Refinement of the car ignition circuit

Why is there a weak spark on the spark plugs?

The spark can be weak for various reasons. The main ones are malfunctions:

Spark plugs.
Ignition coils.
Battery.
High voltage wires.
Low voltage circuits.
Electronic control unit.
Distributor.

Sometimes the problem can occur due to loose connections between the wires and the vehicle's electronic equipment. Problems sometimes arise for other reasons. But the first thing you should do is check the engine compartment for moisture. Often it is enough to wipe them with a rag to restore the functionality of the candles. But on heavily used cars with high mileage, increasing spark power without some modifications is not always possible, even if the above parts and assemblies are in full service.

Faulty spark plug

What to do

If the engine runs or starts poorly, motorists are interested in how to strengthen the spark on the spark plugs. First, you need to establish the cause of the breakdown by checking the previously mentioned components and elements using a multimeter and visual inspection. Many faults can be seen by eye.

Often, a simple replacement of spark plugs or glow plugs can help improve the spark (depending on the type of internal combustion engine (petrol or diesel). It is advisable to buy elements from well-known manufacturers in the mid-price category, beware of counterfeits. Faulty spark plugs can often be identified by their appearance. In addition, their replacement is required with the following symptoms:

Comparing spark plugs before replacing them It is worth noting that sometimes similar symptoms are observed when other parts of the car fail. Therefore, if the spark plugs visually look serviceable, it is better to check other components and elements. If you were unable to determine the cause yourself or replacing the SZ did not help, it is recommended to contact a car service for professional diagnostics.

The spark power may not be enough if the ignition coil is broken or the high-voltage wires fail. Therefore, they should be tested with a multimeter. Replacing these parts often helps improve the spark.

Checking the coil with a multimeter

Increased power is often achieved by replacing the distributor. Repairing the low voltage circuit or improving the conductivity of the connection contacts often helps solve the problem. To search for an open or short circuit, use a multimeter. Often, replacing or charging the battery with a charger helps increase spark power. Everyone knows that a weak battery does not contribute to good engine starting, especially in winter. Therefore, it must be checked before the cold weather. If it is old or poorly charged, it should be replaced or charged. Recharging may also be required after the machine has been idle for a long time.

Charging the battery using a charger

But sometimes, in order to completely get rid of the problem, you only need to modify the spark plugs yourself. This is primarily relevant for owners of used domestic cars or old inexpensive foreign cars. This method is also suitable for some budget-conscious motorists. For this modification you need to purchase:

The method consists of several stages. You don't have to do all of them. Perhaps one of the proposed solutions is enough for someone to increase the spark. Refinement is carried out according to the following algorithm:

Spark plugs without resistors High-voltage wires with copper core Increased distance between electrodes Installed spark amplifier Contactless ignition system kit

Almost all modifications can be done independently with minimal knowledge of car repair and maintenance. But, if such tuning yourself seems difficult, it is better to contact a service station, where the problem with a weak spark will be solved by experienced specialists. True, the costs may increase several times.

Why do you need to modify spark plugs?

Let's start with the fact that owners of old gasoline cars, mainly carburetor ones, should modify new spark plugs for good economy and increased power. As a rule, it is on such a dosing system that the issue of gasoline consumption is most acute.

In parallel with this, modifications can have a positive effect on the injector. At the same time, high-tech modern spark plugs with an extended service life (platinum, iridium) should not be modified. It turns out that changes and improvements are most relevant only in relation to ordinary candles. Now let's take a look at the practical benefits of improving candles.

First of all, ease of starting and, as a result, less risk of flooding the spark plugs. This is especially true in winter, when fuel evaporates less easily in a cold engine, the battery charge naturally drops, the oil becomes sticky and the starter turns the engine weaker.
Another advantage that “tuning” spark plugs promises is stable operation of the internal combustion engine in different modes, (especially at maximum loads and high speeds), even taking into account that the composition of the fuel-air mixture will not be optimal, that is, the working mixture is too lean or enriched.
Note that under conditions of high pressure on modified spark plugs, less impact is exerted on the spark, which is simply blown away on a standard spark plug. As a result, the power unit not only starts well, but also burns the fuel charge more fully, delivering more power. This reduces fuel consumption and results in savings.

