What is the function of the spring inside a spark plug

[oosik]

I'm just glad somebody know a whole lot more about this than I do.

 

[grsthegreat]

I still dont know…….

 

[stevem5215]

The spring depending on material type would offer "cheap method" of resistance and with that you'd have a resistor plug to lessen the effects on electronics nearby and in the machine it's used in along with resistance to interference on analog tv and other transmission methods.

 

[grsthegreat]

but this plug ALSO had the resistor element....in addition to the spring.

 

[Wagtail]

but this plug ALSO had the resistor element....in addition to the spring.

Well then, perhaps the spring ensures electrical contact; compensating for engine vibration.

 

[CalG]

perhaps not a resistor. but rather an inductor/ (all right a frequency dependent resistor)

An effort to keep the voltage from being pissed away before the amps can get there.

Sparks are known to jump at the very LOWEST potential available.

 

[Torvy]

Stop lying, fellas. That's the government tracking device. It signals the aliens in the contrails.

 

[Williy]

The mystery of the spring:

Some spark plugs have a spring inside the high tension case that connects the spark plug to the ignition coil. When the spark plug is inserted into the case, the spring compresses and touches the high tension terminal, creating an electrical connection that supplies high tension to the spark plug.

willy

 

[SPYDERLK]

I think that might be a spark gap plug. These resist fouling by putting a "clean" spark gap up in the ceramic. This clean gap forces the spark up to the voltage level that will instantly jump both gaps. This ploy prevents a dirty plug from bleeding off the the voltage through the fouling and in effect preventing a spark.
The spring is probably serving as an RF shield encircling the sparkgap area. That outside the chamber spark is a transmitter. Your radio will "hear" it if not shielded.

 

[CalG]

Stop lying, fellas. That's the government tracking device. It signals the aliens in the contrails.

I KNEW there was a reason the gub'ment was putting the brakes on compression ignition vehicles!