13 Eco and Plug Change Inc MPG
07-22-2014, 10:26 AM
#1
13 Eco and Plug Change Inc MPG
I have to say - I'm pretty excited about having changed my plugs in my 2013 Eco. I've got the FX4, SCREW and some nice meaty Duratracs on 18" wheels.
I have consistently gotten 15.1 mpg - no matter if I did a 5 hour highway ride on flat lands, or mixed it between city/highway. 15.1 mpg was it.
I should add that I've consistently run 89 octane my tank as well, however, I put some 91 in it a few days ago - and was still getting the 15.1mpg.
I'm planning on picking up an SCT X4 - so in preparation - and based on some things I've read - I decided to do the plug swap. I suppose I could've just check the gap and cleaned the ones in there (they were the SP-534 from the factory) - but went ahead & picked up a new set and gapped the news ones to .027-.028 (I can get the .026 to slide in/out, but the .028 does not - so I assume it's about .027).
As others have mentioned, the job was pretty easy.
Now - I'm getting an average of 19.1mpg - just from changing those plugs out!!! That's a 4 mpg increase. And that too is from a mix of city/highway - including some pretty steep grades being travelled on.
Old plugs didn't look "too bad" from what I know (I'll post a pic soon) and they were all gapped over .035 (that's as high as my gauge went).
I never had any engine problems prior to this - however, I DO notice that when sitting stopped in traffic or at a light - it's different than before. It's like I have to think about whether the vehicle is running or not. Before, I could "feel" the engine running - now I cannot. I like that.
I've done a few WOT's here & there and it seems to have a little better pull.
Looking forward to my X4 tuner in the next week or so...to anyone who hasn't re-gapped or changed out their plugs - at least re-gap the existing ones.
If I do the math - that 4 mpg increase on a 36 gallon tank equals 144 extra miles per tank. If we know that the vehicle get's 19mpg, we can then say that 144 miles equals 7.57 gallons of gas. Multiply the 7.57 gallons of gas by $3.50 (just a low average gas price around here - its usually around $3.80 and up) - and we get $26.52
So, if I'm doing the math right - we're "saving" $26.52 per tank in fuel savings due to the increased MPG since changing out those plugs at the smaller gap.
Cool.
I have consistently gotten 15.1 mpg - no matter if I did a 5 hour highway ride on flat lands, or mixed it between city/highway. 15.1 mpg was it.
I should add that I've consistently run 89 octane my tank as well, however, I put some 91 in it a few days ago - and was still getting the 15.1mpg.
I'm planning on picking up an SCT X4 - so in preparation - and based on some things I've read - I decided to do the plug swap. I suppose I could've just check the gap and cleaned the ones in there (they were the SP-534 from the factory) - but went ahead & picked up a new set and gapped the news ones to .027-.028 (I can get the .026 to slide in/out, but the .028 does not - so I assume it's about .027).
As others have mentioned, the job was pretty easy.
Now - I'm getting an average of 19.1mpg - just from changing those plugs out!!! That's a 4 mpg increase. And that too is from a mix of city/highway - including some pretty steep grades being travelled on.
Old plugs didn't look "too bad" from what I know (I'll post a pic soon) and they were all gapped over .035 (that's as high as my gauge went).
I never had any engine problems prior to this - however, I DO notice that when sitting stopped in traffic or at a light - it's different than before. It's like I have to think about whether the vehicle is running or not. Before, I could "feel" the engine running - now I cannot. I like that.
I've done a few WOT's here & there and it seems to have a little better pull.
Looking forward to my X4 tuner in the next week or so...to anyone who hasn't re-gapped or changed out their plugs - at least re-gap the existing ones.
If I do the math - that 4 mpg increase on a 36 gallon tank equals 144 extra miles per tank. If we know that the vehicle get's 19mpg, we can then say that 144 miles equals 7.57 gallons of gas. Multiply the 7.57 gallons of gas by $3.50 (just a low average gas price around here - its usually around $3.80 and up) - and we get $26.52
So, if I'm doing the math right - we're "saving" $26.52 per tank in fuel savings due to the increased MPG since changing out those plugs at the smaller gap.
Cool.
07-22-2014, 10:33 AM
#2
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tuscaloosa Alabama
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Plug change in 2013 XLT?
Glad that plug change worked well for ya man! just curious, would it possibly be beneficial for me to change my plugs in my truck? never had any engine problems, but im always looking to save money and a mpg increase is a good way to do just that!!
