Effectively and Efficiently Start your Car with Pontiac Spark Plug

Anthony Fontanelle
September 18, 2007

A Pontiac Spark Plug is an electrical device located in the cylinder head of some internal combustion engines ignites compressed gas or fuel by means of a spark to transform the fuel into working energy. It is actually a high voltage bridge for electricity and when the electricity crosses said bridge, which is actually a gap between two contact points; the spark it makes ignites the gas vapors and makes the engine start. They have an insulated center electrode which is connected to an ignition coil or magneto circuit on the outside forming a spark plug gap inside the cylinder. It is composed of a shell, insulator and the conductor. Because it sticks into the wall of the combustion chamber thus it must also seal the combustion chamber against high temperatures and pressures without corroding or wearing away over the prolonged usage.

The Pontiac Spark Plug has different particular, parts like the terminal, ribs, insulator, metal case, side and center electrodes, the seals and others. The top of the spark plug contains a terminal to connect to the ignition system and this is where the spark plug wires snap into. The ribs functions to improve the electrical insulation and prevent electrical energy from leaking along the insulator surface. The insulator which is made from aluminum oxide ceramic is designed to withstand 550 degrees Celsius and 60,000 volts. The heat range of the spark plug depends on the composition and length of the insulator. The metal case serves to remove heat from the insulator and passes it on to the cylinder head. The center electrode is the one designed to eject the electrons while the side electrode serves as the ground electrode. The seals ensure that there is no leakage from the combustion chamber. Pontiac Spark Plug is designed to have a spark plug gap which varies on different engines but the gap can be adjusted by a technician. These experienced technicians know that the adjustment of the gap is critical in eliciting the spark needed to effectively ignite the fuel-air mixture. Usually the maximum gap recommended by the manufacturer is set by technicians as they give the more reliable ignition as they this will spark the largest. Because the Pontiac Spark Plug forces the electricity to curve across the gap, the electricity must be at a very high voltage in order to do travel and create a good spark. The plug uses the insulated passageway for this high voltage to travel down to the electrode, where it can jump the gap and be conducted into the engine block and grounded. The plug therefore must be designed to withstand the extreme heat and pressure inside the cylinder. It should also be made in such a way that deposits of the fuel additives do not accumulate in the plug.

Over the years, there has been a lot of modification in the spark plug particularly in the design in the hope of coming up with one that can give either a better ignition or a longer life or both. Some of these include the use of two, three, or four equally spaced ground electrodes around the center electrode. Another variation includes the use of a V-shaped notch in the tip of the ground electrode.

Source:  Amazines.com