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Spark plugs play a vital role in the performance of your ATV’s engine. During the course of inspecting and performing maintenance on your ATV, you may have noticed that one or all of the spark plugs is black.
If your ATV spark plug is black, it is likely due to an overly rich fuel mixture, an oil leak, or because the engine has been flooded. Overly rich fuel mixtures are almost always a result of carbon buildup, and an oil leak can be caused by bad O-rings, gaskets, pistons, or shotty valve guides.
In this article, we will briefly explain how spark plugs work for anyone who is not sure. Next, we will go over what it means when your spark plug is black, as well as how to rectify the problem at its source. Finally, we will explain how to change a spark plug and how often this should be done.
For any combustion engine to function, the inclusion of working spark plugs is necessary.
The purpose of a spark plug is to create a spark and ignite the air/fuel mixture. It does this by creating what is known as a “spark gap” wherein electricity produced by the engine’s ignition system tries to seek a ground pathway, and in doing so, arcs across from the ignition coil to the combustion chamber, creating a spark.
This process creates a miniature explosion, which then powers the engine and allows it to run.
This is, of course, a very layman explanation of an incredibly complex process, but for the purpose of this article, a broad understanding will suffice.
For a more comprehensive explanation of a spark plug’s nuanced functions, see this article from Mobil.com.
Here’s a quick animation showing how a spark plug works in action:
When there is a problem with your engine, the spark plug may give us some signs. Sometimes the spark plug may appear dry and white due to overheating, or it may appear corroded and rusted; but for this article, we want to know what has caused your spark plug to go black.
There is no one size fits all blanket explanation for why your spark plug is charred, but based on its look, we can make some very safe assumptions and narrow down the root cause.
Here we will discuss possible causes and what to look for.
One of the things that happen in ATV engines is that the fuel mixture can become overly rich and lead to an excessive buildup of carbon. Carbon buildup is a buildup of crud that occurs in an engine’s air intake and exhaust systems.
Eventually, this buildup of carbon begins to inhibit the airflow of the engine, making it, so the fuel/air mixture in the engine’s combustion system is overly rich with fuel.
Because electricity always seeks the path to the ground of least resistance, it may begin to bypass the spark plug in favor of the carbon deposits, effectively negating the spark plug and reducing the ATV’s engine’s performance as a whole.
The leading cause of carbon buildup is more or less just a lack of upkeep and regular care.
Always check and change the engine oil frequently and when necessary.
New and clean oil will begin to dissolve the built-up carbon, allowing it to be flushed through and trapped in the oil filter. Change your oil filter routinely as well.
Another common reason that an ATV’s spark plug may have been blackened is that it gets wet by way of engine flooding.
When we speak of a flooded engine, we refer to the process wherein unburned fuel sits in the engine. In turn, this unburned fuel soaks the spark plug and makes it either not start at all or increases the difficulty of doing so.
The most typical way this will occur is when the engine is started up and then immediately turned back off. The engine is not given enough time to burn off the fuel, and it floods the engine.
If necessary, release the carburetor’s drain screw and allow the fuel to be drained. You may be able to avoid draining the carburetor by simply replacing the wet, oily spark plug with a new dry one, however.
Often, ATV users who encounter a flooded engine that will not allow their vehicle to start will remove the spark plug and use a torch and other tools to clean and dry off the spark plug’s exterior.
This may be useful in a pinch, but we strongly recommend that you just replace the plug and save yourself the complications and hassle.
High-quality spark plugs are very inexpensive and last a long time, so acquiring a new one should not be much trouble.
The third likely cause of a blackened spark plug is an oil leak that has made its way to the wells which house the spark plugs.
There are multiple potential causes of this, and you will need to search around for the root of the problem.
The most probable sources of oil leaking into the spark plug wells are bad washers, faulty gaskets, and worn out deteriorating O-rings.
You can also look for the source of an oil leak is the piston or the valve guides. Once you have pinpointed the source of the oil leak, replace whatever part is causing it.
Also, replace the oily spark plugs as they are now compromised. Recheck soon after repairing to ensure that the problem has been resolved.
Replacing a spark plug is a relatively simple and easy process that can save you time and money instead of having it done by a professional mechanic.
Begin by removing the spark plug wire, which will usually (but not always) appear as a colored wire with a plastic attachment piece, sometimes bent at 90 degrees. The attachment should simply pull right off.
