Spark plugs

Have you heard about the lady who drove into her repair shop because some practical joker in her bridge club said she ought to get her spark plugs oiled? Fortunately her technician was kind, explaining that the last thing she wanted on her plugs was oil.

Years ago, spark plug fouling was a problem on many cars. Plugs would only last about 15 thousand miles. Thanks to technology an unleaded fuel, today's spark plugs last several times that long and, in fact, some are designed to go 100,000 miles before they're replaced.

It's time to retire a spark plug at that mileage... it may have made 300 million sparks, under severe conditions, including blast furnace heat, extreme pressure in the combustion chamber and chemical attack from the burning fuel-air mixture. And that's if things are going well with the engine. If the timing or fuel mixture are incorrect, or if there's oil seeping into the system, a spark plug's life becomes even worse and, certainly, shortened.

That's why your vehicle should have the good maintenance and quality fuel, says the Car Care Council. Your plugs will thank you for it by doing their job for many miles longer.

For more automotive tips via the web, log on www.carcarecouncil.org.