
There are many components in a car that help it run. It’s not just the engine doing all the work, and it would be useless if there wasn’t anything there to ignite the air/fuel mixture that causes the explosion to push the pistons down and get the car moving. Two components are responsible for this action: the ignition coil and the spark plug. The latter has a direct connection with the engine, and if contaminated by oil, your car isn’t going anywhere. Unfortunately, there are numerous ways this can happen, and it could take time to diagnose the problem. Just hope you don’t have a blown head gasket, because that’s an expensive fix on its own.
First, take a look at how it all works. The ignition coil coverts the original 12 volts of electricity from the car battery into 40,000 volts, and then transfers that surge of electricity to the spark plug. Those 40,000 volts cause the spark plug to emit a spark and light up the air/fuel mixture. However, if these little plugs become contaminated by oil, they can malfunction, or worse. Such an instance could be hard to catch, since how often you should change your spark plugs is pretty large (every 80,000-100,000 miles). Still, there are some definite, clear signs to look for.
How did oil get on your spark plugs?
The ways this can happen are almost too many to count. The simplest cause for spark plugs to get contaminated would be overfilling the engine oil, and if that happens, you may want to have a stern talk with your mechanic. Otherwise, if your spark plugs are covered in oil, there can be oil leaking into the spark plug well. There can be damage to the spark plug tubes, which can also coat the ignition coil in oil. If oil is finding its way into the combustion chamber, your car may have worn piston rings, cylinder walls, or valve seals. This is especially dangerous, because if oil gets into the combustion chamber, the car could stall due to hydrolocking, or cause an oil fire at any time.
Aside from a potential fire, oil on your spark plugs can cause a lot of problems. Starting with the interruption of the spark and the oil/fuel mixture, this can lead to an engine misfire due to an incomplete combustion. You can also experience decreased fuel efficiency. Yes, clean spark plugs can improve the fuel economy of your car. Your car may also have trouble starting up, or be slow to accelerate, which can lead to long-term engine damage. Spark plugs contaminated with oil need immediate assistance. If you can remove them and wipe off the oil residue, that’s fine for a quick fix. However, to identify the root of the problem, you should consult with your mechanic.