Fire in the hole! Spark plugs: past and present By Bob Weber
F
ire in the hole. That, as you know, is how the internal combustion engine Weber is president of Virginia-based Write works. Mixing fuel and air then ignitStuff. He is an award-winning freelance ing it causes a rapid rise in pressure. This is automotive and technical writer and photog- often called an explosion, but in an engine, rapher with over two decades of journalism it is in reality a controlled burn. experience. He is an ASE-certifed Master Igniting that air/fuel mixture has been a Automobile Technician, and has worked on challenge since the frst engine was built. automobiles, trucks and small engines. He is The challenge continues to fnd better, more a member of the Society of Automotive Engi- durable, more accurate, more timely and neers (SAE) and numerous other automotive more precise ways of burning the fuel. trade associations. He has worked as an auto This is especially true as engineers service technician, a shop manager and a strive to meet the goals of better fuel regional manager for an automotive service economy and reduced emissions. That was franchise operation. of little concern back when the internal
48 | March/April 2013
