The spark plug includes: an insulator having an axial hole formed along an axial line; and a metal terminal provided on a rear side of the axial hole of the insulator. The metal terminal has, at a rear end portion thereof, a bottom surface facing rearward and a projection projecting rearward from an outer edge of the bottom surface, and a mark is provided to at least a part of the bottom surface. The Vickers hardness of the projection is 100 HV or higher. A rear end surface of the projection is positioned on a rear side with respect to a rear end of the mark. An area of the rear end surface is 3 mm.sup.2 or greater.

A spark plug has a spark plug housing of a cylindrical shape, an insulator of a cylindrical shape, a central electrode, a ground electrode and a terminal metal fitting. The insulator has a head part projecting toward a distal end side of the spark plug from the spark plug housing.

The central electrode and the ground electrode forms a discharge gap. The terminal metal fitting, electrically connected to the central electrode, has a main body part and an exposed part. The exposed part of the terminal metal fitting has a head part. An outer diameter of the head part of the exposed part is greater than an outer diameter of the main body part. A ratio Dt/Di of not less than 0.8 is satisfied, Di represents an outer diameter of the head part of the insulator and Dt represents an outer diameter of the head part of the exposed part.

A spark plug has a spark plug housing of a cylindrical shape, an insulator of a cylindrical shape, a central electrode, a ground electrode and a terminal metal fitting. The insulator has a head part projecting toward a distal end side of the spark plug from the spark plug housing.

The central electrode and the ground electrode forms a discharge gap. The terminal metal fitting, electrically connected to the central electrode, has a main body part and an exposed part. The exposed part of the terminal metal fitting has a head part. An outer diameter of the head part of the exposed part is greater than an outer diameter of the main body part. A ratio Dt/Di of not less than 0.8 is satisfied, Di represents an outer diameter of the head part of the insulator and Dt represents an outer diameter of the head part of the exposed part.

The spark plug includes: an insulator having an axial hole formed along an axial line; and a metal terminal provided on a rear side of the axial hole of the insulator. The metal terminal has, at a rear end portion thereof, a bottom surface facing rearward and a projection projecting rearward from an outer edge of the bottom surface, and a mark is provided to at least a part of the bottom surface. The Vickers hardness of the projection is 100 HV or higher. A rear end surface of the projection is positioned on a rear side with respect to a rear end of the mark. An area of the rear end surface is 3 mm.sup.2 or greater.

An ignition coil unit is attached to an engine body. The engine body includes a cylinder head having a plug hole and a head cover that covers the cylinder head by including an opening hole facing the plug hole. The ignition coil unit includes a coil unit that generates a high voltage and a cylindrical coupling unit that connects the coil unit with a spark plug. The coupling unit includes a flexible sealing section fitting to an outer peripheral surface of the high tension tower and a harder joint fitting to a tip of the sealing section. The sealing section includes an adhesion portion to tightly contact the head cover and a neck portion at least between the adhesion portion and the joint in a Z-axis direction. The neck portion is formed by partially constricting an outer peripheral surface of the sealing section radially inside.

Methods and systems for a unique material and geometry in a high temperature spark plug extender and may include a spark plug extender with a conductive core encased in a liquid crystal polymer where opposite ends of the conductive core are not encased in the liquid crystal polymer. A coil may be coupled directly to the spark plug extender. The spark plug extender and the coil may include threads at a first of the opposite ends of the conductive core for the direct coupling of the coil to the spark plug extender. The first of the opposite ends of the conductive core may include an O-ring that provides a seal with the coil. The spark plug extender may include an insulating wire that is coupled to a coil remote from the spark plug extender, the insulating wire extending from an end of the conductive core.

Methods and systems for a unique material and geometry in a high temperature spark plug extender and may include a spark plug extender with a conductive core encased in a liquid crystal polymer where opposite ends of the conductive core are not encased in the liquid crystal polymer. A coil may be coupled directly to the spark plug extender. The spark plug extender and the coil may include threads at a first of the opposite ends of the conductive core for the direct coupling of the coil to the spark plug extender. The first of the opposite ends of the conductive core may include an O-ring that provides a seal with the coil. The spark plug extender may include an insulating wire that is coupled to a coil remote from the spark plug extender, the insulating wire extending from an end of the conductive core.

An ignition plug such as a spark plug or a glow plug configured to ignite an air-fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine includes a mark that is formed of an oxide film generated on the surface of a metal member or is formed of the metal member and the oxide film. The mark is formed by promoting formation of the oxide film on the surface of the metal member or removing the oxide film through radiation of a laser beam onto the surface of the metal member.

An ignition plug such as a spark plug or a glow plug configured to ignite an air-fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine includes a mark that is formed of an oxide film generated on the surface of a metal member or is formed of the metal member and the oxide film. The mark is formed by promoting formation of the oxide film on the surface of the metal member or removing the oxide film through radiation of a laser beam onto the surface of the metal member.

A spark plug for an internal combustion engine is provided which has a center electrode and a ground electrode. The ground electrode includes an upright portion extending in a lengthwise direction of the spark plug and an extension bent from the upright portion in a radial direction of the spark plug. The extension has a slant surface which is shaped to be inclined away from the center electrode downstream in a flow of air-fuel mixture within a combustion chamber when the spark plug is mounted in the engine. This results in an increase in in distance by which a starting point on the ground electrode where a spark is created is moved on the slant surface, thereby increasing a length of time the spark is moved downstream and then blown out to increase the probability of successful ignition of the air-fuel mixture.