Best plugs for 92 X

[DeagleDave]

Just wondering what plugs would work best for my X. I have the old 4.0 OHV and had Motorcraft Platinums that last me for 65-70,000. Any better ones? Bosch, Champioin?

 

[mahieber]

If you have the money (about $200 for everything shipped) check out:

http://www.directhits.com/

I can't say how much improvement yet, I am putting them on right after I get my truck back from the shop.

 

[mrboyle]

The best plugs for your X are the Motorcrafts. The only benifit you'll get from any other plug is purely psychological. Others may disagree and say that their X runs better with xxxx brand plugs, but the bottom line is Ford spends hundreds of thousands of man hours and who knows how much money trying to determine what plug will work the best all around (performance, longevity, etc..).

 

[weebo]

Please do a full write up about the direct hits. I'm browsing their site and looking at the testomonials and everything seems to be backed up by the figures. Hell, I'd pay $120 for an additional 2 or 3 mpg. That'd pay for itself in a hurry considering I drive about 1,000 miles per week.

 

[jimmiecakes]

http://www.directhits.com/

When they're done with you.... I mean, after you fix up your ignition, I have a bridge you might be interested in.

Notice that their Sandia Labs stuff lacks the Sanadia Logo? Notice that CD ignitions use the capacitors to drive the primary side circuit and not the secondary? How does secondary side affect timing precision? Wow, I got lots more questions....

Reading through some more of their stuff, I wonder how their system improves flame propogation - a function of combustion chamber design and mixture characteristics. And 300 Amps.... that's more than twice what you arc weld with....

I especially enjoyed the "newspeak" attrbuted to G. Rohwein..... "puplislied " ...... I wonder if there's a secret message there?

 

[KEbert]

I have +4's in mine and all they did was stop pinging. I thought I would at least try them but I think any platinum plug works fine.

 

[Alec]

I agree with MrBoyle. I have a hi-perf Explorer and still use the Motorcraft double platinums. They work great.

 

[Anime]

ignite this

Yep. Motorcraft platinum plus, double platinums, whatever your dealer calls 'em. It's hard to beat a factory plug for a myrad of reasons, including proper heat range, size, durability, just to name a few.

Good things have been said about some other brands and types like the Bosch platinum +4's, so if you can get those on a great sale deal or something, that might work for you.

If you want a suggestion on improving mileage and getting the most out of your ignition system, after replacing the plugs, I say replace the factory wires.
I suggest magnecors, as they work for me, but other brands might do the trick too.

Check out www.magnecor.com for in-depth info about ignitions, and the questionable things like Nology wires and Direct Hits, etc. I found it rather humorous.

 

[jsdean]

use any platinum plugs that are equiv to the OEM I used bosch but any should do, splitfires +4s or whatever don't help, the ONLY thing they would do, is if your engine is fouling plugs, it may take a little longer to fail, it will NEVER spark to more than one post, it doesn't work that way. As far as direct hits...... I've got some sweet beachfront property in Arizona for sale in the for sale forum.....
But seriously, first of all, spark is a function of voltage more than anything else, not current, their claims are electrically wrong on a lot of levels, the only gains you might see are those that you would see with just good (bosche, magnacor) wires and new plugs.

 

[jimmiecakes]

And let's not forget one of my other pet assertions..... single platinum plugs are a waste of time and money in a wasted spark/forward spark type system. Unless spark polarity is reversed according to whether a cylinder is on compression or exhaust stroke, either go with double platinums or forget the platinums altogether.

Why else would Ford put two different plugs in their brand new vehicles????

 

[jsdean]

jimmie, forgive me, but I"m a little confused on what exactly your saying.... I believe the idea behind platinum plugs is that the platinum post prevents buildup better than a non-platinum, the "arm" if you will doesn't typicall have that buildup but maybe I'm off base on what you're saying or what platinum is for

 

[jimmiecakes]

From the information I have been "subject" to, the platinum resists erosion better than other materials. Add that spark "jumps" more easily from a sharp corner than a curved surface.... hence fresh plugs being more efficient than those with signs of erosion (since electrons are, indeed, "material" and the material does transfer).