Once you have removed the wire, use a wrench to carefully unscrew and remove the old spark plug. Screw your new spark plug into the hole, ensuring that it is secure but not excessively tight.
In general, it is recommended to replace your ATV’s spark plug following every 100 hours of ride time.However, this will depend on the age of the vehicle, the intensity of the riding, and the climate.
The 100-hour recommendation is just a general guideline, and the ATV owner/rider should always be mindful of watching for signs of a bad spark plug.
The most common signs it’s time to replace your spark plug are:
If you require a new spark plug for your ATV, we recommend the X-PRO A7TC Spark Plug (link to Amazon). This spark plug is designed specifically for all-terrain vehicles and comes at a very low price.
In this article, we sought to provide the reader with a comprehensive explanation of why their ATV’s spark plug has been rendered black and what they may do to fix it once the problem has been identified.
There are three primary reasons why this may have happened. Either the engine is leaking oil into the plug well, the fuel mixture is overly rich and lacks airflow, or the engine has been flooded, causing the spark plug to be wetted with oil and made unusable.
Ride safe and have fun!
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At first glance it seems that ATV spark plugs are small parts. But they are responsible for igniting the fuel mixture and starting the ATV. In addition, the candle is a kind of "indicator" of the health of the equipment, and can inform the rider about a number of malfunctions. Therefore, it is important for the driver to know when, after buying an ATV, to change this component and how to do it correctly.
The spark plug is basically a consumable item. The technical documentation for the device indicates the manufacturer's recommendations when to change this component. On average, the "life" of a candle is 6-8 thousand km. However, it all depends on the condition of the ignition element. The following can reduce the life of a component:
If the compound is too lean or rich, the spark plug wears out faster. Damage to the element will cause a number of problems. For example, if the rider noticed that there was no spark on the ATV spark plug, it became difficult to start the engine, fuel consumption increased, or the engine started to work incorrectly, you need to change the spark plug.
It should be noted right away that the resource and operation of a spark plug directly depends on its quality.
Therefore, drivers should only buy proven products from well-known brands. Agree, it is easier to buy a good component that will last 8 thousand km than to buy a new part every 1.5-2 thousand km.
There are also a number of parameters to consider when choosing a new component for the ignition system. The key role is played by the dimensions of the candle itself (thread diameter and its length). You need to pay attention to the heat number. This is also an important parameter, ignoring which can lead to uncontrolled ignition of the fuel mixture upon contact with soot or hot engine elements.
To avoid problems, a special marking is applied to the plug, which indicates the permissible temperature of the component and its resistance to pre-ignition. This is a really important characteristic, because the piston is destroyed due to uncontrolled ignition.
Low spark plug temperature will also damage your ATV. If you buy a component with too high a heat number, carbon formation will increase and the engine will lose power.
Most often, on the market you can find candles with glow number:
Before you buy a spark plug for a children's ATV or an adult ATV, always study the technical documentation. The instructions usually indicate the optimal parameters of all consumable components.
It is important to note that in order to change the spark plug, you will have to remove part of the ATV's bodywork. In almost all quadrics, the component is covered with plastic parts and even accessories (gas tank, etc.
).
After you have dismantled the body part, you need:
After this, inspect and clean the spark plug (if you intend to continue using it). Inspection of the component should not be ignored, as it will help to detect problems in the operation of the ATV.
By the type of spark plugs on the ATV, you can determine the serviceability of the equipment. For example, if:
And these are only the most common "diseases" that can be diagnosed with a spark plug.
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NOVOSIBIRSK, st. Yakusheva 21/1
Tel: +7 (383) 380-76-01, Tel: +79538869434
Speak of ignition
How to choose the right for your ATV
9000
lights differ in many parameters, in order to correctly select the characteristics for your snowmobile or ATV, you will need a complete decoding of the parameters.
In the information below, the full technical characteristics of spark plugs for motorcycles:
Table No. 1 - the most important parameters are the thread diameter and glow number of the spark plug
:
Accordingly, by determining your operating mode, riding style and type of your snowmobile or ATV, you can understand what type of candle is suitable for your equipment.
Table No. 2 - pay attention to the thread length and electrode type, you can adjust the electrode gap yourself , PDU, Yamaha, etc.
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