What to do with used spark plugs?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
2,789
Location
California, USA
I recently replaced some spark plugs that probably had plenty of life left in them, and am now racked with guilt about wasting these precision manufactured devices coated with rare, precious iridium. OK, I might be exaggerating a bit but I'm still wondering what I'm supposed to do with them and throwing them away seems like a waste. I can think of three options:

- Put them back in the car and save the new ones for another 20-30k miles (if I even still have this car by then).
- Put them in a box in the garage with a bunch of other old stuff I don't need.
- Recycle them?


I don't think I've ever heard of taking spark plugs somewhere to recycle them but it seems logical that we'd want to do that given new plugs have electrodes made of platinum and iridium.

What do you all do w/ used plugs?
 
Deep six them
crackmeup2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: rationull
- Put them in a box in the garage with a bunch of other old stuff I don't need.


This is what I would have done five years ago. I'm much less of a pack rat these days. I used to look with satisfaction at all of the automotive parts in my garage, like I was Advance Auto or something. Now I look with satisfaction at a clean garage, free of stuff I know I'll never use anyway.

Originally Posted By: rationull
- Recycle them?


This would be the best solution if it's available to you. I don't think you'd want to put them into a scrap metal bin, though the amount of ceramic on the plugs is likely negligible. The amount of precious metal on a plug is likely not enough to make reclamation financially viable.

Originally Posted By: rationull
What do you all do w/ used plugs?


Short of recycling them as scrap metal, I think trashing them is really your only choice (unless you want to get visited by American Pickers one day).
 
Originally Posted By: rationull
- Put them in a box in the garage with a bunch of other old stuff I don't need.

This is how 'hoarding' gets started.....

As suggested before.....deep six them.

What do you all do w/ used plugs?
 
Originally Posted By: rationull

- Put them in a box in the garage with a bunch of other old stuff I don't need.


Step 1: Place them in the box the new plugs came in and put them on the shelf in the garage
Step 2: See them on the shelf a month later. Think to yourself, "Why in the [heck] did I keep those?" Throw them away.
Step 3: Read post on Champion Spark Plugs. Think to yourself, "Hey! I've got a perfect example of how much gap erosion occurs on Champions in a high-boost turbo Chrysler engine in a short amount of time in comparison to Motorcraft plugs in an MZI/Duratec30." Realize that you threw those away a long time ago.
Step 4: Repeat as necessary
 
I have a feeling your only option would be to throw them away....or put them into a burn barrel/fire pit if you're into that, and just let the heat process them
wink.gif


As a kid, living up north, we'd have all sorts of fun throwing random [censored] into the fire pit...lol. From glass beer bottles, to aluminum cans.....the glass ususally didn't burn too well, but one time, we somehow got the pit super hot, and the glass started melting
smile.gif




This falls in line with old Bic/Gillette Razors.....nothing left for them after they are spent, but to throw them away
frown.gif
 
Just do what my grandfather did:
Run them until you get a misfire, than clean and re gap them. If the misfire is still present replace just that plug.

He grew up during the depression, nothing was wasted.
 
Last edited:
Fishing weights! See it all the time. Makes the eco-crazies happy because there's no lead.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Spazdog

Step 1: Place them in the box the new plugs came in and put them on the shelf in the garage
Step 2: See them on the shelf a month later. Think to yourself, "Why in the [heck] did I keep those?" Throw them away.
...


LOL! I took them out probably a month ago and they are, in fact, sitting on a shelf in the new plug boxes right now.
 
I usually keep the used plugs for a couple of months or so just in case one of the newly installed plugs fails. Not that they probably ever will, but it can't hurt for insurance. Then after I'm confident the new plugs are reliable , I toss the old ones.
 
I line them all up in the dirt, in the order of cylinders I pulled them from. This way I can see if one cylinder has problems compared to the others.

Then, right in the trash. That can doesn't get bagged and there's a 15 foot drop into a metal hopper at the dump. They make an enormously satisfying noise dropping down in there.
thumbsup2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
...Then, right in the trash. That can doesn't get bagged and there's a 15 foot drop into a metal hopper at the dump. They make an enormously satisfying noise dropping down in there.
thumbsup2.gif



One at a time?
Rapid fire?
All at once?
Or do you vary it depending on your mood?
grin.gif


Considering what spark plugs cost, the value / impact of recycling is low. I just trash 'em.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top