Drilling spark plugs to increase engine power - pros and cons of artisanal modifications

Throughout the history of the automotive industry, there have been many craftsmen trying to find their own unique way to increase the power of the power plant while simultaneously reducing fuel consumption. It was they who came up with the idea of drilling a hole in the side electrodes of spark plugs at home, despite the fact that there are still supporters of this ancient method who sincerely believe in its power.

Why upgrade your spark plugs?

The drilling technique is relevant mainly for models with gasoline engines running on old carburetor units. This means that owners of modern cars with upgraded iridium or platinum spark plugs should avoid such experiments, keeping in mind their possible consequences.

As for all other cases, modification of the spark plugs is usually carried out in order to greatly facilitate the starting of the internal combustion engine. Problems often appear in the cold season, when the battery capacity drops due to self-discharge, the fuel loses its properties, and the oil becomes more viscous and viscous.

Also, car enthusiasts resort to such modifications to increase engine performance and ensure its stable operation in different operating modes, even with serious errors in the composition of the fuel-air mixture.

The explanation for all these predicted benefits is quite simple. If we consider the operation of spark plugs with drilled electrodes under high pressure, then in this case a better start and an increase in the usefulness of the burned fuel, which has a beneficial effect on the power of the power plant, will be caused by literally blowing off the spark.

And although many craftsmen are skeptical about this theory, citing the simplest physical laws, according to which sparks are formed in places of least resistance, which fundamentally contradicts the ability to move them, self-taught amateurs continue to actively resort to this technique, citing tangible results of refinement.

Benefits of self-improvement

The first method of tuning car spark plugs is to shorten the electrode, as a result of which its central part does not overlap with the side parts, leaving an advantage.

The result of this modification should be the emergence of the possibility of adjusting the gap, with a subsequent increase in the working front of the spark, supposedly ensuring that the flame enters directly into the combustion chamber.

The second method involves bending the electrode in the outer direction, which increases the gap, but in this case you should act with extreme caution, remembering how easy it is to damage the spark plug, which can lead to its complete failure.

As for the advantages of self-refinement, according to forecasts, they consist in improving the ignition efficiency of the fuel-air mixture. This ensures more complete combustion of the charge and reduces the dependence of these indicators on the intensity of spark formation on the spark plugs.

Thus, an enhanced spark ensures the ignition of any mixture, even if it has the poorest composition. And if it is possible to achieve such a result, then gasoline will burn more efficiently, increasing the power of the internal combustion engine without the slightest damage to fuel consumption and even vice versa, leading to its reduction.

It is worth noting that over time, the Samara design bureau “Nitron” decided to adopt this experience, presenting ready-made modified Dudyshev spark plugs, the development of which allegedly used the Laval nozzle principle.

However, motorists who managed to try out these tuned products in practice noted that they are clearly inferior to home modifications, costing buyers a tidy sum, varying in the range from 1 to 1.5 thousand rubles (for comparison, it is worth recalling that a set of Japanese-made spark plugs costs no more 900 rubles, demonstrating much more efficient operation).

What can happen when drilling a hole?

Correctly carried out tuning of classic spark plugs can add 5-6 horsepower to the engine, improving not only the quality of its start-up, but also its dynamic characteristics. However, the risks of such modernization are often completely unjustified.

FakeHeader

Comments 16

No matter how you look at it in makeshift conditions, you don’t set the same gap for all the spark plugs and the sparks will be different...

