The trails are calling this fall, and if you want to get a head start on riding, you’d better have your machine’s ignition at the ready. A good place to start is making sure your all-terrain vehicle’s ignition system is in working condition.
ATV owners are rightfully conscious about maintenance, but there are still aspects to servicing these machines that can be easily overlooked. Having enough fuel in the tank and a working battery are no-brainers, but overlooking the small things, like a consistent and efficient ignition, could seriously compromise performance.
Four-stroke ATV engines have been a welcome innovation, eliminating some of the oil-related spark plug fouling that was more common in two-stroke versions. Despite this improvement to engines, it is important to inspect spark plugs before each and every riding season. Though fouling is becoming more of a rarity, it’s possible that you will find other discrepancies that need correcting.
Start by cleaning the plug seats and ceramic to make sure there’s a tight fit. Next, properly gapping your ATV’s plugs and making sure they are torqued to the right degree will keep ignition consistent. Over-torqueing is just as bad as under-torqueing, so be sure to use a torque wrench. Also key to keeping your ATV on the trail, you’ll need to determine if it’s time for a plug replacement.
New iridium plugs, like the Autolite Xtreme Sport, are better at resisting fouling than previous copper versions, and they help provide increased fuel efficiency and more consistent starts over a longer period of time. For the Autolite XS, starts are 26% quicker and hydrocarbon emissions are cut by 21% adding that extra power.
If you’re in the market for new plugs, it’s time to weigh the best options for your ATV. Learn more about Autolite XS spark plugs here.
This article was sponsored by Autolite.