100,000 Mile Spark Plugs ???

[fprodget]

Hello, I am new here as I just purchased my first EX, a 2003 XLT 4 litre with 63000 miles. I am beginning to prepare for upcoming camping / travel season and was wondering who here really waits 100,000 miles to change spark plugs.


I am going to be looking for gas mileage improvers as I am switching from Subaru Outback to the explorer. We moved to the explorer to have more room and towing capacity. If anyone has other gas mileage mods to recommend, I am all ears.

Thanks

John
Lancaster, PA

 

[aldive]

Take a look at http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44372&highlight=quest

 

[DeRocha]

Platinum spark plugs can last 100K, but IMO they should be more often to prevent the plugs from getting stuck/bonded/rusted in the block...

 

[daprez1963]

No Disrepect ALDIVE But......

Take a look at http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44372&highlight=quest

The question was about SPARK PLUGS....not MPG....but concerning your repeated postings of your QUEST....

You keep promoting this QUEST and frankly this is one that needs to end and quit wasting the bandwidth. The average "off the factory line" explorer will NOT get 30 MPG even if you towed it or rolled it off a cliff. If someone is going to get 30 MPG on a stock EXP, they will have to modify it with great expense. I believe people asking for better mileage are seeking realistic results such as in an increase of 3-5 in the city/highway. Mine gets the advertised 15-16 in the city and I would be tickled to get 20. If I told the sales guy where I bought it I wanted 30, he would not have led me to the SUV's on the lot (unless of course he had some hybrids). Properly pressurized tires, tune-up with new plugs, prem. unlead and any other normal stuff will not get you 30. Even adding wings on it will not get you there. The trucks are not made to get that many. I am sure you could get a Hummer to get 30 but at what cost? At the mention of anyone who wants to get better gas mileage, you are the one who always seems to jump in with a link to this thread. Please....if anyone else has some help on this subject other than yourself and keeping the true objection of increase mpg at one in which an average person can do without going into debt doing it, please share. Otherwise, please post the cost/labor and parts needed to do this project so as to give the person asking an idea if this is something possible. Again, this is not to disrepect your intentions, but I find this information non-helpful...Perhaps entertaining if someone is interested in your recent trips suba-diving and places you have gone. I have gone all over this country myself and done some interesting things too but most of your posts don't get to the real issue without all the other added stories....

HOW TO GET 30 MPG? Just the facts....plain and simple with only details would be the most use in answering this question....thx

 

[aldive]

The question was about SPARK PLUGS....not MPG

I beg youyr pardon, the gentleman asked about improving mileage

I am going to be looking for gas mileage improvers as I am switching from Subaru Outback to the explorer. We moved to the explorer to have more room and towing capacity. If anyone has other gas mileage mods to recommend, I am all ears.

 

[daprez1963]

Hello, I am new here as I just purchased my first EX, a 2003 XLT 4 litre with 63000 miles. I am beginning to prepare for upcoming camping / travel season and was wondering who here really waits 100,000 miles to change spark plugs.


Thanks

John
Lancaster, PA

My bad...I read the POST HEADER and his first question.....and from it, he is just looking to do regular maint. items and not a redesign of his entire truck's engine such as would be needed if he was looking to get the results you have. But I see you still avoid the question....Please enlighten us in a short paragraph how we can all get the HOLY GRAIL of 30 MPG on our EXPs... we are all ears

 

[grumpy]

I improved my highway mileage greatly by increasing my tire pressure to 40 psi. I got about 2 more miles per gallon on interstate driving, but when I had the tires rotated at the regular 6,000 mile interval, they had worn 2/32 since the last rotation. I checked my records and they had previously been wearing about 1/32 between intervals. I went back to Ford's recommended tire pressure. I figure it's going to cost me about the same either way and the ride is smoother with the lower pressure.

I got 24.8 mpg in an '02 XLT 2wd running I-40 from Clarksville to Sevierville, TN. with the extra air. I was driving around 65-70 mph. most of the way.

