special candles: check out the benefits for turbo engines

NGK explains how high-performance spark plugs work
and what care should be taken for maintenance

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São Paulo, June 2022 – One of the great developments observed in the automotive market is the popularization of turbocharged engines. Previously restricted to higher-cost or sports vehicles, are currently already present in many new cars with the aim of offering higher levels of efficiency, performance and fuel economy. In this context, Ignition systems advanced, according to NGK, Japanese multinational spark plug specialist, to meet more stringent demands of this technology.

Hiromori Mori, NGK do Brasil Technical Assistance consultant, points out that turbocharged engines offer performance gains that, in its turn, generate higher pressures in the combustion chamber and also demand more performance from the spark plugs. “More and more, new generations of turbo engines have been using so-called special spark plugs because they provide better electrical conductivity and a more intense spark., which results in the air-fuel mixture burning more efficiently", explains the expert.

Made from noble materials, like platinum and iridium, special spark plugs generate a series of advantages for engines, from easier matches, experiencing faster accelerations and more stable idles, up to constant revs with better fuel economy. “At the moment when the turbine is generating a higher pressure, there is a natural difficulty in generating the spark, which is softened with the actuation of platinum or iridium candles”, affirms Mori. Because they have central electrodes with reduced diameters, the special candles facilitate the formation of the spark - the spark that will burn the air-fuel mixture.

Maintenance

As the working conditions of high performance spark plugs are more critical in turbocharged engines, NGK reinforces to the driver that it is essential to carry out component maintenance according to the specifications of each automaker, which makes available on the official website the vehicle manuals with the respective maintenance plans. The durability of the special spark plug is defined according to tests established by the automaker., it can vary from 40 thousand to 100 thousand kilometers.

According to the Technical Assistance consultant of NGK do Brasil, the service life of the special spark plug also depends on the working conditions inside the combustion chamber, like temperature, pressure and mixing. “In engines with a high compression ratio or use of turbochargers, there is a tendency for greater wear. From the analysis of the state of the electrode in terms of wear, which is not easily visible to the naked eye, the mechanic can identify the need for replacement”, concludes Mori.