What is Spark Plug in a Bike or Motorcycle? What is the purpose of the spark plug? How do I know if my bike needs a new spark plug? When Should I Replace My Motorcycle Spark Plug? What happens without spark plugs? What is the symptoms of bad spark plug? What is the life of spark plugs in a bike? Find details about a bike’s spark plug and its function.
What is Spark Plug in Bike? What does a Spark Plug do in a Motorcycle?
Spark Plugs are devices that function to ignite the air-fuel mixture in the engine. In its mechanism, electricity is applied. Hence, the plugs send out sparks that eventually ignite combustion in the air-fuel mixture of the engine. The process makes motioning of the pistons and produces power.
Located at the head of the cylinder. A mixture of air and vaporized fuel is compressed by the pistons. It takes place at the top of the cylinder. When spark plugs pass the electricity to the cylinder, the engine makes a fire thanks to the combustion of the mixture. The pistons keep moving up & down resulting in more pump-up of the mixture. So, a spark plug in a motorcycle does:
- Ignite the air-fuel mixture of the engine.
- Leads to the production of power.
- Clears the residue after combustion.
- Proper function ensures better mileage and fuel efficiency.
What does Twin Spark Plug mean?
Most bikes that are under 300cc, generally have 1 cylinder. So, they have 1 spark plug. However, twin spark plugs don’t mean 2 spark plugs. In fact, it means that there will be a single combustion chamber that will have a couple of electrodes to pass current. Twin spark plugs offer easy engine firing as well as complete & better combustion.
Can a Bike Run Without a Spark Plug?
A spark plug doesn’t have anything to do with the bike’s starting system. It doesn’t directly implement the electric start or kick start. However, your motorcycle won’t run or start without a spark plug. However, it provides a spark to ignite the gasoline/air mixture in the cylinder. Thus, a motorcycle won’t start without a spark plug.
What happens if spark plug is bad in bike?
First of all, if the spark plug doesn’t function, your bike won’t even start at all. A bad spark plug can cause many inconveniences and it actually results for the following reasons:
- Overheating of the engine can cause the spark plug failure of a motorcycle.
- Even if you use it normally, a spark plug will wear out one day. The wear and tear can lead to a bad spark plug.
- Excessive carbon deposit is another reason.
- Ignition system problems, for instance: faulty ignition coils or wiring can cause a spark plug to be bad.
- Contaminated or poor-quality fuel can also lead to such problems.
When to change spark plug in bike?
When you notice the following inconveniences you may require to change your bike’s spark plug.
- The bike may run unevenly.
- It may not start when you try to start it by kicking or through the electronic switch.
- The rider may notice sudden power loss or sputter of the engine
If you notice such problems don’t be late to inspect your spark plug. And if the problem isn’t solved, you need to replace it.
Does spark plug affect mileage in bike?
When a spark plug doesn’t function properly, it results in a lot of wastage of gasoline. It’s because of a lot of unburned fuel pouring out of the engine. Hence, a spark plug definitely affects the mileage of a motorcycle.
How long do spark plugs last?
How many kilometers bike spark plug change? It’s a common FAQ. Check your bike’s spark plug every 4000 to 5000 miles (6500 to 8000 kilometers). Meanwhile, it generally requires to be changed every 8000 miles to 10,000 miles (13,000 to 16,000 kilometers). However, sometimes you can have a bad spark plug even with less than a thousand miles traveling. It varies based on usage, oil quality, ignition system, carbon deposition, etc factors.
