Spark Plugs - Worth Using Higher Performance Ones?

[Coll4646]

Have been slowly upgrading the truck. Have CVF intercooler and hot/cold pipes, AFE intake, Borla exhaust, Livernois tune etc.

taking it in to get serviced next week and am at about 50k miles, so figured I’d get the spark plugs changed.

Is it worth “upgrading” with maybe the ford performance ones or just stick with stock replacements?

Have read a little about gaps, temps and all that but don’t have a great grasp of it

Sponsored

 

[Suns_PSD]

I bought some high-performance plugs. At the time my truck had around 40K miles, so I was pretty shocked when it had such a noticeable and immediate difference in smoothness and mpg. Both got notably better.

Out of all of the mods I've done, the 2 that had the most bang for the buck by far were my AFE Momentum air intake and those new plugs. Both made a notable improvement in mpg, acceleration and the plugs furthermore improved smoothness.

My truck was bought used with only 9K miles on it and it had some sort of certified Ford thing and I've wondered if in their checks during the certification process, if they swapped the plugs and possibly overtightened them leading to a reduction in performance.

BTW, you can search my posts on the topic to figure out which plugs I went with, as I don't recall. I saved the box the new plugs came in and will order a new set when I hit around 80K miles.

 

[Icecoldak]

Any truck that has been tuned, 1-step colder plugs are recommended (Ford Perf) or I opted for the NGK Ruthenium HX ( LTR6BHX)

 

[Gros Ventre]

I ran a 92 GMC Suburban for 30 years. I spent a few years seeking to ID a spark plug that gave better performance by swapping out every 50,000 miles. Was not able to ID any significant. difference

 

[MTMan]

I really liked the Ruthenium’s in another vehicle but was shocked that after I pulled them out at 30,000 miles they look like they should’ve been replaced at 15,000.

 

[Calson]

With unleaded gas the spark plugs will be fine for 100K miles or more. If they are fouled at lower mileage there is either a problem with the driving profile with a lot of city driving or with blow by from the rings or a fouled EGR.

 

[MTMan]

Mine were perfectly clean, no fouling, just worn out and large gap. Spoke with NGK & they weren’t surprised. They recommended I go to Iridium.

 

[v8440]

I think fancy spark plugs do improve performance. They lighten your wallet, thereby improving performance through reduced weight. They also improve the financial performance of the company making them.

 

[HammaMan]

With your parts and tuning, you certainly need to look at the gap. You're stuffing more air and fuel into the cylinders.

 

[Davidwnuc]

I would do whatever your tuner recommends.

 

[Larrymoe]

I ran a 92 GMC Suburban for 30 years.

There it is.

 

[DoGooder]

No tuning but on my 2021 3.5L EB, I decided to spring for the Rutheniums figuring they'd be an upgrade. I was wrong:
https://www.f150forum.com/f102/bad-experience-ngk-ruthenium-spark-plugs-566796/

 

[Gros Ventre]

As much as you'd like to say the chances of two plugs being defective... That sure seems to be the issue.

 

[Calson]

More important to periodically use a fuel injector cleaner in the fuel tank. When they become at all fouled the spray is not as fine and less fuel will be burned.

When leaded gas was in use I would need to re-gap the plugs every 3,000 miles but when unleaded gas appeared I could go 100,000 miles on a set of plugs with no problems.

Sponsored