(photo of how to check the gap)

It's all billboard! Candle manufacturers are not fools either. I understand that if you wrote that due to the coil, which gives greater voltage, power and duration of spark burning, then such positive effects would result, yes, this is quite logical. But it’s stupid to modify candles with a grinder, it’s stupid. A known good spark plug, with a normally adjusted gap, specifically for your engine, compression ratio, and other crap, is the key to normal engine operation. You can even saw off the side electrode, let it stick to the body, as in formula 1. There is a nickel in the middle, then the insulator, then the rim, and that’s it. And one candle costs 50 thousand bucks. It has an undeniable advantage - the complete absence of glow ignition, due to the heating of the electrodes, they are simply not there! So let's modify all the candles like this))

The question among creative car enthusiasts about how to improve spark plugs with their own hands is becoming more and more urgent; opponents echo them in response: “Does anything need to be changed in a well-coordinated car control system?” Let’s try to figure out which one is right one by one.

Modifying spark plugs for a car is an easy way to improve the efficiency of an old engine.

Experienced motorists know that the engine in any car, like a person’s heart, gets so tired with age that sometimes it not only works poorly, but even stalls and then doesn’t want to start.

Therefore, he needs “treatment” more and more often. Moreover, replacing rings, pistons and valves does not always improve the efficiency of the internal combustion engine.

The ignition system and, first of all, the spark plugs also play a big role in this.

For a car with “experience”, the issue of starting the engine is very relevant, especially in areas with harsh climatic conditions. As you know, the size and shape of the spark discharge is of great importance.

The spark parameters are especially important when the engine is running cold, when the fuel mixture entering the combustion chamber is far from a gaseous state.

To improve the quality performance of the spark plug, a very simple modification is proposed, which can be done not only by a home craftsman, but also by any car enthusiast who knows how to hold a hammer and pliers.

It should also be noted that the proposed modification will be useful not only for carburetor internal combustion engines. It will help improve the performance of injection systems and even turbocharged engines.

Reducing the effect of blowing off the spark discharge will improve the ignition of gasoline and the completeness of combustion, which will immediately affect the engine response and the stability of its operation, especially at high speeds.

The essence of the proposed modification

A conventional spark plug consists of 2 electrodes separated by a powerful ceramic insulator.

The central electrode is a steel rod, one end of which has a thread for a contact nut, the second is a smooth cylinder located in the discharge zone.

The other electrode is connected to the spark plug body and, in the form of a rectangular rod with the letter G, is brought into the sparking zone, located through the air gap directly above the first.

When such a candle operates, the flame resulting from the discharge is located strictly above the central electrode. The spark has a very short length, limited by the air gap between the two electrodes.

The effective volume of ignition of the mixture is also “sandwiched” by the electrodes.

The proposed modification, “seen” in the multi-electrode designs of spark plugs for sports cars, will not only release the discharge, but also increase its length, and, therefore, the effective volume of fuel in the spark zone of the cylinder.

Small manipulations with the spark plugs will help you make sure that your engine is far from old and can easily run both in the summer heat and in the twenty-degree frost in the harsh winter.

Note: after installing modernized spark plugs, fuel consumption is noticeably reduced, which is apparently due to more complete combustion of the latter.

Oddly enough, the service life of such spark plugs increases somewhat as a result of modifications.

Practical operations for refining candles at home

Now let's move from theory to practice and consider the manipulations that need to be performed on a standard single-electrode spark plug, both imported and domestic, in order to implement what is described above. So, let's do everything step by step:

for safety reasons, turn off the ground or disconnect the positive terminal of the car from the battery;
disconnect the high-voltage wires and twist the spark plugs that need to be modified;
measure the required length of the side electrode and use a marker or a file to mark the section to be cut off;
we clamp the metal body of the candle in the yew jaws with a force that allows us to ensure its reliable fixation without any damage;
using a hacksaw or cutting disc of an angle grinder, carefully cut off the excess part of the electrode;
carefully process the cut site with a fine file, ensuring an even, straight cut without burrs;
Using round pliers we bend the electrode so that its edge is at the same height as the central electrode, and the air gap corresponds to the passport value;
repeat the above operations on each spark plug;
we screw in the spark plugs and put the caps of high-voltage wires on them;
turn on the ground, ignition and start the engine.

