How to test if the spark plug is running well?

When most drivers turn the key or push a button to start their vehicle, they probably don’t realize how all the travel to start the car happens. While today this process seems simple to us, it really only requires the push of a button. But there is a lot of running that happens under the hood, and everything has to be complete and working properly for you to start your car immediately after you press the button. Spark plugs may be small, but they are the one thing that is indispensable to start your vehicle and keep it running properly. So when they’ve been in use for a long time and are no longer in the best condition, you’ll want to replace them. Have you checked to see if your spark plugs need to be replaced? To know this you need to test it. That’s why it’s important and how to do it.

car spark plug

Function of spark plugs

Let us first have a basic understanding of spark plugs. The role of the spark plug is to introduce the pulse of high-voltage electricity generated by the ignition coil into the combustion chamber, using the electric spark generated by the electrodes to ignite the mixture and complete combustion. No spark plugs means no combustion, which means you can’t go anywhere without them. Spark plug is the key to the car starting system, and the starting system is the key point of the engine work, so the performance of the spark plug is related to the work performance and efficiency of the whole car.

bad car spark plug

Symptoms of spark plugs that need to be replaced

  1. Poor acceleration. Because the electrode gap of the spark plug is too large, not able to provide stable ignition energy, and sometimes will not even ignite, so it will lead to our car in the acceleration is not smooth, the acceleration does not feel smooth when you need to replace the spark plug
  2. The engine has a “shrugging” phenomenon. When the car is moving, the engine has a “shrugging” phenomenon. Usually driving will feel a significant lack of power, accompanied by increased fuel consumption, sometimes black smoke, which indicates a serious decline in the performance of the spark plug.
  3. Difficult or impossible to start the car. This indicates that there is likely to be a problem with the spark plug in more than one cylinder.
  4. Regular engine shaking. When the engine is idling, you can feel the engine shaking regularly when you sit inside the car and hold the steering wheel with your hands. But sometimes the engine speed is higher than the idle speed, shaking fault phenomenon disappears, and step on the accelerator no longer appear shaking. Such idle shaking phenomenon can indicate that the spark plug performance has begun to decline.

How to test your spark plugs

While you can certainly leave it to the professionals, it’s easy to do it yourself. I recommend purchasing a spark plug tester, it won’t cost you a lot of money and it’s the easiest way to go. Autool SPT101 spark plug tester must be a good choice for you.

autool spt 101 spark plug tester

Testing your spark plugs with SPT101 only takes four steps:

1: Put the spark plug into the test hole.

2: Cover the protective cover.

3: Turn on the power and adjust the working frequency.

4: Observe the spark plug test status through the protective cover.

You can learn more about using the SPT101 Spark Plug Tester to test spark plugs in the video below:

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