Spark plug product attributes

Spark plug data is compact but unforgiving. Thread diameter, reach and seat type have to match the cylinder head exactly, and a plug that threads in with the wrong reach can hit a piston or leave carbon-fouled threads. Supplier files often list thread size and a heat range while leaving reach, seat type and hex size to be decoded from the part number.

Heat range is the attribute most often misread. Each manufacturer uses its own numbering, and the scales do not run in the same direction, so a higher number means a colder plug for some brands and a hotter plug for others. A heat range value is only meaningful alongside the scale it belongs to, which makes cross-brand filtering a matter of interchange data rather than arithmetic.

Gap data is split in two. The pre-gap is what the plug leaves the factory with, while the correct gap for an engine comes from the vehicle manufacturer and belongs with the application. Fine-wire iridium and platinum plugs add another wrinkle, since many should not be regapped aggressively. Storing these facts separately prevents a counter rep from quoting the wrong gap from the box.

The spark plugs attribute template

18 candidate fields in 5 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 9 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Manufacturer Part Number (MPN) manufacturer_part_number_mpn	Identifier	Core	SP-3230
GTIN / UPC gtin_upc	Identifier	Core	081234532307

Technical specifications

Measured or rated values that must travel with their unit and test conditions.

Check before use: Store the number and unit separately. Convert only when the source unit and test conditions are known.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Thread Size thread_size	Controlled list	Core	M14 x 1.25
Thread Reach reach_thread_reach	Number · mm	Core	19.0 mm
Hex Size hex_size	Number · mm	Core	16 mm
Resistor Value resistor_value	Number · kΩ	Core	5 kΩ
Overall Length overall_length	Number · mm	Core	50.5 mm
Pre-Gap pre_gap_size	Number · mm	Buyer decision	0.8 mm

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Terminal Type terminal_type	Controlled list	Core	Solid post
Center Electrode Tip Material center_electrode_tip_material	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Iridium, 0.6 mm fine wire
Ground Electrode Tip Material ground_electrode_tip_material	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Platinum pad
Center Electrode Core Material center_electrode_core_material	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Copper
Heat Range (with manufacturer scale) heat_range	Text	Buyer decision	6 (manufacturer scale: higher = colder)
Ground Electrode Configuration ground_electrode_configuration	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Single ground electrode

Fit & compatibility

What the item mounts to, mates with, replaces or works alongside.

Check before use: Keep model and series qualifiers. A similar-looking part is not a verified fit until a source says so.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Seat Type seat_type	Controlled list	Core	Gasket (flat seat)
Specified Gap (per application) oe_recommended_gap	Number · mm	Buyer decision	1.1 mm
Vehicle Fitment (ACES) vehicle_fitment_aces	Text	Channel / evidence	BaseVehicle + engine code, 2.0L I4

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	JP

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• Heat range scale direction
• Fine-wire / do-not-regap flag
• Installation torque
• Specified gap per application (separate from pre-gap)
• Recommended service interval

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing spark plugs ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• Is this plug the stock heat range for my engine, or one step colder?
• Does it come gapped for my engine, or do I have to set it?
• Is this a taper-seat plug, or does it need a gasket?
• Will an iridium plug run longer between changes than the copper plug I'm replacing?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

FAQ