BEST PLUGS for a stock 4.0 OHV...?

[Flandry]

Originally Posted by YourNameHere

My truck pings like crazy when I try to accelerate on the highway. Will the plugs cure that?

From what I've read here, a lot of pinging problems come from carbon buildup. Changing the plugs may help. But before you do that, you might want to Seafoam the engine first. You may also have a dirty MAF sensor. Search and you'll see lots of threads covering both. I've also had pinging occur because my spark plug wires were shot.

[YourNameHere]

I cleaned the MAF a few times. 1 of the wires was real DIRTY, but i cleaned it up.
Which vacuum line can I suck the seafoam in through? I'm not familiar with these trucks at all.

[aldive]

You can use the brake booster vacuum line.

[YourNameHere]

That is the line to the left of the master cylinder, correct? I disconnect the side thats at the booster?

[aldive]

Yes. Yes.

[Greasemonkey]

The owners manual recommends Motorcraft copper tips. Some of you might not know it, but if your ignition system is in good shape copper tip plugs will give better performance than platinum or iridium tipped plugs. The reason is platinum and iridium plugs fire at a lower voltage, which means a lower energy spark. This is good if you have a weak ignition system that can just barely fire a copper tip plug, but if you have a strong ignition the plugs will fire with too low an energy to give peak performance. The main reason some manufacturers are using platinum plugs is its so hard to change plugs in modern crowded engine compartments.
The parts guy at Napa confirmed the research I did, and said many people have worse performance using platinum plugs.

[YourNameHere]

Originally Posted by Greasemonkey

The owners manual recommends Motorcraft copper tips. Some of you might not know it, but if your ignition system is in good shape copper tip plugs will give better performance than platinum or iridium tipped plugs. The reason is platinum and iridium plugs fire at a lower voltage, which means a lower energy spark. This is good if you have a weak ignition system that can just barely fire a copper tip plug, but if you have a strong ignition the plugs will fire with too low an energy to give peak performance. The main reason some manufacturers are using platinum plugs is its so hard to change plugs in modern crowded engine compartments.
The parts guy at Napa confirmed the research I did, and said many people have worse performance using platinum plugs.

That's what I was saying way back in this thread.

FWIW, I ran Seafoam through the brake booster, and ALL my pinging is gone!
Too bad I still have the acceleration of a snail.

[BIGHVM]

Originally Posted by YourNameHere

Plats are a huge waste oh money.
Their only benefit is that they last longer between plug changes.
No need to waste money on the plats.
I guess i'll go with the Autolites. I use them in my 98 Cobra and it runs like a raped ape.

I have used double plats for years now in both of my Exs, I ran autolite in one loved that, ran smooth and never missed a beat- and last 60K!!
I just put in NGK PTRD-13 plugs in my Northface and the same result.

YOu can buy normal plugs and change them every year, but I believe that double plats maintain the gap for longer so help to keep the engine at its best.

[mhatten02]

WOW... month long convo about spark plugs LOL Didn't think it was possible. HAHA Just messin.. I'm new and figured this was as good of a place as any to get my first post. Just my $.02 worth... Ford = Motorcraft.... end of story!

[YourNameHere]

Originally Posted by BIGHVM

I have used double plats for years now in both of my Exs, I ran autolite in one loved that, ran smooth and never missed a beat- and last 60K!!
I just put in NGK PTRD-13 plugs in my Northface and the same result.

YOu can buy normal plugs and change them every year, but I believe that double plats maintain the gap for longer so help to keep the engine at its best.

eVERY 30K cOPPER PLUGS NEED TO BE CHANGED, THAT'S EVERY 2+ YEARS.
Sorry about the caps.

[mhatten02]

Hmmmm copper sounds nice!!!!!

[Anime]

Whatever Motorcraft plugs are currently being sold for the application are usually the best. They used to be double platinum, then platinum plus, and now, who knows. The last set I bought was fully threaded and had a much smaller electrode, very similar to iridium plugs.

I'm not sure about running a platinum or double platinum plug for 100K+...copper is usually 30K, platinum 60K, and iridium 100K. I changed my last platinum plus set at 50K, and got a massive torque and power increase (meaning the torque/power it was capable of came back, not that the plugs added anything that wasn't already there) across the board with the new plugs. Sure, they'll last, but you'd have to pull and re-gap them to make up for the wear, and for the price of new plugs, I think I'd rather replace them then pull, re-gap, and re-install them.

NGK and Denso do make some of the best plugs out there. These are the ONLY plugs you should use in a Japanese brand car. I'd probably use NGKs in the X if the Motorcrafts didn't work so well and cost so little per plug when you buy 6.

As for wires, I do suggest Magnecor. Like good plugs, they just let the ignition do what it's capable of. They also don't claim any BS about their products. Their site is a good read, and a hoot depending on how much you've read about other wire manufacturers claims.

[EskimoEddie]

Originally Posted by Flandry

Here are some instructions that are similar to the way I do it:

http://www.explorerforum.com/Singlet...es/plugs2.html

He advises:



and I can't stress enough how important this is. One of my few Snap-On tools is a 5/8" universal spark plug socket with extension, which I got specifically for this purpose.

So, my question is, will adding universal socket joints to change farthest passenger side plug alter torque readings on my torque wrench? I've also read to stay away from Bosch plugs, what about Bosch wire sets? I shop autozone and the bosch are the more expensive brand. Does high $$ = best performance and long life? Or will duralast brand work well enough? I've never changed my own plugs/wires so please excuse my newbie-ness, Thanks for any info. Greg (aka Eskimoeddie)

[TedJ]

I installed Duralast wires (guy was paying me and gave them to me to do the job with) on an Aerostar. Van came back about a year later, one of the wires had failed and lost it's grip on the plug, causing a miss. They are NOT the same quality as Bosch or Motorcraft, I fixed the van with a set of Bosch wires and they snapped on the plugs much better. I use Motorcaft on my own truck, ordered from Rock Auto for a good price....

[EskimoEddie]

Originally Posted by YourNameHere

I cleaned the MAF a few times. 1 of the wires was real DIRTY, but i cleaned it up.
Which vacuum line can I suck the seafoam in through? I'm not familiar with these trucks at all.

great picts, looks like my Ex......but how do I do it? Remove vac line from booster and draw seafoam directly from can? How long? Do it before I change plugs? I've read that it tends to gum up plugs. Thanks for any info

EDIT

Seafom my Ex before tune up AND before oil change?

[YourNameHere]

Yes, to everything you asked above.
Use the whole can.

[Snort]

I just put in a set of Motorcraft SP486 plugs which I thought were the latest platinum design, to replace my Motorcraft 42PP plugs. On the 42PP plugs, I can clearly see a small piece of platinum welded onto the ground electrode, nothing on the SP486. My understanding is that the 42PP had platinum on both the center and ground electrodes, so that they would work well on both sides of the motor (reverse coil polarity on the two coils). So what's the story on these new Finewire platinum plugs... where's the platinum?

[mr cribb]

I just used the motorcraft plugs that advance auto parts sold. I also picked up a set of motorcraft wires to replace the ones that were on it.

[Delta_1980]

i'm going to install some laser plugs then i'll only post on the modified 91-94 explorer forum....yeah right

[Snort]

Originally Posted by Delta_1980

i'm going to install some laser plugs then i'll only post on the modified 91-94 explorer forum....yeah right

You are either too hilarious or too insane to ignore. WTHeck are you talking about with your badass laser plugs?