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Well, not quite everything, as there is a lot to tell. But today we are going to feature some of the choices you have when it comes to replacing your spark plugs. It is important to note that while no spark plug can ever make a really huge difference in the performance and gas mileage of your vehicle, there are definitely proven designs that have shown increased service life, as well as even a very moderate increase in performance.

Before you can truly appreciate some of these uniquely designed spark plugs and how they theoretically can improve engine performance, we must first look at what exactly a spark plug does. A spark plug is the link between your vehicles ignition system and fuel and air intake. Once the mixed air and gas from your vehicle are brought to your cylinders it is the spark plug that ignites this mixture causing the force that power the pistons to turn the crankshaft.

While there are thousands of volts shooting through a spark plugs electrode, it is not the voltage itself that is the most important part of lighting the mixture as is the heat generated by the plug. This is why certain spark plug designs are theoretically better than others.

If the contact surface between the electrode and flame are opened, leaving more open area between the two surfaces, then the heat created will remain more constant, and not be reabsorbed by the electrode. When an electrode is completely covered by the flame, as in a standard spark plug,

the heat build up is slightly squelched and therefore a complete burn may not always occur.

Let’s see what some of our options are to help with this problem:

U-Groove-

This design made famous by Denso puts a U-Groove within the underside of the electrode in order to open the area of the flame kernel. There have been some decent reports that have shown that this configuration can improve acceleration and throttle response slightly.

V-Power-

A similar idea as the U-groove except the center electrode is cut into a V Shape. NGK has a nice line of V-Power spark plugs whose design has received similar results as the U-grove.

Fine Wire/Tapered Cut Electrode-

The main advantage of these types of spark plugs is number one, it opens the area for the flame kernel. Two, the smaller area of the electrode requires less voltage to jump the gap, so there is less chance of misfire.

Due to the smaller area of metal, the typical copper electrode is not recommended as it would wear too quickly, so one of the popular exotic metals is preferred, such as platinum or iridium. These hard metals maintain and often surpass the traditional longevity of the typical spark plug even with the reduced electrode area.

(to be continued…)