Problem with new 1715 Micro TUner
Senior Member
Joined: May 2002
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Just curious...
How does changing the spark plus and wire give you a gain in HP? I heard on engines that are blown it can help sometimes because some of the plugs produce sparks that get blow out due to the increased press,but on regular (6 cyl) engines can it give you gains in HP if so how?
How does changing the spark plus and wire give you a gain in HP? I heard on engines that are blown it can help sometimes because some of the plugs produce sparks that get blow out due to the increased press,but on regular (6 cyl) engines can it give you gains in HP if so how?
Former Sponsor
Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 13,385
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From: Virginia
Hi Chris,
Well, by the same basic way in which you make more power with just about any other modification - by using better parts that were designed specifically to do a better job with regard to performance than the factory part.
Ignition upgrades work regardless of whether it's a single cylinder lawn mower engine or it's a 4.2 V6 or it's a Lightning - the number of cylinders, the displacement, how well the factory components work along with how good the aftermarket parts are dictates just how much power will actually be gained. In general, the smaller the motor and the lower it's power output, the less HP will be gained, even though the actual *percentage* of power gain may well be the same as with larger engines with more cylinders.
It's a fallacy that additional power cannot be made via ignition upgrades on *any* of these Ford gasoline engines - regardless of how many cylinders or whether it's supercharged or not - even a 4 Cyl. Ford Focus can pick up power in the ignition. The factory ignition systems certainly *can* be improved on, and make additional power and improve fuel mileage as a result. The automakers ignition systems aren't any better than their intakes, or their exhausts, or their tuning, etc.
Ignition components - spark plugs, plug wires, coil packs, etc. - are all wear & tear parts that begin to deteriorate in their performance from the time they are first put into service.
For example, at 30K miles the typical V8 engine loses anywhere from 3-8 HP just from spark plug wear - it's so gradual it's not noticed, and in many engines, they actually make a bit more power as they loosen up, so typical dynos done new and at 30K miles don't show much if any difference - until you change the spark plugs.
Spark plug wires have resistance to current flow, which is measured and expressed in terms of the # of ohms per ft. - performance wires have far less resistance than stock factory wires do, thus you get more current thru them for a hotter spark & make more power. Same thing goes for the coil packs, etc. The factory only cares about getting enough spark to fire the cylinder, and getting good radio reception and not spending any more money than they absolutely *have* to to make all that happen - thus there will always be improvements possible, and in just about any area.
For example, take the typical non-COP 4.6 F-150 - with our ignition upgrade package, we generally see about a 12-14 hp gain over brand new stock factory ignition components. Take that same vehicle and let's say it has 70K miles on the stock ignition, and we can see as much as 20 HP gains from that same ignition upgrade - without a supercharger.
If you want to learn more about ignition systems Chris, I'd suggest spending some time at your local library in the Automotive section, & read up on basic principles of how ignition systems work in general (if you like) - Also, go to the various ignition component manufacturers web sites - everything from spark plugs to plug wires to coil packs, etc. Check out the densoiridium.com web site for info on plugs, they've got lots of good stuff there. And then check out Accel, MSD & all the other manufacturers for info on plug wires, coils, coil packs, etc. - spend the time to get yourself up to speed on how the aftermarket manufacturers provide a better product. Look at their specs versus factory specs, etc. For example, stock factory plug wires have anywhere from 2000-5000 ohms per ft. of resistance, whereas a performance wire generally has 1/10th that amount - 200-500 ohms per ft - and racing wires even less, sometimes down to as little as 50 ohms per ft. - but of course, the 50 ohm per ft. racing-spec wires aren't conducive to good static-free radio reception.
The bottom line is, using better parts that are designed to do a better job in a specific area allows us to make more power in a specific area - that applies in ignition just like it does in every other area - produce a fatter, "hotter" more powerful spark event & you'll burn more of the incoming Air/Fuel mixture, and thus make more power from the same amount of fuel - and thus get better fuel mileage at the same time.
Take the newer COP (Coil-On-Plug) ignition systems from Ford, all 5.4's have it for example, regardless of model year - they're pretty weak overall. While they don't have conventional plug wires because they instead use individual coil packs for each cylinder's spark plug, their actual output isn't really very "hot," and deteriorates pretty quickly as they age - look at the conditions they have to operate in, they're buried in the motor & get subjected to *tremendous* heat, far more than any previous coil packs ever have. I change my coil packs on my Lightning at about every other oil change, as that is what it takes to have them operating at peak efficiency - so I can ignite the 17 PSI of boost I'm running under high humidity, for example.
At any rate, this is just a little FYI, happy reading at the various manufacturer web sites & talk to you soon!
Well, by the same basic way in which you make more power with just about any other modification - by using better parts that were designed specifically to do a better job with regard to performance than the factory part.
