As emission regulations become increasingly stringent the pressure on vehicle manufacturers to reduce emissions and improve efficiency has risen significantly. NGK is the World’s Largest Original Equipment Manufacturer and OE Supplier of spark plugs and as such they are continually growing their range of precious metal spark plugs.
NGK’s precious metal spark plugs deliver superior ignitability, when compared against conventional spark plugs, and are designed to meet and surpass the modern requirements of vehicle manufacturers.
“We have developed a series of innovative techniques that allow us to include precious metals such as Iridium and Platinum in our spark plug manufacturing process,” said James Filshie, Senior Product Manager, NGK Spark Plugs Australia.
While a number of spark plug manufacturers produce a precious metal range, NGK is driving this technology further to improve performance, longevity and to lower emissions.
Precious metals such as the ones described by James have much higher melting points over traditional metals such as nickel.
“Incorporating precious metals into our spark plug range allows centre electrode diameters to reduce from 2.5mm using nickel, to 0.6mm using iridium or 0.8mm using platinum, which reduces the quenching effect and improves ignitability,” James explained.
Quenching occurs when heat energy is lost from the hot flame kernel to the cooler electrodes, as the flame attempts to expand and combust the air/fuel mixture. Reducing the centre electrode diameter decreases this effect. The results are impressive and installing precious metal spark plugs delivers improved acceleration, smoother idling, and improved fuel consumption.
“In addition to using Iridium and Platinum in our precious metal range, we also manufacture with high-grade alumina silicate ceramic. This creates a stronger insulator, reducing dielectric punch-through, which is caused by the spark exiting through side of ceramic,” said James. “To complement this, our cores are manufactured using 98 percent pure copper to increase heat dissipation for reliable starts and to prevent the spark plug overheating.”
To ensure quick, easy and precise fitment each and every time, all NGK spark plugs feature cold-rolled threads that prevent cross-threading and damage to cylinder heads and trivalent metal plating that negates the use of anti-seize during installation.
NGK have an extensive range of spark plugs to meet each OE manufacturer’s requirements.
“It is important to remember that even though many plugs with similar part numbers may look the same, each part number has its own characteristics, with some changes not physically visible,” James said. “These differences are imperative to the operation of the engine and straying from the recommended plug can result in some loss of performance or even severe engine damage.”
For peace of mind, always ensure you use a plug recommended to meet the OE specification. This will avoid any damage and ensure peak performance of your vehicle.
For technical inquiries, call NGK on 1300 55 40 59 or visit ngkspark.co.nz to review the precious metal spark plug range.