Engine cannot be started

There is a break in the wires connecting the ignition distributor sensor and the switch;
The contact sensor has failed;
There is a break in the wires connecting the switch to the coil or ignition switch;
The switch has failed;
The ignition switch is faulty;
The tips of the high voltage wires are oxidized or do not fit tightly into the sockets;
Severe contamination of wires or damage to their insulation;
The contact ember is worn out, damaged or stuck in the ignition sensor-distributor cover;
Current leakage occurs through cracks or burnouts formed in the cover or rotor of the ignition distributor sensor, as well as carbon deposits or moisture accumulated on the inner surface of the cover;
A resistor has burned out in the rotor of the ignition sensor-distributor;
Damage to the ignition coil;
Oiling the spark plugs or changing the gap between them;
A crack appeared on the spark plug insulator;
The high voltage wires are incorrectly connected to the terminals of the sensor-distributor cover;
The ignition element is installed incorrectly.

Why did the question arise about how to improve spark plugs with your own hands?

Finally, the era has begun when a vehicle is not an excessive luxury, but a means of transportation. Brands of cars from domestic manufacturers are already available at affordable prices, and a secondary car market system has been established, where it is very easy to buy a car second-hand and exchange it for a more budget model. It seems that there are no longer any restrictions and conventions for a person who wants to buy a car. There is a vehicle to suit every pocket.

Spark plug

There are more and more people who are ready to buy a car at an affordable price, and then tune it and modernize it. And this category of people is themselves creative, capable of experimenting, taking decisive steps, and even seriously thinking about how to improve spark plugs with their own hands.

Tuning

Perhaps a used foreign car will not give in in some way, will not allow itself to be remade, but, as they say, nothing is impossible. The structure of domestic machines is more open, and it opens up a wide field for the activity of the imagination. So there are those craftsmen who think about how to improve spark plugs with their own hands. What motivates automobile “Kulibins”, what do they want to achieve?

Experienced experimenters claim that they know exactly how to improve spark plugs with their own hands. When they managed to perform this procedure, that is, bleed the spark plug, they achieved the desired results:

The spark is not blown away by the resulting pressure
All possible engine performance increases almost before our eyes
Gasoline burns completely, so less fuel is consumed.
The machine control system is working properly.

Another reason why some people want to improve the performance of a candle. After all, many people know that its service life is short, lasting an average mileage of 15,000 km, and then you need to monitor its condition, assess whether carbon deposits appear on it, or whether the housing or electrode may even be damaged.

How to modify spark plugs yourself to save fuel

Spark plugs are an essential element of a gasoline engine, creating a spark to ignite the mixture of fuel and air in the combustion chamber. As a rule, the service life of ordinary budget candles is limited to several tens of thousands of kilometers (15-25 thousand), that is, these elements are so-called consumables.

Experienced drivers know well that the stability of engine starting, engine power, fuel consumption and other characteristics directly depend on the quality of spark plugs. It is important to understand that after just a few thousand or even hundreds of kilometers (depending on the general condition of the internal combustion engine, fuel quality, etc.) the spark plugs begin to work less efficiently.

As a result, the engine begins to “pull” worse, the driver presses the gas harder, while more fuel in the cylinders still burns less fully. In other words, there is an increased consumption of gasoline. It is for this reason that many drivers practice modifying spark plugs to save fuel, which we will talk about next.

Source

Adjustment features

Magneto adjustment is carried out if the unit cannot perform the functions assigned to it, while all elements of the mechanism are intact. The magneto is adjusted by measuring the gap between the contacts of the interrupter assembly, while the engine crankshaft should be turned by the flywheel. The shaft rotates until the contact divergence is greatest. Let's adjust the gap by loosening the bolt that secures the contact post and turning the post of holes, which is installed in the eccentric slot.

When the gap is adjusted, it is necessary to test the mechanism - this will determine the correctness of the process. If everything is done correctly, then sparking failures can be avoided.

The source and distributor of current is what a magneto can be called. Appropriate types of current are used inside carburetor engines to ignite the combustible mixture. In fact, thanks to this mechanism, mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy. A tractor magneto often comes complete with an internal combustion engine.

