Sparkplug Basics

Sparkplugs that fire in open air may NOT necessarily fire under compression. This is due to increased operating pressures within the cylinder that are not present in an open atmosphere.

This means that even if your sparkplug fires outside the cylinder, it may not fire while inside.  Seeing the sparkplug firing outside the cylinder, gives the troubleshooter a false sense of certainty that the sparkplug is trouble free. If you can tell that the sparkplug is firing under compression, then you will know definitely that the problem is fuel related.

Knowing that there is high voltage present does NOT guarantee that the sparkplug fired inside the cylinder.

The SparkPlug SENSOR™ will indicate that both high voltage is present AND that the sparkplug is firing under compression. The indication of this information is simultaneous and immediate. This is the only handheld microcontroller-based tool in the world that does this.

More information is coming. Please keep checking back.

For excellent and comprehensive articles about sparkplugs please click on these links:

http://www.centuryperformance.com/spark.asp

http://www.strappe.com/plugs.html