A spark or heat for reliable start up.
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In petrol engines, the spark plugs start the combustion phase, creating the spark which ignites the air/fuel mix. Diesel engines, on the other hand, function using a self-ignition system: the injected fuel ignites when the air/fuel mix reaches the self-combustion temperature. The glow plugs are used to prepare the correct thermal conditions to achieve the spontaneous combustion of the mixture.
Mopar® spark plugs and glow plugs guarantee lower fuel consumption and emissions thanks to perfectly efficient combustion - as well as better performance, excellent driving comfort and engine flexibility.
Difficult ignitions, uneven engine performance, power loss and increased fuel consumption can all be signs of a need to check the spark plugs or glow plugs. Perfectly functioning spark plugs and glow plugs play an important part in optimising engine performance and catalytic converter efficiency.
The spark plugs are used to ignite the air/fuel mixture. They are designed and produced to work in extreme conditions and tolerate high voltages and high pressures, as well as cyclical variations between ambient temperature and 2000°C-2500°C, and chemical corrosion from the fuel and the unburnt gases.To ensure optimum function, the operating temperature of the spark plugs must be between 500°C and 800°C. Within this range, the spark plug operates a self-cleaning cycle, as accumulated carbon particles are completely burnt.The spark plugs must be adapted to suit specific engines and must function correctly in an enormous range of operating conditions. As the combustion chamber temperature varies from one engine to another, we need spark plugs with different temperature grades.
The temperature grade measures the spark plug's capacity to dissipate the heat produced by the air/fuel mixture in the combustion temperature, and is expressed with a number. If the temperature grade is too cold, the spark plug "doesn't heat up", leading to the formation of carbon deposits which can discharge the spark to earth. If the temperature grade is too hot, the spark plug "heats up too much", causing pre-ignition: this can lead to fused electrodes and damaged pistons.
The use of original spark plugs is crucial to ensure the respecting of the characteristics established by the Fiat group for its vehicles.
Mopar® original spark plugs guarantee:
An ever increasing number of motorists are choosing to power their vehicles with gas, both methane and LPG.
The combustion of a gaseous mixture is very different from that of an air/petrol mixture: the voltage required and the combustion temperatures are much higher and cause greater erosion of the spark plug components.
Spark plugs with specific characteristics are therefore required.
To maintain methane or LPG fuelled vehicles, we therefore recommend Natural Power spark plugs:
Diesel engines do not require spark plugs to ignite the air/fuel mix, because they work on a self-ignition system.
The injected fuel ignites when the air/fuel mix reaches the self-combustion temperature.
This takes place in three phases:
The pre-heating glow plugs are used to prepare the correct thermal conditions to achieve the spontaneous combustion of the air-fuel mixture.
The combustion of gas is very different to that of petrol: the air and gas mixture ignites less spontaneously because it has a more stable chemical composition compared to that of air/petrol. These means that spark plugs with specific features are required: to commence combustion requires a higher amount of energy from the spark and a greater ignition voltage. The absence of liquid petrol particles in the combustible mixture also generates extremely high combustion temperatures, which may lead to rapid wearing of the electrodes. To make the spark plugs more resistant to the effects of the high temperatures and the gas corrosion, the external surface of the metal body is covered with a special nickel coating, while the earth electrode includes a platinum layer for increased durability.
To ensure your vehicle meets the strictest standards and requirements, choose Natural Power spark plugs by Mopar®. Natural Power spark plugs have been developed specifically for use in LPG and methane engines.
The insulator tip reflects the state of health of the spark plug and the engine conditions. In normal conditions, a spark plug with no specific anomalies has a light brown insulator, with slight traces of deposits; regular electrode wear is standard with normal, regular combustion. Ash deposits on the electrodes can indicate poor fuel quality, excess oil consumption or the use of the engine in conditions which are not optimum. Deposits may become hot spots inside the combustion chamber, leading to pre-ignition.
As it is not possible to achieve the temperature required for self-ignition through air compression alone, glow plugs are required to help start diesel engines. The glow plugs are located inside the engine head. Their heater bulb points directly into the combustion chamber, and once the starting voltage is applied, they heat up to over 1000°C, depending on the type of glow plug. As a result, the air in the combustion chamber heats up too. This process, which precedes the true engine start-up, is also known as "preheating". Reliable and correctly functioning glow plugs offer invaluable assistance with every cold start-up. Original spark plugs by Mopar® ensure faster ignition and eco-friendly combustion, even at temperatures below zero.
The spark plug is a component which undergoes regular wear and tear: its lifetime is not unlimited, even if it is produced using the most advanced processes, materials and technologies. The spark plugs must therefore be regularly replaced in accordance with the instructions in the owner handbook.
The regular replacement of the spark plugs plays an important part in optimising engine performance and catalytic converter efficiency.
Excessive and prolonged use (due to failure to service your vehicle) may cause:
When servicing vehicles fuelled with methane or LPG, we recommend Natural Power spark plugs: made from valuable metals, they are capable of withstanding higher temperatures, and are designed specifically for Fiat Group Automobiles gas and methane models.
Certain driving conditions may cause spark plug soiling, leading to:
Visit the Fiat Group Service Network to have your spark plugs checked and replaced.