What does it mean when the tip of a spark plug is white?
If your spark plug is white in color or appears blistered, that means something is making the plug run too hot. Check for problems in your engine’s cooling, a lean fuel mixture or incorrect ignition timing. A wet spark plug likely means that it hasn’t been firing due to engine flooding or a bad ignition cable.
What color should the tip of a spark plug be?
By examining the insulator firing nose color, an experienced engine tuner can determine a great deal about the engine’s overall operating condition. In general, a light tan/gray color tells you that the spark plug is operating at optimum temperature and that the engine is in good condition.
What is the white part on a spark plug called?
Spark Plug Characteristics Inside the spark plug is a central inner electrode that is insulated from heat by its white porcelain shell. It gets electricity to perform a spark via the central electrode which is connected to your vehicle’s ignition coil by a heavily insulated wire.
What is the tip of a spark plug called?
Central Electrode
Central Electrode Tip is made of copper, nickel, chromium or other precious metals. The metal carries the high voltage through the spark plug so it can spark when it goes across the small gap between the central electrode and the side electrode.
What are the symptoms of a lean fuel mixture?
A lean fuel mixture (too little fuel for the amount of air in the cylinder) can cause an engine to have a surge or miss at idle and part throttle, stumble on acceleration, engine overheating, cause a lack of power, and create possible engine failure from the lean air/fuel mixture.
What does white on the spark plug mean?
If your spark plug is white in color or appears blistered, that means something is making the plug run too hot. Check for problems in your engine’s cooling, a lean fuel mixture or incorrect ignition timing.
What causes white deposits on spark plugs?
Blisters on the insulator tip, melted electrodes, or white deposits are signs of a burned spark plug that is running too hot. Causes can include the engine overheating, incorrect spark plug heat range, a loose spark plug, incorrect ignition timing or too lean of an air/fuel mixture. The spark plug should be replaced.
What causes spark plug to burn black?
Spark plugs turn black due to a over rich fuel condition and will quickly stop firing due to the carbon build up creating a much easier path to ground for the spark than the air gap of the plug. This condition can also be caused by low compression of the one cylinder created by a burnt valve.
What does a spark plug look like?
Look for light grey or tan metal on a good spark plug. A spark plug that is not damaged will appear light grey or possibly tan. There should be no buildup on the sparking surface of the plug. If you purchased new spark plugs, their colors should be fairly similar. A good spark plug will not need to be replaced.