Spark Plug Question
- Thread starter USCGunner
- Start date
Shakerhood
20+ Year Stangneter 
@Shakerhood
There is (maybe was) a rebate program going on by Autolite in which you could buy their plugs almost for nothing, < $1 per plug. I got "Double Platinums", their "2nd. best" (after Iridiums), got $16 back in rebate. imp
mikestang63
SN Certified Technician
mikestang63
SN Certified Technician
because
- platinum plugs will make the car run like crap
- your car was designed to run copper plugs
- 3925 are factory spec plugs are cheap and run the best
Plat plugs were designed for longevity, not performance. Cars coming with these plugs tend to have stronger ignitions to handle the added resistance through the plug.
The fox predates widespread commercial use of plat plugs, so the ignition was engineered with the resistance of a copper plug in mind.
The 5.0s jus love copper motorcraft plugs
The fox predates widespread commercial use of plat plugs, so the ignition was engineered with the resistance of a copper plug in mind.
The 5.0s jus love copper motorcraft plugs
FWIW, do they really use Platinum in these plugs, and in what way? Solid Platinum electrodes would be extremely difficult to fabricate, and cost enormous amounts: the stuff is akin to Gold in value, or more. Why not Gold plugs, then?
They advertise "Platinum" plugs, and "Double Platinum" plugs. What's it mean?
Then, there's Iridium Plugs. (??)
The reality of effects of electrical resistance is that the metal in the plug's electrodes is of no consequence to the resistance present in the circuit. Take plug wires: thousands of ohms in the "Radio Resistance" wire, that in series with the plug gap, millions of ohms there, those two in series with the metal resistance of the plug itself, no ohms to speak of. In the breaker-point era, coils were lucky to develop 15,000 volts. That required small plug gaps, 0.032". Today, 40,000 volts is common, gaps are over 0.050" to give a BIG spark.
IMO, all this hubbub about spark plug materials is, well, just that.
imp
They advertise "Platinum" plugs, and "Double Platinum" plugs. What's it mean?
Then, there's Iridium Plugs. (??)
The reality of effects of electrical resistance is that the metal in the plug's electrodes is of no consequence to the resistance present in the circuit. Take plug wires: thousands of ohms in the "Radio Resistance" wire, that in series with the plug gap, millions of ohms there, those two in series with the metal resistance of the plug itself, no ohms to speak of. In the breaker-point era, coils were lucky to develop 15,000 volts. That required small plug gaps, 0.032". Today, 40,000 volts is common, gaps are over 0.050" to give a BIG spark.
IMO, all this hubbub about spark plug materials is, well, just that.
imp
Real time recon
Mustang Master
Autolite copper 25s here. That's what came out & that's what went in...........90 GT 302..........
Real time recon
Mustang Master
There you go again, over analyzing crap, all that thinking has gotta hurt, it gives me a headache just reading it.FWIW, do they really use Platinum in these plugs, and in what way? Solid Platinum electrodes would be extremely difficult to fabricate, and cost enormous amounts: the stuff is akin to Gold in value, or more. Why not Gold plugs, then?
They advertise "Platinum" plugs, and "Double Platinum" plugs. What's it mean?
Then, there's Iridium Plugs. (??)
The reality of effects of electrical resistance is that the metal in the plug's electrodes is of no consequence to the resistance present in the circuit. Take plug wires: thousands of ohms in the "Radio Resistance" wire, that in series with the plug gap, millions of ohms there, those two in series with the metal resistance of the plug itself, no ohms to speak of. In the breaker-point era, coils were lucky to develop 15,000 volts. That required small plug gaps, 0.032". Today, 40,000 volts is common, gaps are over 0.050" to give a BIG spark.
IMO, all this hubbub about spark plug materials is, well, just that.
I does conjure up the thought, if the copper plugs lasted for 80 to 100k miles in the 5.0's and platinum last longer, what fun would it be, you'd forget you even have any.
Real time recon
Mustang Master
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