Differences in testing methods for carburetor and injection internal combustion engines

To determine the malfunction, you need to check all the spark plugs individually. Often, an improvement in the spark occurs when replacing a set of spark plugs. But sometimes the reason may be different. At the same time, all SZs break down at the same time infrequently.

Checking these elements for cars with carburetor and injection engines is different. For the first type of car, it is enough to unscrew the spark plug, connect the wire and touch the ground with the metal part. Turn on the car ignition.

Checking the spark plug using wires, typical for cars with a carburetor engine

This method is not suitable for vehicles with fuel injection engines. These cars are equipped with many electronic devices. They may fail during such a test. Therefore, it is recommended to use a multimeter to diagnose the condition of the spark plugs. It will allow you to safely and accurately identify a faulty SZ.

Checking the spark plug with a multimeter, typical for cars with an injection engine

Do-it-yourself modification of spark plugs

The modernization is based on the task of bringing simple spark plugs closer in a number of parameters to the so-called sports spark plugs. Such products are offered by many well-known manufacturers, but they are significantly more expensive.

Sports spark plugs allow you to increase power and reduce consumption; the declared service life of such elements is 70-90 thousand km. mileage However, in practice, the efficiency of their work decreases, on average, after 15 thousand km, and such spark plugs do not last the entire stated period. Taking into account the high cost, buy these elements every 30-35 thousand km. it turns out to be expensive.

We also recommend reading the article about which spark plugs are better, iridium or platinum. From this article you will learn about the main differences, advantages and disadvantages of these types of spark plugs.

It is for this reason that many drivers do not strive to immediately change a set of spark plugs, since there are ways to extend the life of existing ones. The best way to solve the problem is to modify conventional or sports spark plugs.

The procedure is not complicated, so even beginners can handle it:

to make the spark plug work as efficiently as possible, you will need to shorten the side electrode;
the next step is to correctly adjust the gap on the spark plug;

Now let's take a closer look. Regarding the first point, shortening must be done in such a way that the central electrode is not blocked by the side electrode.

The whole process looks like this:

Used spark plugs are unscrewed from the engine or prepared in advance (you can work with new elements);
Next, using a marker or another method (for example, a notch is made), a special mark is applied to the side electrode, which will indicate to what length the electrode should then be shortened.
Next, the spark plug is carefully clamped in a vice (preferably with rubber “lips.”) It is important not to overtighten the vice so as not to damage the element.
After this, you will need to take a grinding machine and install a cutting disc;
Use a tool to shorten the side electrode. In this case, it is important to ensure that the cut is smooth, without bevel.
Then the cut site is cleaned with a needle file, nicks are removed, edges are leveled, burrs and other defects are removed.
Now you can start setting the desired gap. The value will depend on the type and model of the internal combustion engine. In this case, it is best to use the manual, get the necessary information on specialized automotive forums, etc.
Shortening the electrode and setting the gap on the spark plugs must be done with each spark plug, and be sure to maintain the highest possible accuracy (how much is cut off from the electrode and what gap is set)
After installing the modified spark plugs on the engine, it is necessary to perform a test run. As a rule, starting should be easier than with conventional spark plugs.
Then you can take a trip, appreciating the stability of operation and improved throttle response of the internal combustion engine, as well as better traction at high speeds.

You can also visually evaluate the performance of the candles. To do this, it will be enough to make a test stand right in the garage. For manufacturing you need to have a distributor, a coil and a power source.

Next, the usual spark test is performed, which will demonstrate an increase in spark formation, a change in the color of the spark to a bright blue-red, etc. It is optimal to carry out the check in the form of a comparative analysis, that is, compare the spark, its power and color before starting work (on standard spark plugs) and after (on modernized spark plugs).

If we talk about the modification itself, the simple manipulations described above make it possible to expand and significantly increase the front of the electric spark. In other words, the spark, after removing part of the electrode, is not sandwiched between two electrodes (side and central), but is immediately directed into the combustion chamber.

As a result, the ignition efficiency of the fuel and air mixture in the engine cylinders improves, and subsequent charge combustion becomes more complete. The dependence of ignition on the quality and intensity of spark formation on the spark plug in relation to the composition of the working mixture is also reduced.

