I think the last time the spark plugs were replaced was around 110k.? It is now at 190k and runnin like a top.

Would it be a good idea to change them now OR run them till they foul?

And would I see a major pick up in performance if I replaced them now?

-Ben-

 

Wow. Pleaae don't tell me this is your interpretation of exemplary preventative vehicle maintenance?

Drive it until it breaks? Do you also wait until your fuel filter is clogged too? Or your oil turns to goo? Or your front O2's go south?

~80K - change them now. Please - if you love your truck. Ok?

Preventative maintenance is always preferrable to reactive maintenance.

 

Pull a couple out and see what they look like, let that be your judge more than anything else. Although at approx. 80K miles later, I'd replace them if they were mine.

 

There must have been some preventative maintenance, or there wouldn't be 190k on that motor.......
I'm with Quintin on this, see what they look like. If it's not broke...............

 

Oh Please. They're spark plugs. While they may still work, they definitely will not be working optimally with that many miles.

Pulling plugs is also a good engine diagnostic for OTHER probelms. So leaving them in until they fail is NOT my idea of a comprehensive maintenance regime.

 

I would replace them if it were my truck.

 

at least pull the front passenger front one out and see.i bought my 97 at 123k one of the first things i did was check plugs. they were autolites and they looked maybye 10-15k old. cant assume they kept up with all maintenance stuff. ive foubd preventative cost are alot cheaper than repair cost.

 

Yea I agree with yall. I just wanted another opinion I will pull them this week and take a peak. I don't run things till they break. But in my experience, one fouled plug out of 8 does not destroy the engine.

Is there any ideas on how to remove the back 2 plugs??? I have changed the front six sparkplugs on my sister's 00 F150, and the rear 2 were rusted bad and I could not get a socket around them. So any certain socket swivels or tricks, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks -Ben-

 

fouled plugs may not ruin the motor but at 3$ a gallon....... anything to get those mpg up. as for replacing them just take your time. those are deep in there. dont want to croosthread those or your screwed.

 

At 75K I replaced the factory plugs on my 97 5.4L F150. At 92K #3 plug blew out. I fixed it, and then ran the Motorcraft double Platinums until about 200K. The truck ran fine, got about the same gas mileage as it always has, and the plugs still looked like they could go another 10K at least when I replaced them.

There are no moving parts on a plug, it shoots a spark.....If the truck is running good, there is no reason to change them. My truck has about 220K on it now, and I just hauled 1500 pounds of bricks to our northern Michigan property (4 hours each way) this weekend. Got 17 MPG on the trip loaded, and it is an ORP 4X4.

Since Platinums have become the norm for plugs, leave em in as long as you can......