Spark Plug Recommendations

VTGT91 · Sep 5, 2010

I am looking for a good spark plug recommendation for a mostly stock 96 GT. The car has Bosch Platinum 2's and I have heard that these cars have a tendency to misfire with platinum's. What do you guys normally run?

Flghtmstr1 · Sep 5, 2010

I run NGK TR6 plugs, but that's because I'm blown. When the car was NA, the factory plugs worked fine for me.

trinity_gt · Sep 5, 2010

Stock plugs for stock cars.

cronin49 · Sep 6, 2010

Flghtmstr1 said:
I run NGK TR6 plugs, but that's because I'm blown. When the car was NA, the factory plugs worked fine for me.

Hey bro, you are running NGK TR6 plugs with your S/C? I am running Autolite Copper tops with my paxton 2000, the plugs recomended in my S/C manual.
The problem is they last only 10k miles before they are worn out. gapped at .035. Do the NGK's last longer? it is a pain in the ass changing plugs so often. Thanks.

ken964698 · Sep 6, 2010

e3

GET THE E3s..I HAVE THEM ON MY 98GT WITH OVER 140K AND ACTUALLY GOT A SMOOTHER IDEL AND BETTER MILES PER GALLON ON THE HIGHWAY

Kilgore Trout · Sep 7, 2010

I am running NGK TR6 @ .035

Flghtmstr1 · Sep 7, 2010

cronin49 said:
Hey bro, you are running NGK TR6 plugs with your S/C? I am running Autolite Copper tops with my paxton 2000, the plugs recomended in my S/C manual.
The problem is they last only 10k miles before they are worn out. gapped at .035. Do the NGK's last longer? it is a pain in the ass changing plugs so often. Thanks.

Mine lasted at least 30k miles. The car is out of commission now getting a new motor & trans, and I'm going to put new plugs in, so there's no telling how long they would have actually lasted.

ChillPhatCat · Sep 7, 2010

Is it running well? I wouldn't replace them unless there actually is a missfire...

cronin49 · Sep 7, 2010

ChillPhatCat said:
Is it running well? I wouldn't replace them unless there actually is a missfire...

R U talking to me?? If so , she runs well, I am just following the manuals instructions. Damn, when I pull those 2 dollar coppertops even at 8K miles, there are just little nubs left of the electrodes. It's a little scary, not to mention a big PITA.

trinity_gt · Sep 7, 2010

cronin49 said:
R U talking to me?? If so , she runs well, I am just following the manuals instructions. Damn, when I pull those 2 dollar coppertops even at 8K miles, there are just little nubs left of the electrodes. It's a little scary, not to mention a big PITA.

You sure your tune is safe? Maybe they're eroding so fast because they're getting hot due to the incorrect heatrange or a lean tune...

bhuff30 · Sep 7, 2010

I agree that you may have a problem if you are seeing that much errosion of the plug. I run my factory replacement platinums about 70k miles. When I take them out, the gap a bit wider.. say .060 to.070 instead of .050, but nothing like you describe.

cronin49 · Sep 7, 2010

trinity_gt said:
You sure your tune is safe? Maybe they're eroding so fast because they're getting hot due to the incorrect heatrange or a lean tune...

The heat range is correct, my Paxton manual says to run Autolite 764 coppertops, which are one heat range " colder '' than stock. Once in a while I will throw a code telling me both banks are running RICH, not lean, and my tuning guy told me he has it tuned a bit on the rich side so I " won't break anything ", his words not mine. This is after I blew my stock motor because of a too lean tune.
A/F ratio is around 12:1 if I remember correctly.
I have to get her to a dyno and get her checked out, maybe retuned.
Anymore more feedback will be appreciated guys, thank

As you can see, my new motor is forged, so she's a lot stronger than the stock POS.

blubullett · Sep 7, 2010

My TR6's didn't last very long either. The car still ran fine but after 15k miles it is amazing how much better new ones are. The TR6's are one heat range colder then stock so you can run them with your paxton with no problems but don't expect too much milage from them. If you want your plugs to last get irridum. Here is the cheapest I have seen them. I don't know if I can get myself to spend the money for them though. 8 TR6IX 3689 NGK Iridium IX Spark Plugs

cronin49 · Sep 7, 2010

Thanks Blubullet, I saw the link, 50 bucks isn't so bad. I think I will install them next time. Thanks again.

ChillPhatCat · Sep 7, 2010

cronin49 said:
R U talking to me?? If so , she runs well, I am just following the manuals instructions. Damn, when I pull those 2 dollar coppertops even at 8K miles, there are just little nubs left of the electrodes. It's a little scary, not to mention a big PITA.

I meant more for the OP. What you're talking about is a little scary.

stangman98 · Sep 9, 2010

Autolite 764's or Autolite 103's which are one step colder then stop. Don't buy into that platinum bull****

twogts4us · Sep 9, 2010

Copper is the best choice, has the best conductive elements. Sure, they'll wear quicker than platinum, but I like to take a look at the plugs around 10K anyway...they are a great measure of how your engine is handling air/oil/gas/etc. You can tell so much from reading your plugs.
With COPS, misfires are not very common at all - at least not caused by the plugs (unless the plugs are fouled, coated with oil, etc - if this is the case then you SHOULD BE pulling your plugs, not just to replace them with the latest $5 plug, but to see what the issue is) . With the amount of voltage they generate, jumping huge gaps (in NA engines) is easy work.

bhuff30 · Sep 10, 2010

That's a pretty ignorant view. Each material has an application. In a 95% of the cars here, I would argue that platinum is the best choice. That's what ford put in from the factory and they give a good spark in an NA engine with a very long life. That makes it very good for a daily driver, which 95% of the car here probably are. In a boosted application, a copper plug is probably the better choice, but you have to keep up on maintanence and replace them more frequently.

My point is, don't say whatever thing is crap just because that's what you run or prefer. It doesn't help anyone.

stangman98 said:
Autolite 764's or Autolite 103's which are one step colder then stop. Don't buy into that platinum bull****

N8Dogg98 · Sep 10, 2010

While copper plugs have a hotter spark and are typically the least expensive type of plug, they do require much shorter change intervals. The 4.6 came with platinum plugs which should last about 100K miles, while the copper plugs should last between 10K and 30K miles.

If you don't mind doing the maintenance yourself and it makes you feel good knowing you have a hot spark, get the coppers. On the otherhand, if you are paying to have the service done/don't like doing your own maintenance, and could care less if your spark is not as hot, go with the platinum.

Copied from here

stangman98 · Sep 10, 2010

bhuff30 said:
That's a pretty ignorant view. Each material has an application. In a 95% of the cars here, I would argue that platinum is the best choice. That's what ford put in from the factory and they give a good spark in an NA engine with a very long life. That makes it very good for a daily driver, which 95% of the car here probably are. In a boosted application, a copper plug is probably the better choice, but you have to keep up on maintanence and replace them more frequently.

My point is, don't say whatever thing is crap just because that's what you run or prefer. It doesn't help anyone.

Actually it's not. So your arguement is that because Ford put them in they are the best choice becuase it's a DD, correct? Does that mean pre '99 that the plug wires they used were the best? Does that mean that pre '96 the Ford distributor was the best? Your arguement that because Ford did it doesn't hold any water what so ever!
BTW my application was N/A not boosted and ran 12.6 and drove around all the time including a 2.5 hours drive on radials and skinnies to 66 for the NMRA race, raced and drove home, so I think I have a good idea of what works thanks.
Start thinking for yourself and doing research and R&D before jumping on a bandwagon or using the factory did it so it must be good idea.

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