Is there a spark plug upgrade for 5.4?

Machete · Jan 26, 2019

Platinum plugs are better than typical because the wire can be thinner allowing for less voltage to fire the plug thus creating a hotter spark. Some offer nickel threads so no need for anti seize.

Is there something out there?

TobyU · Jan 26, 2019

Depends on the platinum plug. Many cars do not like Bosch platinum as they went crazy with all insulator and tiny little fine wire center that doesn't stick up or out.

Motorcraft and autolite have platinum and double platinum it they are still both doing that.
I usually go with single platinum but all the Motorcraft work well and I haven't had any probs with Autolite either.
I only use the nickle plated thread ones and use nothing on the threads.

ManUpOrShutUp · Jan 26, 2019

I'm using the Motorcraft SP509 (double platinum) in mine, but I might try the NGK 372 (iridium) plugs next time just for the heck of it. My wife's sedan had an NGK iridium set in her Mazda that I pulled at 155K and they still looked fantastic.

Machete · Jan 27, 2019

ManUpOrShutUp said:
I'm using the Motorcraft SP509 (double platinum) in mine, but I might try the NGK 372 (iridium) plugs next time just for the heck of it. My wife's sedan had an NGK iridium set in her Mazda that I pulled at 155K and they still looked fantastic.

Hmmm. What would the dealer use as stock? Perhaps I may request a double platinum vs plain stock plugs?

ManUpOrShutUp · Jan 27, 2019

Machete said:
Hmmm. What would the dealer use as stock? Perhaps I may request a double platinum vs plain stock plugs?

For a 2000, the dealer would probably use the Motorcraft SP479 (single platinum). Bosch, Denso, and NGK all make several iridium plugs that will fit the 2000 as well.

TobyU · Jan 27, 2019

I do not like the iridium plugs. One for cost and while they are probably ok in modern cars that never dump fuel in, I had a set of NGK iridiums in a carbed 90s 1000 cc sportbike and they stopped firing. Don't know if they fouled or what but the thing was running on 2.5-3 cyls.
I thought is was fuel/carb related and was getting ready to pull carbs but I went a head and put 4 standard NGKs in and it fired right up and ran perfectly.
Haven't had any problems out of these is 2 seasons.

JExpedition07 · Jan 27, 2019

I used the updated Motorcraft SP-546 plugs for my 07’ 3V Triton. They are the latest redesign and the boxes said they were “Finewire Platinum”, I think that would indicate single platinum.....engine runs great.

05-08’ Expedions use an oddball and expensive long snout fixed gap plug. My SP-546 plugs were $25-30 more over the SP-509s they gave me by mistake first. Supposedly this latest iteration ford released will not break off and uses more crimps along with the snout being made larger to resist carbon build up.

Iridium will be your longest lasting choice.

and0r · Jan 27, 2019

a spark is a spark is a spark is a spark,
generally, motors require them

1955moose · Jan 27, 2019

Some engines will work fine with any plugs. These Triton's seem to like the Ford ones best. One thing I've learned over the years of tuning a customers car for pay was I didn't like redoing a job. When I worked on Ford, I installed Motorcraft, GM got AC Delco, Chrysler got Champion. Same thing for Asian vehicles, either Ngk, or Nippon denso. I've tried in my own vehicles experimenting with Autolite, and whatever new fangled crap that was out. 9 times out of 10, I yanked them out because my car ran worse. The only plug that worked well was the standard Bosch plug, I tried in my Datsun 240 Z. Worked as well as the Ngk plugs I used and liked. Ironically the Platinum Bosch that should have ran better didn't.

Sent from my N9131 using Tapatalk

TobyU · Jan 27, 2019

Hard to find those Bosch standard ones now. I think they are called Super.

ManUpOrShutUp · Jan 28, 2019

After having premature failures in recent years on everything Bosch from auto parts to tools to appliances, I won't even consider using anything with their name on it.

johnboneske · Jan 29, 2019

I ONLY use Bosch Iridium plugs... Both of my Expeditions are/were 5.4 2 valve Tritons and ran smooth as silk with them too

TobyU · Jan 30, 2019

I think most modern cars don't care and they rarely blow oil onto one plug and they never flood out or run rich.

For carbed cars or bikes I think come of the fine wire and bosch style and iridium are more problematic if you have oil or raw fuel getting to a plug.

I did have a 79 Kawasaki KZ750 twin around 1991. It was cold blooded and would spit and pop and need lots of choke for a good 10-12 minutes before you could ride it with every normal plug I tried.
With bosch platinums it fired right up and ran smoothly in 30 seconds.
I never did any tuning and the carbs were surely slightly restricted but the plug got to temp almost instantly and worked much better. Never any oil or gas flooding to them though.

1955moose · Jan 30, 2019

Yeah Toby, worked on a ton of those late 70's-80's emissions lean bikes. Had a 83 Honda cb1100f that did that, till I removed the caps covering the air screws. Unscrewed them out about a turn or so each, cleaned up quick. Bosch like so many companies have gone the way of maximum profit. Back in the 80's, their products at least spark plugs worked great. I remember in around 72 or so, Champion came out with a gold type plug. Put a set in my Yamaha 650, melted within a week. Went back to my favorite Ngk and never tried crap like that again. Thank God it didn't pop a hole in a piston.

Sent from my N9131 using Tapatalk

TobyU · Jan 30, 2019

That was my first motorcycle I ever owned right when I turn 18 and I didn't know anything about adjusting motorcycle carbs or jetting them Etc. I'm sure it would have run fine on any plugs dare I say even champions if I would have known how to adjust it but it certainly ran better and quicker warm up with the bosch platinum's.

Is there a spark plug upgrade for 5.4?

Machete

My Rig. 2000 EB 4x4 5.4L

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