Oversquare
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- June 14, 2004
- Messages
- 191
- Reaction score
- 1
- City, State
- Wine Country
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '00 XLT 5.0 AWD
I recently replaced the spark plugs in my '00 5.0. After I noticed the hard starts, I pulled a plug and they looked pretty bad. I think that they were the originals, and lasted 45k miles.
The plugs looked pretty bad. The tips were well worn & rounded, and the gap looked pretty big. Nothing out of the ordanary, just worn. Most of the platinum tips on the ground had worn/flaked off.
The old plug was a Motorcraft Platinum AWSF 32E. The "factory replacement" (according to Auto Zone) are the Motorcraft Platinum AGSF 32FM. Not sure the difference, but physically, the electrode on the new plugs is much narrower and longer, and there wasn't a noticeable platinum tip on the ground. Does anyone else have experience or information regarding these plugs?
What surprised me was the recommended gap is .054". I set that gap to all of the plugs and installed them. On a hunch I checked the well-worn used ones that I had pulled out. All of them were under .060". They looked much worse than that, and I expected them to be at a wider gap. Were they set to .054" from the factory? or a different (smaller) gap because they were a different part number?
Once replaced, the X seemed to run a little better; start easier, idle smoother, better throttle response, etc. I paid about $4 each per plug. The install went smooth with a spark plug socket, 3" extension, and a 3/8" drive rachet. I did the driver's side from the top, and the passanger side through the fender (I didn't remove the tire, but did unclip the mud shield from the fender liner). Took less than an hour total in the driveway.
I'll keep an eye on the plugs and post if anything strange pops up, but I don't expect anything. The next time I change the plugs I'll proabably use the same type, as well as replace the wires.
Hope this helps!
-Brad
The plugs looked pretty bad. The tips were well worn & rounded, and the gap looked pretty big. Nothing out of the ordanary, just worn. Most of the platinum tips on the ground had worn/flaked off.
The old plug was a Motorcraft Platinum AWSF 32E. The "factory replacement" (according to Auto Zone) are the Motorcraft Platinum AGSF 32FM. Not sure the difference, but physically, the electrode on the new plugs is much narrower and longer, and there wasn't a noticeable platinum tip on the ground. Does anyone else have experience or information regarding these plugs?
What surprised me was the recommended gap is .054". I set that gap to all of the plugs and installed them. On a hunch I checked the well-worn used ones that I had pulled out. All of them were under .060". They looked much worse than that, and I expected them to be at a wider gap. Were they set to .054" from the factory? or a different (smaller) gap because they were a different part number?
Once replaced, the X seemed to run a little better; start easier, idle smoother, better throttle response, etc. I paid about $4 each per plug. The install went smooth with a spark plug socket, 3" extension, and a 3/8" drive rachet. I did the driver's side from the top, and the passanger side through the fender (I didn't remove the tire, but did unclip the mud shield from the fender liner). Took less than an hour total in the driveway.
I'll keep an eye on the plugs and post if anything strange pops up, but I don't expect anything. The next time I change the plugs I'll proabably use the same type, as well as replace the wires.
Hope this helps!
-Brad