The platinum spark plugs we all know and love, were designed when ignition distributors were the norm. Spark went from the platinum to the ground electrode. In a wasted spark system, one half of the spark plugs have the spark going "backwards", in my estimation, nullifying any benefit of single platinum plugs. Again, I must refer to Fords practice of delivering vehicles equipped with wasted spark systems with one half "P" plugs and one half "PG" plugs.

Much like a lint brush.... one way works like a charm - the other way is counter-productive.

 

[jsdean]

so you're saying the polarity is reversed on 1/2 the cylinders? I dunno but that just doesn't sound right, and really the nature of a spark it doesn't really "start" on one side and end on the other, the spark is due to the (large) potential difference between the center electrode (platinum) and the post (whatever the technical term is). Much like lightening, sometimes it'll start at the ground, sometimes at the positive (cathode / anode if you will) the effects over such a small range I would imagine are negligible at best. I think a big thing on vehicles is (this is to say that you can believe what you want, and I what I want and have it work for both of us) is that sometimes these little things don't make a difference, sometimes they do, and sometimes on identical vehicles one theory works and one doesn't.

 

[explorer4]

Platnium plug

judt a word to the wise never use platnium tipped plugs when running nitrous, its too hot of a plug

 

[jimmiecakes]

<SIGH> Each coil is connected to two cylinders - running mates, if you will. The electricity for the spark starts out at one coil tower, passes through the spark plug lead to the centre electrode of the first cylinder in the pair. The gap ionizes, the spark jumps and the electricity continues to the ground electrode of the first plug, through the engine to the ground electrode of the second in the pair. The gap ionizes and the spark jumps and the electricity continues on to the CENTRE electrode of the second plug in the running pair, through the plug lead to the opposite tower on the same coil. Thusly, we have a complete circuit.

The spark is caused by a flow of electrons and, therefore NEEDS to start in one spot and go to another. That it is both invisible and travels too fast to see anyway, can make it a hard concept to grasp.

I think that you may have misused the term theory - ALL infernal combustion, otto cycle motors use the "suck-squeeze-bang-blow" theory - uncontravertable and unchangeable. Now, what it takes to repair a particular sypmtom on one vehicle may not repair an identical symptom on another.

Go ahead and waste your hard earned bux on single platinum plugs - but learn what your talking about before you try to convince others. Knowledge is good - knowledge is your friend....

 

[jsdean]

Ok, I now understand what you're saying. I did not know that it worked that way, and now I'm curious and going to have to verify that from some other source (for my own fullfillment), not how the electrical nature works but the fact that they are "paired" I was under the impression that it was more each spark jumped the same way but I give you the fact that I am likely wrong, I just want to see for myself. And I am fully let me restate FULLY aware of the nature of a complete circuit and electron flow (opposite of charge, which ironically is how electrical calculations are typically done b/c it's easier and that's how we started doing it forever ago, but it works if you do it with electron flow, it's all about signs). Being a EE major and coming close to graduation will ingrain a lot of stuff into you. I do not however fully understand how vehicles are setup, so I'm sure your right, in which case I see how you could say single plats don't help, I don't FULLY agree, but I grant you your point. I guess really since single plats are still FREAKING CHEAP compared to anything else on a car, and they only really need to be changed every 60k miles, you might as well go with what Ford said, although i suppose by that nature double might be better, whatever, THANKS for the explanation though now my interest is peaked for learning (ARG and me on spring break not wanting to think)

 

[Isaac]

i also agree,

i also agree with Mike,
if you guys want "top of the line plugs" like the Bosch +4's, do yourselfs a favor, buy a "stock" plug,, as ford spend all the time, and more then anyone will ever spend with "seat of the pants testing"
i use Autolights and motorcrafts in my fords, nothing but.
i have been there i have tryed that,
even did some testing myself with "+4's"
to sum everything up,,,,,, "bad plugs..."