Spark Plug recomendations for a 96 Pushrod motor?

Hi All

I/ve always been an Autolite Guy for plugs but with the Bosch Platinum and other options I was wondering what others thought?

Any preferences?

Thanks
Bill

Autolite Double platinum. No issues.

Autolite double platinum x2


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bosch fine wire fixed an idle problem mine had. OEM is fine wire, not sure if autolite double platinum are.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Motorcraft SP-486. Plugs/wires, oil fiters and brakes I always use OEM when available.

Motorcraft or Autolite, I'm on my second set of NGK Iridiums in my Trac which have given me good service. The main thing is DO NOT use multiple electrode plugs like Bosch +2 or +4 because they will not get along with the Ford ignition system. If the counter guy at Auto Zone insists that Bosch +4's are the greatest thing since sliced bread, tell him JohnnyO at The Ranger Station says he doesn't know WTF he's talking about.

adsm08 said:

Motorcraft SP-486. Plugs/wires, oil fiters and brakes I always use OEM when available.

Click to expand...

What he said ^^^, especially when it comes to plugs and wires. You won't believe the issues I had with using non-OEM!! I changed out the coil pack, bought a few different brands of quality wires and plugs, but the truck would act up under heavy load.

I finally talked to an honest Ford mechanic who nailed it. He said for some reason the 4.0 likes OEM wires and plugs. After installing OEM, I never had an issue again.

Zero problems with Autolite Platinums. Cheap and serviceable for at least 50k miles.

Use Regular copper or Double platinum, never single platinum on Fords with Waste Spark system.

Rangers without distributors all use Waste Spark system.

With this system 2 spark plugs fire at the same time, 1 spark is "wasted" hence the name.
To do this the 2 spark plugs are wired in series, this means one spark plug will spark from center to tip(normal), the other will spark from tip to center(reverse).
This is done by bank, passenger side is normal, drivers side reverse, if memory serves.

This means that the tip will wear down on one spark plug and the center will wear down on the other.
Single platinum means only the tip or the center will have the extra wear protection not both.
So in a V6 3 spark plugs would wear out the same as regular copper if you used single platinum.

In some model years you will find 2 different spark plug numbers listed as OEM.
To save money Ford installed single platinum plugs, platinum tips on one bank and platinum centers on the other bank.
For 1 vehicle the savings is minimal, but times thousands of vehicles/spark plugs it do add up

So double platinum or regular

Anyone know if the NGK G-Power plugs are double platinum? The amazon description mentions a platinum tip and a platinum alloy ground and center electrode, but Rockauto has then listed under platinum.

I may have made a mistake with my last parts order...

RonD said:

Use Regular copper or Double platinum, never single platinum on Fords with Waste Spark system.

Rangers without distributors all use Waste Spark system.

With this system 2 spark plugs fire at the same time, 1 spark is "wasted" hence the name.
To do this the 2 spark plugs are wired in series, this means one spark plug will spark from center to tip(normal), the other will spark from tip to center(reverse).
This is done by bank, passenger side is normal, drivers side reverse, if memory serves.

This means that the tip will wear down on one spark plug and the center will wear down on the other.
Single platinum means only the tip or the center will have the extra wear protection not both.
So in a V6 3 spark plugs would wear out the same as regular copper if you used single platinum.

In some model years you will find 2 different spark plug numbers listed as OEM.
To save money Ford installed single platinum plugs, platinum tips on one bank and platinum centers on the other bank.
For 1 vehicle the savings is minimal, but times thousands of vehicles/spark plugs it do add up

So double platinum or regular

Click to expand...

Where can I find more info on how this system works and what 2 cylinders spark at the same time?

I have a 95 4.0 X-cab 5 speed 4wd that I just bought with a sketchy mechanical history..the book on mine does mention 2 part numbers on OEM plugs but gives a different suffix for replacement plugs so that answers the head scratching I did when I read the plug specs.

Mine has a miss in cylinder 1 with around 30 psi on the compression check...it runs smooth roughest at idle but is obviously missing some power. all fluids are where they should be and no compression into the coolant system so am confident crack or head gasket is likely not the issue...I am assuming it has a valve train issue due to the low compression and some of what I've read but the ignition thing would be an interesting thing to read up on for future reference.

Gasoline doesn't easily ignite when cold, contrary to Movie explosions, lol.
It needs to be heated up, that's were compression comes in, compression causes heat and quickly.
If you have leaking valve seat, piston rings or head gasket, then compression level will go down in that cylinder.
It isn't a fixed compression loss, in that the speed with which the piston moves up in the cylinder means any opening will have less time to lower compression.
So 30psi compression at starter motor speed, might be above 100psi while engine is running, and climb even higher at higher RPMs.
This is why a cylinder with low compression might misfire a bit at idle but smooth out at higher RPMs, as compression increases with piston speed.
But the problem is there and needs to be dealt with.


Waste spark is based on an engines "Matched Pairs", matched pairs is where the firing order comes from for any engine, along with Cam.

To balance a multi-cylinder engine you need to make the rotating weight equal.
That is done easier with matched pairs, cylinders that share the same TDC(top dead center), so as crank rotates, two pistons will reach TDC at the same time.
On a 4-stroke engine each cylinder has TWO TDCs for a complete cycle,
1. intake stroke
2. compression stroke, TDC
3. power stroke
4. exhaust stroke, TDC


4 cylinder engines will usually have 1 and 4 as matched and 2 and 3 as matched.
Firing order would be 1-3-4-2
You can get the matched pairs from firing order as well
By splitting it in half and placing one below the other half
1-3
4-2
1 and 4, 3 and 2 are the matched pairs

V6 engine firing order 1-4-2-5-3-6, for 2.8l, 2.9l, 3.0l, and 4.0l
1-4-2
5-3-6

So Matched pairs are 1-5, 4-3, 2-6

302 V8 firing order 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8
1-5-4-2
6-3-7-8

Matched pairs, 1-6, 5-3, 4-7, 2-8

Another 302 V8 firing order 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
1-3-7-2
6-5-4-8

Matched pairs, 1-6, 3-5, 7-4, 2-8

WTF, same Matched Pairs, but different firing order!!!

It is just using a different Cam, the cam decides when a cylinder is on its compression stroke or exhaust stroke, but the pistons of that matched pair will be at TDC at the end of either.

Waste spark will spark any cylinder when it is at TDC, regardless of compression stroke or exhaust stroke, doesn't matter.
So your Coil Pack has 3 coils inside, 2 spark plugs connected to each.
Wiring is
3 4
2 6
1 5
Front

Matched pairs are 1-5, 2-6, 3-4
So coil wiring now makes sense as far as the 5, 6, 4 side

You can reverse 1 or all 3 pairs, i.e.
4 3 << reversed
2 6
1 5
front

or all 3 reversed
4 3
6 2
5 1
front

Won't matter to the coil or to the computer, as long as Match Pairs get spark at the same time.


And just as a side note, if you have ever used a single cylinder 4-stroke engine, i.e. lawnmower, you have used Waste Spark, the magneto sparks at each TDC

Just did our change out in our '95 yesterday. Compression is lacking, but it's fairly even.

Went with Motorcraft plugs. Sadly all the parts houses carried where the single fine wire type, not the double. The only real issue would be the plug will wear out a bit faster due to the mentioned waste spark. The ones pulled out where the same brand/type and had heavy wear on the electrode. But not overly bad.

In regards to NGK? Never had an issue with that brand. But I'd always stick with OEM when ever possible. I'm always weary of brands that sell "Gimmicks". Get into quality and not a gimmick, and you'll do well.

S-

My recommendation?

Motorcraft AWSF-42PP