Is there a better spark plug than FORD?
03-30-2014, 07:54 AM
#12
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I thought Ford says change at 60,000?
I don't know if there is a better one or not. I replaced all of mine and they were in bad shape. The gap had grown from 0.045" to 0.098" or so. Five also broke regardless of how carefully I followed the Ford procedure. In any event I got them changed and these are definitely not 100,000 mile plugs.
On the other hand, seeing how worn they were I decided to replace my '09 Hyundai Denso plugs with 90,000 on them. None broke of course and they looked new. I mean, really new. The ground and center electrode are of 7mm, very, very thin irridium. Apparently that stuff does not wear. The gap seemed exactly the same as the new plugs. So, if you could find some irridium plugs for the engine....I'd recommend them. M1911
On the other hand, seeing how worn they were I decided to replace my '09 Hyundai Denso plugs with 90,000 on them. None broke of course and they looked new. I mean, really new. The ground and center electrode are of 7mm, very, very thin irridium. Apparently that stuff does not wear. The gap seemed exactly the same as the new plugs. So, if you could find some irridium plugs for the engine....I'd recommend them. M1911
03-30-2014, 08:36 AM
#13
03-30-2014, 08:42 AM
#14
Hi.
No. Single-platinum. The center electrode tip is platinum, and there are no platinum enhancements on the ground strap. No MC double-plats for these engines, unfortunately.
The Champ 7989's are a double-plat plug, and AFAIK, there currently is no Iridium plug replacement for the 2-piece 3V units.
They need to be R&R'd at 60K intervals.
BTW - application of nickel a/s does not guarantee subsequent breakage upon second or third-iteration replacements - it does seem to partially mitigate it though. Still occasional reports of plugs separating.
MGD
No. Single-platinum. The center electrode tip is platinum, and there are no platinum enhancements on the ground strap. No MC double-plats for these engines, unfortunately.
The Champ 7989's are a double-plat plug, and AFAIK, there currently is no Iridium plug replacement for the 2-piece 3V units.
They need to be R&R'd at 60K intervals.
BTW - application of nickel a/s does not guarantee subsequent breakage upon second or third-iteration replacements - it does seem to partially mitigate it though. Still occasional reports of plugs separating.
MGD
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johnny_tucson (03-30-2014)
03-30-2014, 10:45 AM
#15
Hi.
No. Single-platinum. The center electrode tip is platinum, and there are no platinum enhancements on the ground strap. No MC double-plats for these engines, unfortunately.
The Champ 7989's are a double-plat plug, and AFAIK, there currently is no Iridium plug replacement for the 2-piece 3V units.
They need to be R&R'd at 60K intervals.
BTW - application of nickel a/s does not guarantee subsequent breakage upon second or third-iteration replacements - it does seem to partially mitigate it though. Still occasional reports of plugs separating.
MGD
No. Single-platinum. The center electrode tip is platinum, and there are no platinum enhancements on the ground strap. No MC double-plats for these engines, unfortunately.
The Champ 7989's are a double-plat plug, and AFAIK, there currently is no Iridium plug replacement for the 2-piece 3V units.
They need to be R&R'd at 60K intervals.
BTW - application of nickel a/s does not guarantee subsequent breakage upon second or third-iteration replacements - it does seem to partially mitigate it though. Still occasional reports of plugs separating.
MGD
03-30-2014, 11:13 AM
#16
Would you agree that far less plugs break with the nickel a/s as opposed to those installed without it? Sure, nothing is guaranteed on these engines, but why not do it if it lessens the chances of breakage? It costs less that $5 for a tube that can easily do 24 plugs. Pretty sure if I can get my plugs out at 113K from the factory with no a/s with no breakage, I can get out ones I installed at around 50K with the a/s. Common sense tell us this......
Never said not to do it. However, the A/S 'carrier' burns off rather quickly, leaving the nickel 'nodules' to (hopefully) facilitate easier removal as they 'displace', and hence reduce, subsequent carbon buildup.
BUT - Combustion chamber temps can peak at 4,500 F (2,500 C), so NO lubricant is going to survive over time.
SO -The best defense is to replace plugs early and often. And use tier-one fuels, AND no gas additives except Techron @ every oil change. ( Techron being the only additive approved by Ford - it's what PM-6 is, relabeled ): https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubrican...nce%20Products
MGD
03-30-2014, 11:31 AM
#18
However, Techron does indeed contain the very additive that most all others lack for effective cleaning : http://www.f150online.com/forums/5044474-post8.html
BTW - I personally run Champ 7989's - but I do not recommend everyone do so, as I've found that there are several things that must be done to ensure success with them. And I STILL R&R them every ~30K or so.
MGD
Last edited by MGD; 03-30-2014 at 11:34 AM.
03-30-2014, 04:23 PM
#19
Senior Member
If they are.....I'd get them. My originals were PZT1F Platinum. M1911
When I replaced the Hyundai plugs I got iridium....just not the same brand. Had I know about the extra tip on the ground electrode I would have gotten Denso. I won't have the car long enough to worry about this again though. In fact...I should have pulled one and had a look before picking up 4 new ones. What I don't get about the original plug change on my 5.4 is that the extended ground electrode body is really clean after three cans of Seafoam....and the majority still broke. I'm of the opinion that I'd loosen and inspect, anti sieze or replace these plugs in the problem year engines even if I had 15K miles on them. At the long and winding thread on these suckers.....plenty of them have broken and unfortunately quite a few had the threads separate. When that happens you have to somehow remove the broken off base of the upper plug....then get the Lisle tool in there to grab the rest.
Not expecting to ever have to do this again. I mailed my Lisle tool off for free to the next user who then pulled his plugs and passed it on again.
They looked like this at 118,000 and four or five still broke...?
When I replaced the Hyundai plugs I got iridium....just not the same brand. Had I know about the extra tip on the ground electrode I would have gotten Denso. I won't have the car long enough to worry about this again though. In fact...I should have pulled one and had a look before picking up 4 new ones. What I don't get about the original plug change on my 5.4 is that the extended ground electrode body is really clean after three cans of Seafoam....and the majority still broke. I'm of the opinion that I'd loosen and inspect, anti sieze or replace these plugs in the problem year engines even if I had 15K miles on them. At the long and winding thread on these suckers.....plenty of them have broken and unfortunately quite a few had the threads separate. When that happens you have to somehow remove the broken off base of the upper plug....then get the Lisle tool in there to grab the rest.
Not expecting to ever have to do this again. I mailed my Lisle tool off for free to the next user who then pulled his plugs and passed it on again.
They looked like this at 118,000 and four or five still broke...?
Last edited by 1917-1911M; 03-30-2014 at 04:47 PM.