Platinum or not?

[snoborder42]

Well its time that my my mom's ex needs new plugs and wires. 165,000 miles on wires and around 70,000 on the plugs. I went to get platinum plugs for it at the parts store and the guy said that platinum plugs were bad in Fords. Should I listen to this guy or just ignore it and get the platinums anyway.

 

[aldive]

Thats total and complete BS.

 

[P. doggy]

I have heard that too on these forums. I would like to hear from someone that has tried them or has them. I have used them on every vehicle I have had, and I can always tell a difference.
Jared G.

 

[aldive]

I have used Motorcraft double platinum plugs for my trucks entire life ( 120k miles now ).

 

[Bill Kemp]

You want not just Platinum but Double Platinum. Motorcraft or Autolite.
Why Doub. Plat, you ask? One bank of plugs on the X fires from the center electrode to the outer electrode. The other bank fires from the outer to the center. So in order to get long lasting plugs you need the platinum on both electrodes.
Sounds like its time for plug wires also. Any good (read not cheapest) wire will do. You wont notice any difference by useing high priced wires.

 

[Jason94sport]

Autolite double platinum here. All 94's & some 93's specify platinum's. 91-92 don't "need" them but they are recomended.

 

[PTBishop]

if it calls for platinum, put platinum in it, if you don't it could cause some serious damage...

 

[aldive]

if it calls for platinum, put platinum in it, if you don't it could cause some serious damage...

What damage? Please explain.

Thanks ...

 

[PTBishop]

what i preach, being a service writer. if it calls for platinum, put them in, its causes a lot of damage, i may be able to think of more later, but it's early, but it will kill the cat. in my shop, if the car calls for platinum, and the customer declines, we will refuse to do the tune up. because if anything happens, we are liable.

 

[aldive]

it will kill the cat.

Care to elaborate?

 

[PTBishop]

this is what i have been told, but im sure it goes right a long with putting in hotter spark plugs in my 65 mustang for a more complete burn, the regular resistor plugs can not last as long as a platinum, so in 20K miles when the plug is already worn, and can not burn the fuel as well, it will cause more fuel to go into the cat, which has enough fun trying to convert HC into nox, or something to that effect, which with more HCs going into the cat, the cat will have to work harder, wearing it out much faster than it should be....

edit: im pretty sure this is what it is, but all my book knowlege went down the drain when i didn't like to work on cars anymore

 

[Tony H]

Don't waste your money.

PLATs do nothing except extend the life of the plug.

With Aluminum Heads, you should pull the plugs once a year anyway so they don't 'weld' themselves (Galvanic corrosion). Just change non Plats once a year and drive happy.

 

[Bill Kemp]

Don't waste your money.

Aluminum Heads, you should pull the plugs once a year anyway so they don't 'weld' themselves (Galvanic corrosion). Just change non Plats once a year and drive happy.

When I changed plugs in the X after 5+ yrs. I had no "welding" nor did I have a problem w/ the Cad at 105K mi & six yrs.

But, if you like buying plugs and enjoy changing them & the wires you may screw up each year, go for it....

 

[Rhett]

I went to get platinum plugs for it at the parts store and the guy said that platinum plugs were bad in Fords. Should I listen to this guy or just ignore it and get the platinums anyway.

Ask the guy why Ford spec's a platinum plug (Motorcraft AWSF-PP) for that truck. No, don't cause any trouble with the parts guy. Just get your Motorcrat plat's and be done with it.

 

[Jason94sport]

With Aluminum Heads, you should pull the plugs once a year anyway so they don't 'weld' themselves (Galvanic corrosion). Just change non Plats once a year and drive happy.

My 03 Acura has aluminum heads & the plug change spec is 100K miles.

 

[stang99x]

Platinum plugs are nothing other than poor conducting, long lasting plugs. Ford, GM, whoever, they all use them to reduce long term maintenence costs associated with their vehicles to make them easier to market and for companies like JD power. Honestly, platinum is one of the poorest conducting materials out there, but you're not going to notice any difference if you spend the big $$$ and get irridium. I run the Irridiums in my Supercharged 98 Navigator 5.4 because they burn cooler, reducing the likelyhood of detonation under boost. There are also copper and other type plugs available, they just require more frequent changes. Bottom line, replace it with whatever the origonal spec plug was. Don't piss away money on Double or Triple platinum, laser cut or crap like bosch +4.

 

[P. doggy]

I hate to disagree, but like I said, I have noticed a difference. Example? I had an '82 S10 with a 2.8L. The plugs had about 30,000mi. on them and were all gapped correctly. I only changed the plugs to Bocsh Platinum +4. I could never spin the tires, but after that, I could spin them. I also gained 1MPG. I did not change oil, filters, or wires. Now, you may be correct in that they are poor conducting. We are also talking cast iron and a vehicle 20 years older. I have used them on all my vehicles up till now, and I could always feel a difference. But it might be just me.
As far as being bad in aluminum? I now that the older Triton V8 used to spit plugs out, left and right. But that was with any plug. I am probably going to check the cond. of mine. If they are out of gap, I will replace with the Bosch and see how they work.
Jared G.

 

[stang99x]

Something you must remember there doggy, that seat of hte pants performance isn't really a good measuring system. The only true way is by dyno, on the same day.

But hey, more power to you if you think you can feel the pwoer!

 

[mikehawk]

platinum on the left, copper on the right

Only reason to use platinum is to extend the service interval.

 

[Turdle]

Platinum, and gold are by far superior conductors than copper
3 reasons why the spark on right looks "brighter"
1 hotter plug-you can tell by looking
2 Wider gap on right
3 you can see the copper burning away

The reason copper is used for conductors is price.