Time for new plugs, or something else?

[jpz]

Hello all,

I have a 2017 explorer, 2.3, with 70k.

Today, engine started to idle rough in drive or reverse. Once you give it some gas, everything seems fine and it drives as it always has.

I'm curious about the plugs. I know the manual says 100k, but I can't help but wonder if this is plug related.

Any thoughts on changing the plugs now? Or any other suggestions for me to look into would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[J_C]

Does it only happen when the engine is cold or also warmed ( a little or a lot?) up and idling in gear?

Is the check engine light coming on? I'd hook up a scan tool, see if any codes set, and better still a tool that shows realtime data like misfires or long term fuel trims.

At 70K mi, yeah if nothing else turns up, I would go ahead and replace the spark plugs because if you look at it like you got 7/10ths of the expected life and would be replacing them soon enough anyway, it's like preventative maintenance... and not expensive.

Also at 70K with the 2.3L Ecoboost, I'd take a look at how much valve carbon buildup it has. Related video:

 

[Digitalgp]

At your mileage I would do the spark plugs. I never go the full interval. 60-70k is good enough for me lol. It seems more like your throttle body could use a good cleaning. It also wouldn't hurt to run some seafoam through the intake as well especially before changing the plugs out.

 

[The D]

Could you be mistaking a failing engine mount for a misfire? They will act similarly but lead you in very different directions

 

[Odrapnew]

What does the vibration feel like?
Is it a constant vibe, or does it shake/smooth/shake....etc?

Like J_C said, us a scan tool to check for misfires.

I picked up a cheap OBDII adapter and Torque Pro app years ago when my wife's CX9 had a nasty shudder at highway speeds which I thought was transmission related.
I was able to use the adapter and app to watch the misfire counts go up during the event. I replaced plugs and it all went away.

 

[Sixonemale]

I had a similar problem way back when with a Gen 1 Explorer. The plugs are a good start as an attempt to solve the problem which is what I did but didn't solve it. I then changed the spark plug wires, etc., and then finally took it to a dealership out of frustration. They too initially had problems in the diagnosis with several missed attempts of replacing various components. It ended being something like an engine coolant temperature sensor, though I'm not sure I'm recalling the exact name of the sensor correctly, but in summary it was a sensor of some sort.