07-22-2014, 11:32 AM
#6
How many miles were on the plugs?
What makes our plugs simply drop off in the expected performance so soon into their life cycle? The scheduled maintenance interval for the plugs is 100k miles. Conservatively many of us are not getting 70% of that expected life cycle.
What makes our plugs simply drop off in the expected performance so soon into their life cycle? The scheduled maintenance interval for the plugs is 100k miles. Conservatively many of us are not getting 70% of that expected life cycle.
07-22-2014, 12:23 PM
#7
Jay - I had no actual engine performance issues either - just did it since I plan on getting a tuner soon & smaller gap is recommended. Plus after all I read - I heard the factory gaps were not consistent and several guys said their plugs looked bad around the 35k - 40k mile range.
Diesel - I believe folks have & most have gotten positive results - just by simply gapping consistently (and to .030 instead of greater)
Joe - I had 36,500 miles on those old plugs. I think it has something to do with carbon buildup on the direct injection engines; an inherent problem from what I've read (although Ford was supposed to have nipped that issue with the EcoBoost). But that's another can of worms I'll open up down the line. For now - the plugs were a cheap swap out and a marked improvement. I plan on staying tuned to the threads on the forum that talk about the carbon buildup and what not...
Now, I don't know if regular engine wear causes the plug gaps to move - or if they really were not set consistently at the factory. I know they are set consistently now. So we'll see how things go.
Diesel - I believe folks have & most have gotten positive results - just by simply gapping consistently (and to .030 instead of greater)
Joe - I had 36,500 miles on those old plugs. I think it has something to do with carbon buildup on the direct injection engines; an inherent problem from what I've read (although Ford was supposed to have nipped that issue with the EcoBoost). But that's another can of worms I'll open up down the line. For now - the plugs were a cheap swap out and a marked improvement. I plan on staying tuned to the threads on the forum that talk about the carbon buildup and what not...
Now, I don't know if regular engine wear causes the plug gaps to move - or if they really were not set consistently at the factory. I know they are set consistently now. So we'll see how things go.
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07-22-2014, 12:37 PM
#8
Jay - I had no actual engine performance issues either - just did it since I plan on getting a tuner soon & smaller gap is recommended. Plus after all I read - I heard the factory gaps were not consistent and several guys said their plugs looked bad around the 35k - 40k mile range.
Diesel - I believe folks have & most have gotten positive results - just by simply gapping consistently (and to .030 instead of greater)
Joe - I had 36,500 miles on those old plugs. I think it has something to do with carbon buildup on the direct injection engines; an inherent problem from what I've read (although Ford was supposed to have nipped that issue with the EcoBoost). But that's another can of worms I'll open up down the line. For now - the plugs were a cheap swap out and a marked improvement. I plan on staying tuned to the threads on the forum that talk about the carbon buildup and what not...
Now, I don't know if regular engine wear causes the plug gaps to move - or if they really were not set consistently at the factory. I know they are set consistently now. So we'll see how things go.
Diesel - I believe folks have & most have gotten positive results - just by simply gapping consistently (and to .030 instead of greater)
Joe - I had 36,500 miles on those old plugs. I think it has something to do with carbon buildup on the direct injection engines; an inherent problem from what I've read (although Ford was supposed to have nipped that issue with the EcoBoost). But that's another can of worms I'll open up down the line. For now - the plugs were a cheap swap out and a marked improvement. I plan on staying tuned to the threads on the forum that talk about the carbon buildup and what not...
Now, I don't know if regular engine wear causes the plug gaps to move - or if they really were not set consistently at the factory. I know they are set consistently now. So we'll see how things go.
so whats the recommended gap on the plugs, .028?
07-22-2014, 02:34 PM
#9
From all I've read on numerous posts here - and elsewhere on the interwebs, is that .030 is the "sweet spot" - however, if you are running a tuner and may do some performance tunes - then set it to .028.
Of course, we are talking 3.5L ECOBOOST here - not other engines.
I've seen some say that when they've set to .030 & .028 - they've had some rough idle that wasn't there, and some who said they did but it went away after the PCM "re-learned" things, and others who removed the battery & let the system re-set & relearn; but those were only a small handful from the many who have gapped to the .030 & .028 settings.
Just want to put all the info out that I gathered. Totally stock truck is reportedly good to go at .030.
