Ask the Editors: Our Friend the Spark Plug
Are they lasting longer than before? Yup!
Surprisingly, spark plugs are one of few pieces of internal combustion technology that really haven’t undergone too many manufacturing or material revolutions. Rather, the bits and fluids all around them are improving all the time; contributing to less failures. Ignitions have been steadily increasing in digital precision, threading and tolerances have been getting tighter, fuel injection has all but eliminated improper fuel/ air mixtures and quality fuels and oils result in less unspent carbon.
In your case – one of the biggest factors at play is the transition from 2 to 4-stroke engine. As is the nature of the 2-stroke- which literally uses oil mixed with the gasoline for top-end lubrication, fouling out plugs with carbon char is just a part of the program.
Sadly, no matter how far we come with efficiency, the nature of the spark plug is such that microscopic bits of metal in the electrode (center and side) are actually being eaten away every single time the plug fires. Over time this erosion of the material will eventually result in the plug’s failure but fortunately a new plug is a cheap and easy replacement. And as your machine has proven, the gap between replacement is continually increasing.
Even better, certain brands have come up with unique electrode designs and integration of finer metals to get even more life and performance out of their plugs when the time to replace does arrive.