 

[fprodget]

I skimmed thru the 39 page thread about Al's quest for 30MPG. This is obviously a hobby for him, and does not have to be cost effective. We all have interests that are not always economically feasible. I found it interesting and I plan to take the basics in that thread and apply to my vehicle to improve on the exisitng performance. I will most likely do the following:

the synthetic fluids (I would have anyway)

new plugs

air filtration - How noisy is the preferred system

inflate tires

eventually exhaust if not too noisy

and easy driving.

That will be it as our hobby is taking the kids camping and scouting.

Best Regards,

John

 

[fprodget]

Also, is there a plug manufacturer and type that yeilds better gas mileage?

 

[aldive]

Also, is there a plug manufacturer and type that yeilds better gas mileage?

No. But for best results stick with Motorcraft double platinum plugs.

 

[Buzzsaw]

I've got to chime in here and come to aldive's defense, his thread does indeed get lengthy but there's a lot of discussion in there about pros and cons and if you're serious about doing mods it's good to read the whole post and form your own opinion and do what works in your budget. We can't just assume the person posting the question just wants a brief synopsis, he may want detail info and it's there if he chooses to read it or not. I really appreciate the give and take in there and like to have all the information possible on hand before making a mod to my vehicle. I can then assume total repsonsibility for whatever actions I decide to take. Keep up the good work aldive.

 

[rizzjc]

Hello, I am new here as I just purchased my first EX, a 2003 XLT 4 litre with 63000 miles. I am beginning to prepare for upcoming camping / travel season and was wondering who here really waits 100,000 miles to change spark plugs.

To respond to your question, I do. I paid a lot for the vehicle, with the goal of maximizing my investment, and if they say the plugs should last 100k, and the vehicle is running fine, then there they stay. That said, it WAS a ***** getting them out!

Digressing slightly, there is also the stuff that the manufacturer does *not* mention, which I've learned to give some attention to. For example, the manual says nothing about changing the front diff fluid ever, but I now believe that it doesn't mean you should never do it. (Why the heck would you change the rear, and not the front, in an AWD truck?!)

 

[daprez1963]

Apology To Aldive And Anyone Else

I've got to chime in here and come to aldive's defense, his thread does indeed get lengthy but there's a lot of discussion in there about pros and cons and if you're serious about doing mods it's good to read the whole post and form your own opinion and do what works in your budget. We can't just assume the person posting the question just wants a brief synopsis, he may want detail info and it's there if he chooses to read it or not. I really appreciate the give and take in there and like to have all the information possible on hand before making a mod to my vehicle. I can then assume total repsonsibility for whatever actions I decide to take. Keep up the good work aldive.

I wasn't meaning to get :fire: over his posts. While it has some info, it is TOO lengthy (agreed) with too much on details of his trips and destinations and not focusing on exactly what is needed to modify a stock to his 30 MPG version. It would serve better to have a post that clearly gives detail on how to achieve this great feat. Then we could make an informative decision on if this is within our reach or not. I will do the simple easy and cost effective stuff, but if it means altering the entire engine compartment and all, I just as soon trade it in for a fuel economy car. Not to say I wouldn't mind getting 30 MPG even if I had crammed 7 people with all their luggage etc...but I don't offer tour packages with my ride. I would just love to get my family of 4 across town without having to have a list of gas stations to fill up along the way. That said, I just look for a more reasonable increase of 18-20 in the city or 25 on the highway. That extra mileage ALDIVE gets would only be reached if I went beyond the normal change of plugs, tire pressure, filters, fuel choice, oil, alignment, etc....

