market, which quickly became very popular.
The easiest way to identify a possibly faulty spark plug is with the engine running. To do this, it is necessary to sequentially disconnect the high-voltage wires (or the connector of the individual ignition coil) from each of them. The non-working cylinder will be the one from which, when disconnected, the nature of the engine operation does not change.
Also signs of a required replacement of spark plugs are:
- visual malfunction (contamination, carbon deposits in the gap area, change in the normal gray color of carbon deposits, its wetting, mechanical chips on the insulator);
- unstable engine speed;
- increased smokiness of exhaust gases;
- engine detonation;
- message from the “CHECK ENGINE” warning lamp or on-board computer.
How often do you need to change spark plugs?
Each manufacturer indicates the period or mileage of trouble-free operation of spark plugs.
How long do Denso iridium spark plugs last?
However, old, although serviceable, spark plugs can negatively affect engine performance:
- changing the gap area affects the ignition timing;
- minor misfires lead to increased detonation and mechanical stress;
- dirty spark plugs can cause breakdown of the ignition coil, high-voltage wires, and slider resistor;
- Incorrectly functioning spark plugs affect the environmental characteristics of an internal combustion engine.
The most dangerous problem when replacing spark plugs infrequently is coking of the threaded connection area. This is fraught with the possibility of thread breakage and damage to the spark plug during dismantling.
How long do iridium spark plugs last?
How often should you change spark plugs and the main signs that they need to be replaced?
Many parameters of gasoline engines depend on the correct operation of spark plugs.
Monitoring their serviceability and timely replacement is a condition for proper operation of the vehicle.
Reasons for their natural and premature wear
The spark plug operates under extremely extreme conditions:
- high temperature in the working cylinder;
- aggressive environment in the form of a mixture of fuel, air and oil;
- high pressure during ignition;
- high voltage and temperature of electric spark.
The simultaneous action of these factors leads to an intensification of the processes of their natural wear.
How long do ngk iridium spark plugs last?
The main reason for this is the high demand in the market. Rare and precious metal also causes high prices, however, to a minor extent. The total mass of iridium in the electrode is low, since only the tip is made of precious metal, which leads to a low impact on the final cost of the spark plug.
The cost of iridium spark plugs is variable and will decrease if demand decreases. At the moment, more than 20% of the total amount of iridium is spent on making candles.
If the figure increases, the price tag will increase by an undetermined amount; if it falls, it will decrease. There are two possible reasons why the percentage will change soon:
- reducing the percentage of old cars on the market and popularizing cars with more powerful engines, making them accessible to all segments of the population.
How long do Denso iridium spark plugs last on a naturally aspirated engine?
Their use in conjunction with small-displacement engines is not recommended - such an expense will not be justified.
SERVICE
The operation of iridium kits has not changed over the past few years. They will still last over 100,000 miles on most cars, but manufacturers advise replacing them much more frequently, as frequent ignition, external contamination, and engine problems can reduce service life.
When choosing iridium spark plugs, the coincidence of the configuration with the old ones is not important, but the pitch, length and diameter of the thread must match, otherwise the installation will fail.
SPARK PLUG GAP – IS IT NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED?
For some drivers, the issue of setting the gap is questionable. They can be understood, because the kits are produced with the gap set at the factory, and the engines of the cars are different.
How long do iridium spark plugs last?
Partial replacement of one or two “lost” spark plugs is only possible for a short time.
Different gaps and types of spark plugs and their conditions lead to inevitable failure of ignition timing, increased detonation, and contribute to increased engine wear.
The selection of spark plugs should be made for the vehicle based on reference data. You shouldn’t rely on “these are the best” recommendations. It is better to purchase products only from trusted manufacturers.
As the main tool for replacing spark plugs, it is better to use a special long head with rubber inserts to grip the spark plug being removed. Before purchasing it, you should measure the diameter of the mounting hole.
The standard sizes of spark plug heads are 16 and 21. The length of the seating zone can be different, up to 180 millimeters in certain engine models.
How long do iridium spark plugs last on gas?
DENSO Iridium Tough spark plugs have a 0.4mm diameter iridium center electrode and last four times longer than conventional nickel plugs. In terms of coverage, DENSO iridium spark plugs provide the largest LPG fleet coverage on the market, representing approximately 90% of popular vehicles.
Spark plugs DENSO TT
In regions where LPG is used to fuel older vehicle fleets, price is often more important to vehicle owners than the lifespan provided by iridium plugs. In this case, DENSO offers an extremely effective alternative to Iridium Tough spark plugs: the DENSO TT spark plugs.