Ignition upgrades work regardless of whether it's a single cylinder lawn mower engine or it's a 4.2 V6 or it's a Lightning - the number of cylinders, the displacement, how well the factory components work along with how good the aftermarket parts are dictates just how much power will actually be gained. In general, the smaller the motor and the lower it's power output, the less HP will be gained, even though the actual *percentage* of power gain may well be the same as with larger engines with more cylinders.
It's a fallacy that additional power cannot be made via ignition upgrades on *any* of these Ford gasoline engines - regardless of how many cylinders or whether it's supercharged or not - even a 4 Cyl. Ford Focus can pick up power in the ignition. The factory ignition systems certainly *can* be improved on, and make additional power and improve fuel mileage as a result. The automakers ignition systems aren't any better than their intakes, or their exhausts, or their tuning, etc.
Ignition components - spark plugs, plug wires, coil packs, etc. - are all wear & tear parts that begin to deteriorate in their performance from the time they are first put into service.
For example, at 30K miles the typical V8 engine loses anywhere from 3-8 HP just from spark plug wear - it's so gradual it's not noticed, and in many engines, they actually make a bit more power as they loosen up, so typical dynos done new and at 30K miles don't show much if any difference - until you change the spark plugs.
Spark plug wires have resistance to current flow, which is measured and expressed in terms of the # of ohms per ft. - performance wires have far less resistance than stock factory wires do, thus you get more current thru them for a hotter spark & make more power. Same thing goes for the coil packs, etc. The factory only cares about getting enough spark to fire the cylinder, and getting good radio reception and not spending any more money than they absolutely *have* to to make all that happen - thus there will always be improvements possible, and in just about any area.
For example, take the typical non-COP 4.6 F-150 - with our ignition upgrade package, we generally see about a 12-14 hp gain over brand new stock factory ignition components. Take that same vehicle and let's say it has 70K miles on the stock ignition, and we can see as much as 20 HP gains from that same ignition upgrade - without a supercharger.
If you want to learn more about ignition systems Chris, I'd suggest spending some time at your local library in the Automotive section, & read up on basic principles of how ignition systems work in general (if you like) - Also, go to the various ignition component manufacturers web sites - everything from spark plugs to plug wires to coil packs, etc. Check out the densoiridium.com web site for info on plugs, they've got lots of good stuff there. And then check out Accel, MSD & all the other manufacturers for info on plug wires, coils, coil packs, etc. - spend the time to get yourself up to speed on how the aftermarket manufacturers provide a better product. Look at their specs versus factory specs, etc. For example, stock factory plug wires have anywhere from 2000-5000 ohms per ft. of resistance, whereas a performance wire generally has 1/10th that amount - 200-500 ohms per ft - and racing wires even less, sometimes down to as little as 50 ohms per ft. - but of course, the 50 ohm per ft. racing-spec wires aren't conducive to good static-free radio reception.
The bottom line is, using better parts that are designed to do a better job in a specific area allows us to make more power in a specific area - that applies in ignition just like it does in every other area - produce a fatter, "hotter" more powerful spark event & you'll burn more of the incoming Air/Fuel mixture, and thus make more power from the same amount of fuel - and thus get better fuel mileage at the same time.
Take the newer COP (Coil-On-Plug) ignition systems from Ford, all 5.4's have it for example, regardless of model year - they're pretty weak overall. While they don't have conventional plug wires because they instead use individual coil packs for each cylinder's spark plug, their actual output isn't really very "hot," and deteriorates pretty quickly as they age - look at the conditions they have to operate in, they're buried in the motor & get subjected to *tremendous* heat, far more than any previous coil packs ever have. I change my coil packs on my Lightning at about every other oil change, as that is what it takes to have them operating at peak efficiency - so I can ignite the 17 PSI of boost I'm running under high humidity, for example.
At any rate, this is just a little FYI, happy reading at the various manufacturer web sites & talk to you soon!
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Joined: Jul 2003
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Update
Ok the performance program is in, and man what a difffence the only thing i'm not liking right now is when it shifts from 2 - 3 it kicks really bad in the rear end, i just had new gears put in so i don't think it could be them.. Mike do you think maybe this could be anything that the tuner could take care of or do you think this could be a tranny problem, or maybe the person that shimmed the rear end didn't do it right?? and idea's??
Thank You..
Michael
99 F-150 4.6 L V8
6 inch RCD 35" BFG A/T's on Weld Outbacks
4:56 Gears, Bullet Exhaust
K&N Generation 2 Filter Charger
1715 Micro Tuner
Thank You..
Michael
99 F-150 4.6 L V8
6 inch RCD 35" BFG A/T's on Weld Outbacks
4:56 Gears, Bullet Exhaust
K&N Generation 2 Filter Charger
1715 Micro Tuner