While driving, your spark plugs are firing an incredible 400 times per second. A single plug can be expected to last 30,000 miles or more. But eventually, all plugs crack, burn out, or become too dirty. The following four signs of plug trouble should prompt you to visit your local Ford dealer for replacements.
You See Black Smoke In the Rearview Mirror
Working in tandem with ignition coils, your plugs ignite the fuel-air mixture that’s pumped continually into the combustion chambers. When a plug begins to struggle and falter, all that fuel being pumped in is no longer burning away as it should.
This excess fuel gets expelled from the engine through the exhaust system. As a result, you’ll see black smoke rising from your tailpipe behind you. On occasion, you’ll even see flames in the smoke as the unburned fuel ignites on its way out.
Your Engine Can’t Generate Enough Power
After years of driving your Ford, you’ll be used to how it sounds and feels while on the road. If you find yourself pressing on the gas, but the engine isn’t accelerating properly, you might have a problem with your plugs.
This lack of power can be felt very clearly while idling. Instead of the nice smooth rumble of a healthy Ford engine, you’ll find it coughing and shaking, struggling to stay alive. If more than one plug has failed, your car might even stall.
Your Fuel Economy’s Dropping
With faltering plugs, your engine is no longer burning fuel as efficiently. You’ll therefore find yourself stopping for gas more often. If your gas mileage is falling and you also notice other engine problems, you might have a bad plug or two that need replacing.
A few other factors can also cause poor fuel economy. These include a clogged air filter, faulty ignition coils, malfunctioning oxygen sensors, exhaust issues, or problems with your catalytic converter.
Your Dashboard Warns You
The check engine light on your dashboard will almost always come to life when your plugs fail. You won’t know exactly what caused the check engine light to blink. You’ll need to ask a technician to diagnose and fix the problem.
How a Ford Dealer Checks Your Plugs
During an inspection, a technician will remove each plug and examine it for cracks or burned electrodes. In the case of serious damage, the plug will have to be thrown out and replaced.
Plugs can occasionally become caked in soot, which is easily cleanable. But this superficial problem usually indicates something else has gone wrong in your engine, causing the combustion chambers to create too much sooty residue.
Have your engine and plugs inspected today at DARCARS Ford of Lanham. We’re a well-established local dealership dedicated to providing excellent customer service and great vehicles.
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