In other words, a more powerful spark more easily ignites a rich or lean mixture to varying degrees, which has a positive effect on the overall performance of the engine under load and in other modes. If the mixture is better ignited by a spark, then the flame front spreads more evenly and freely, gasoline burns fully in the cylinders, power increases, and fuel consumption decreases.

9 Cognitive Distortions That Unwittingly Change Our Behavior

As practice shows, after tuning the spark plugs, engine power, on average, increases by 5-6 hp. These figures were obtained by car owners after testing on a dynamometer. At the same time, the torque increases. Taking into account the simplicity and accessibility of the method, such an increase can be considered quite significant.

We also note that many motorists actively practice this solution. There have been cases where a set of the simplest old spark plugs with a mileage of about 25 thousand km. on bad fuel, after unscrewing from the engine, they were thoroughly cleaned, and then modified using the method described above. After modernization, these spark plugs continued to work normally for at least another 10 thousand km.

Finally, we would like to add that some drivers are skeptical about modernization. The main argument is that candle manufacturers themselves cannot but know about such a simple method of improvement, but still do not introduce it into mass production for some reason. Please note that we will not try to refute this statement.

At the same time, for owners of old cars, it is more important to change spark plugs as rarely as possible, while simultaneously achieving fuel savings, than to monitor a worn-out internal combustion engine with the utmost attention. https://www.youtube.com/embed/8RdDjgfmf4o

What you need to know when selecting spark plugs according to your car model: size, heat rating, interchangeability. Choosing candles by design, useful tips.

Signs of faulty spark plugs. Assessing the condition of a spark plug during a visual inspection, methods for checking spark plugs. Plaque on the spark plug electrodes.

Choice of spark plugs between NGK and Denso manufacturers. How to choose candles and which brand to choose. Features and nuances during selection.

Features and characteristics of NGK spark plugs. How to choose the right candles according to the markings, what is the lifespan of the candles, the differences between the original and the fake, tips.

Spark plugs with iridium and platinum electrodes: advantages over conventional spark plugs. Which is better in practice, iridium or platinum spark plugs?

Purpose and design of spark plugs for a gasoline engine. Design features, types of spark plugs. Heat number, spark gap.

Replacing spark plugs

There are spark plugs (SZ) and glow plugs (CH). The former are used for gasoline engines, the latter for diesel engines.

Symptoms of SZ problems:

The internal combustion engine does not start well;
the engine “troubles” (accelerates poorly, lacks traction and “power”);
fuel consumption has increased;
the share of carbon dioxide in the exhaust has increased;
engine dynamics are reduced.

For SN the list is as follows:

it is difficult to start the car in cold weather;
at idle the internal combustion engine operates unevenly;
white smoke from the exhaust pipe;
spiral indicator failure.

Important: detection of the listed signs is indirect evidence of the need to replace the spark plugs and requires mandatory inspection.

You can replace the elements yourself or entrust it to experienced car service employees.

What will be achieved during modernization?

After cutting off part of the electrode, the spark front will increase, so the flame will go straight into the combustion chamber. As a result, we should expect complete combustion of gasoline, a small but increase in vehicle power.

The second way to improve spark plugs with your own hands is to carefully bend the electrode, simply forcibly increasing the distance between the components of the spark plug. Many people resort to this method, but due to lack of skill, the spark plug can be damaged. And remember that you cannot remove a faulty spark plug from the system; it will be very difficult to foresee the consequences.

How to modify spark plugs yourself to save fuel

Check and doubt

You can check the operation of modernized spark plugs by building a simple stand in the garage from a distributor, a coil and a battery. It will be immediately visible to the naked eye that the spark produced by the spark plug has improved and intensified.

Thus, in fact, the old candle will continue to work efficiently for quite a long time. The only thing that raises some suspicions is: why do some manufacturers continue to produce products that are not finished using this method? And doesn’t such modification of spark plugs with your own hands kill the car’s engine? But, judging by the reviews, there is no particular harm to the engine. But it saves money and fuel resources.