Spark Plug Replacements in Calgary

The Importance of Spark Plugs in Your Vehicle

Tire Pirates conducts important spark plus replacement services for Calgary drivers. Spark plugs are more important than simply turning your vehicle on. They’re constantly working, emitting electricity that sparks the combustion that, in turn, powers your engine’s pistons. Spark plugs are under constant extreme heat and pressure as they continually create mini-explosions, causing your car to run. Without spark plugs, your engine can’t work at all, so it’s important to make sure yours are well-maintained. A weak or bad spark plug can misfire during a start-up or while driving. Especially on our frigid winter mornings, spark plugs need to work extra hard from cold starts. Tire Pirates is here to maintain and replace your spark plugs, helping to ensure your car starts and runs smoothly.

When Do I Need to Replace My Spark Plugs?

There are a few factors to consider when it comes to replacing your vehicle’s spark plugs. You first must establish what type of spark plugs you have currently installed. There are conventional and long-life spark plugs. Conventional spark plugs recommend a replacement every 30,000-50,000 miles. Long-life spark plugs last a significantly longer time, requiring a replacement between 60,000 and 150,000 miles, depending on your vehicle, quality of the plugs, and driving habits.

Why Do Spark Plugs Require Replacements?

As a spark plug ages, it develops deposits from interacting with the air-fuel mixture. The buildup deteriorates the spark plug, as well as its efficiency. Spark plugs then must work harder to accomplish their job, leaving a higher margin for error. If you’ve noticed your engine isn’t starting as easily as before, runs rougher, hesitates while accelerating, or gets poor gas mileage, you may have an issue with your spark plugs. However, you may not notice these things until a spark plug misfires. A misfire is what happens when a spark plug fails to ignite the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder, causing it not to fire. You will notice a shake, lack of power, and a significant audible difference under your hood. Additionally, your check engine light will flash. When doing your tune-up, whether you believe your spark plug is deteriorating or you noticed it misfiring, we can check its condition. From there, we can replace and maintain your vehicle for you quickly and efficiently.

Are Spark Plug Replacements Expensive?

While a misfiring spark plug can sound catastrophic, the repair time and cost are relatively low. Spark plugs are rather inexpensive. Labour charges depend on your engine type. If you have a four-cylinder hatchback, you only have four spark plugs. If you drive a V-8 pickup, you will require eight spark plug replacements. We always recommend replacing all your spark plugs at once. Your engine design will impact the overall labour cost as well, as some engines require removing the intake manifold instead of a simpler replacement.

Fair, Competitive Prices With a Smile

At Tire Pirates, we prefer to stay transparent with our clients. We’ll always give you a fair and up-front cost estimate, so you’re never in the dark, wondering if you overpaid for a repair. While spark plug replacements may sound like significant repairs, they are routine maintenance steps that every car goes through. Call us today to schedule your appointment.