 

['97 V8]

you were sorta disrespectful to aldive with his quest to 30. But the apolagy was a good choice on your part. Ive been following aldives advice with my 5.0. true i wont get 30, bever will, but following his maintanence routine, speed of driving...etc, i bumped my milage up as well. the most i got, before i shipped my truck was 23 mpg, up from 21. i'll be doin a 300 mile trip to see if i get 23 again. reason i got higher was a slowed down a bit, i have freeier flowing exhaust, air intake bosh 4+ plugs, etc.

ultimatly i doubt you read all 39 pages of thread, and he DOES go into detail to what he does.

 

[fprodget]

Al has roughly increased his gas mileage 50 to 60 percent over the normal gas mileage a stock explorer gets. He has spent a lot of time and money getting there and we get to reap the benefits of his work. I think his thread is great and appreciate being able to read it for my use.

I have only had my ex a few days now and have everything to learn about it.

Best Regards,

John
2003 XLT 4WD
3.73 LS Rear
3rd row seat
98 Skamper Pop Up Camper

 

[daprez1963]

[QUOTE='97 V8]you were sorta disrespectful to aldive with his quest to 30. But the apolagy was a good choice on your part. Ive been following aldives advice with my 5.0. true i wont get 30, bever will, but following his maintanence routine, speed of driving...etc, i bumped my milage up as well. the most i got, before i shipped my truck was 23 mpg, up from 21. i'll be doin a 300 mile trip to see if i get 23 again. reason i got higher was a slowed down a bit, i have freeier flowing exhaust, air intake bosh 4+ plugs, etc.

ultimatly i doubt you read all 39 pages of thread, and he DOES go into detail to what he does.[/QUOTE]

That was my point.....there are too many pages/posts to filter thru to find out exactly what miracle he performed. i tried reading them but he lost he halfway thru cause most of them just talked about he trips, his mileage, gallons pumped, destinations and hobbys. i just would like ONE post that describes his major changes besides the normal routine stuff. The speed driven is going to be a choice though I prefer to set my cruise control to the speed limit and leave it there on the highway. My tire pressure is set to the recommended PSI so I don't wear my tires out faster. I can do simple changes but if it requires altering the basic design of the engine, I will not do it for the extra few miles I "might" get. I am not a trained mechanic and don't know how I could change it and not screw it up other than replacing part for part. The old saying "Don't fix what aint broken"....

Maybe if he linked to a thread other than the novel one and started one in which he just stated his modifications, it would serve better.....

 

[msmith65]

Whether anti-seize lubricant will work for 100,000 miles, I don't know, having never tested it that long.

But I always use it on plug threads. They sure come out more easily after less than 100K.

 

[Buzzsaw]

Maybe if he linked to a thread other than the novel one and started one in which he just stated his modifications, it would serve better.....

Dude, if you're so into saving everyone from reading through the long thread why don't you go in there and strip out all of what you deem the extraneous information and create a condensed version for those of you who are attention challenged and then you can post your link whenever someone asks about mpg and then you can quit trying to justify your narrow minded point!!!

 

[GJarrett]

What was the subject again? Oh yeah, 100k mile sparkplugs. I'm ashamed to admit it but I did get lazy and never replaced mine until then. As a matter of fact I forgot it then and didn't until my next oil change so I left my factory plugs in until about 106,000 miles as I recall. Unbelievably, the plugs looked just fine. I replaced them with Motorcraft platinum OEM replacement plugs identical to the 100k+ mile ones I took out, and there was no change whatsoever in performance, engine idle/roughness, or MPG. I cannot believe what I am writing but based on my own experience, I am forced to declare that those plugs probably would have lasted a whole lot longer than 100k miles.

 

[daprez1963]

Buzz

Dude, if you're so into saving everyone from reading through the long thread why don't you go in there and strip out all of what you deem the extraneous information :thumbdwn: and create a condensed version for those of you who are attention challenged and then you can post your link whenever someone asks about mph and then you can quit trying to justify your narrow minded point!!!

I am not the one who could filter thru all the post...it might take me weeks. I just thought the author could do it faster. Maybe you can do it for us since you are so educated...After the short bus brings me home, I will check on the status...thx