NGK has highlighted the benefits of using bespoke NGK spark plugs rather than short-range alternatives offered by some suppliers.

Tim Howes, Deputy General Manager, Supply Chain & Technical Service at NGK says that short range plugs are a compromise when it comes to quality and performance. He comments, “Some manufacturers say a limited range of plugs can cover 90-95 percent of the car parc, but they vary in the number of plugs they say are needed for this coverage. Some say six, some 12, and some 20, so there is confusion.”

Tim also points out that claims that these short ranges are facilitated by special copper core and use of materials such as yttrium for increased life are nothing special to a manufacturer such as NGK. He says, “Every spark plug in the current Car and Light Commercial NGK Catalogue uses copper core technology while we also employ superior ceramics and alloys in our plug construction for longer life.”

Tim is also sceptical of the uncompromising technology claims for these ranges. He says, “By using one plug to cover a wide range of plugs with different design features, projections and heat ranges, they must, by definition, be a compromise. This compromise would certainly be unacceptable to a vehicle manufacturer because it will reduce performance, starting, idle stability, engine protection, increase fuel consumption and emissions and reduce durability.” He also says “Vehicle manufacturers may well use some of the design features employed by the short-range plug types but they do not use actual short-range plugs.”

With modern engines using leaner air/fuel mixtures there are increased demands on plug performance over their entire service life. Tim stresses that the correct spark plugs for an application is essential to provide the specific catalyst protection that many modern systems demand as well as the degree of anti cold fouling required by some engines. He also says that with these short ranges vehicles demanding special features such as multiple or stronger ground electrodes, specific sparking positions or resistor values are not catered for.

He concludes, “It does not make sense to compromise when it comes to plugs. Your NGK distributor can supply the correct plugs for a particular application to provide the very best plug performance.”