Spark Plugs

[buzzie0013]

my 2013 has just under 88k and am thinking new plugs are around the corner. Any recommendations, or stick with motorcraft?

 

[Black]

Motorcraft or Autolite (they make motorcraft).
Don’t bother with anything else.

 

[TobyU]

I also prefer motorcraft single platinum I believe. You might want to replace the rubber boots too as they are pretty cheap locally even.
Blow out the plug wells really well before you remove the plugs as a lot of crap gets in there.

 

[cmiles97]

Can't go wrong with what the Engineer's designed the motor to use. I really like this guy for advice. I never thought about platinum vs iridium before.

 

[TobyU]

Lots of cars only came with platinum or double Platinum plugs and also had 100,000 mile recommended tune ups and many went longer than that before any misfires. You have to debate the extra expense which is usually a huge percentage more for iridium plugs. So many times you sell the car before you put a hundred thousand miles on it after you change the plugs anyways or you just get bored or have a coil failure or something and decide to replace them again while you're in there. So I think it's a waste to go with iridium. That is the latest and greatest and it's charging 8 and $10 a piece for the plugs. I can get Motorcraft Platinum for under $3. I know he says it's only just a few more bucks but it's almost three times the price of each plug I'll pass.
Let me say that the industry has made a lot of extra money because people have quite a passion for their cars or at least some of their cars. I have fallen sucker to this over the years to with some of my vehicles. Especially my OneMain pride and joy show car at the time whatever that was. Now I have learned that I can put some fairly economical parts on my car and they perform the same. I really don't have to have the best for my baby.
Some things, if it gets you more time between doing things than sure but double Platinum plugs vs. Iridium what's the difference? Are you going to leave them in 20,000 more miles? What is that mobile 15 months logger between plug changes that you're only doing every 6-7 years anyways.

 

[cmiles97]

Absolutely not disagreeing. Platinum plugs and if that's what ours are designed for use them and we can get 100,000 miles out of them.
I only post this explanation of the differences because I didn't know. Plus not in the OP's case but in these high compression ecoboost motors, people who have changed their plugs say some of them the gap was way off or the tips looked damaged. Due to higher pressure or not gapped properly to begin with? I'm thinking of going Iridium only for more durable higher temp rated materials for this higher compression motor.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

I used Motorcrafts when I replaced mine, but have considered doing NGK iridium next time around.

 

[1955moose]

We go round and round on this subject. The consensus is stick with the Ford original platinum plugs that came with the SUV. The only exception is the 05-- early 08 two piece ones. Those have a replacement one piece that doesn't snap on removal. The original platinum Ford plugs go from 80-120k. How can you argue with that kind of success. I don't know bout you guys/girls, but I sure don't want to do a job twice cause I was curious if theirs something better. Trust me, theirs not. I've tried everything on the market, and never said wow that's better. Just the opposite, the originals fired up and ran smoother from the get go.

Sent from my N9131 using Tapatalk

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

my 2013 has just under 88k and am thinking new plugs are around the corner. Any recommendations, or stick with motorcraft?

Here is a thread I posted regarding changing the original spark plugs in my 2015 Expedition Limited 4x4, purchased new: https://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/ecoboost-spark-plug-change-help.36555/

 

[cmiles97]

Yeah that was the thread I was thinking of. Dang I didn't even know Ford used Iridium in the ecoboost motors to begin with. Makes sense.

 

[JExpedition07]

Stick with Motorcraft Platinum on the 5.4 Triton, A/M aren’t as good as the ford finewire platinums.

Motorcraft SP-546 for 05-08 Triton engines (updated snout and extra crimps)

Motorcraft SP-509 for 08-14 Triton engines

 

[JExpedition07]

If you have an 05-08 5.4 engine with the 2 piece plugs be sure you get the newest redesign (SP-546) and not the SP-515. If you order online there may be old stock laying around. Ford released the new 546 plug in 2017 to correct misfire issues with the 515. Here are some pics of the differences I found online:

 

[TobyU]

I have been aware that Ford redesign the plugs to make them better. Previously you just had the Champions that were one piece. Are these new Motorcraft actually one piece like the Champions or just a new improved two-piece design? Has anyone ever had any of the new ones break off or stick in the heads?

 

[JExpedition07]

Fords newer SP546 is still a 2-piece plug but with more and better crimps. I have never heard of a SP515 breaking let alone the newer version.

 

[TobyU]

Fords newer SP546 is still a 2-piece plug but with more and better crimps. I have never heard of a SP515 breaking let alone the newer version.

You've never heard of a 515 breaking? Isn't that the original ones that came in the 05 and up three valves?

 

[JExpedition07]

You've never heard of a 515 breaking? Isn't that the original ones that came in the 05 and up three valves?

No the 515 was the first redesign

 

[TobyU]

No the 515 was the first redesign

Got it. I'm not up on the numbers. I did a 05 or 06 3v several years ago before knowing it was an issue with these. I couldn't believe they wanted almost $15 per plug. I just grabbed the ratchet and took them out. Luckily I only broke two of them off.
Used autolight at the time and anti seize as was recommended. Didn't find out until a little later at the Champions had a one-piece design or I would have had my friend take his back and buy those.