If the tip is worn down, the spark plug needs replacing. If wear is minimal, cleaning the spark plug will restore performance.
Do not use anti-seize or lubricant on NGK spark plugs. It is completely unnecessary and can be detrimental. Corona stain is a light brown or tan discoloration on the outside of the ceramic insulator above the metal shell/hex.
What's The Lifespan Of An Iridium Spark Plug? The average, modern iridium spark plug should last for 3-4,000 hours of engine uptime, depending on the gas quality. Each make and brand of spark plug should come with its own estimated rating for hours of use without degradation or failure.
Ordinary copper and nickel spark plugs should be changed every 30,000 to 50,000 miles, unless otherwise suggested by the spark plug manufacturer. Platinum and iridium spark plugs tend to last longer than standard copper and nickel spark plugs. Expect to change them every 60,000 to 150,000 miles unless otherwise noted.
There are several very simple ways to test iridium metal at home including the use of acids and flame tests. A simpler test though involves weighing the metal on a scale against a known weight of gold. If you can then melt the iridium metal, then it will be real however if it remains solid it will be fake.
You could expect low-end plugs to last from 15,000 to 30,000kms while high-quality iridium plugs might last up to 180,000kms or more.
Comparing a normal plug (W20FS-U) with an IRIDIUM POWER (IWF22) on a 2-cycle 50cc engine, fuel consumption improved from 41.74 km/L → 43.69 km/L, an improvement of about 5%.
The main property of the iridium spark plugs is that their electrode material comes with a high melting point. They offer a complete combustion and ensure a better performance. These spark plugs also have amazing longevity, which means you will not have to go on changing the spark plugs too frequently.
Greater engine power from iridium spark plugs
The spark plug manufacturers are unanimous about the fact that iridium spark plugs can considerably improve the engine power. The advantage is crucial when you need to navigate through difficult driving situations or climb steep slopes.
The only problem with iridium is that it's an expensive spark plug than platinum. So if you're on a budget and yet want an upgrade or some reliability, a platinum spark plug is the answer. It's also one of the best spark plugs recommended if your car has an electronic distributor ignition system.
NGK builds two types of iridium spark plugs: OE Iridium and Iridium IX®. Every plug in the Laser Series was designed for an OEM application. All dual precious metal plugs are designed to provide maximum longevity.
The iridium used in them has a superior hardness. The electrode's diameter in these plugs shrinks more than an NGK. For this reason, Denso plugs won't last longer than NGK units but they will be better at producing powerful sparks.
Lubricate Spark Plugs & Other Parts
For part of your car repair and maintenance, you can use WD-40 to remove carbon residue, and keep moisture away from spark plugs and spark plug wires.
However, having oil on your spark plug threads or in your plug wells for a prolonged period is a serious problem that can result in a misfire, increased oil consumption, and increased fuel consumption. It can even lead to engine damage and destroy components like your catalytic converter.
Considered the second-densest natural metal, iridium plugs are generally well-liked by drivers, but they have a few drawbacks, including a substantially higher cost. Extra care must also be taken during the installation of such spark plugs due to the brittle and combustible nature of iridium-coated electrodes.
Iridium Spark Plugs – Service Life
Denso Iridium spark plugs use a much thinner electrode than even the NGK. Given how long the NGK electrodes last you could argue the NGK are over engineered and reducing their diameter would have no effect on their service life.
Iridium spark plugs are better at starting engines than other types of spark plug because the spark is highly concentrated in the central electrode, and consequentially requires less voltage to operate. This makes ignitions faster and more reliable, and also reduces power consumption.
On the other hand, an iridium plug has an iridium tip on the center electrode. Double iridium spark plugs also have a coating on the ground electrode. The iridium electrode inlay is more durable, with a higher melting point that helps increase the service life of a plug.
In older vehicles, the ignition system itself is outmoded, and so in most cases the ignition voltage is low. Thus, the merit in using an iridium spark plug that enables stable sparking at a low voltage.
Because spark plugs are precision-made products, any adjustment has the potential to greatly affect performance. This is especially true of iridium plugs. Even though they can potentially deliver more than 100,000 miles of ignition, 0.6mm or 0.5mm iridium finewire can be destroyed during gapping.
Platinum and osmiridium (an alloy of osmium and iridium) have been found in alluvial gold deposits at Turtons Creek, Stockyard Creek and Waratah Bay, all close to Foster in south Gippsland.
Ir-192 is a shiny, silvery-white, very dense metal that will not rust when exposed to natural elements.