I know the spark plug topic has been beaten to death on this forum, but after hours of searching, I still couldn't come up with a definitive answer to this. If all the coils are functioning properly, is it necessary to replace them? Is it possible to replace only the boot? Global Automotive seems to be the place of choice to get replacement COP's, but I'm still a little hesitant of putting non-Motorcraft COP's on my truck. By the way, my truck is a 2001 w/ the 5.4 and has 78k on it. This will be the first time the plugs/coils will be replaced. Any opinions?

-Craig

 

itd prob be a good idea to chage everything. when i did my plugs i did plugs and wires. but i have coil packs. im going to chage those soon. better to do everything at once then keep going back in there. i dont have COP so i know nothing about them. you should be able to get 100K out of plugs and wires. at least thats what my book says.

 

The book I have says to change them after 60k miles. I do agree, that, if you are already going to get the headache of getting in there and tearing it apart you might as well change the COP's too. As for the Globals, I don't think they would be so highly recommended on here if they were not worth the investment. They save you a little lining in your wallet and do the same job. I believe I have read that FORD sometimes uses the GLOBALS. I'm sure I will be corrected if I am wrong. So, you might end up with the same thing for a jacked up price is what I am trying to say I guess.

Good Luck!

 

I slightly disagree so far. There's no theory or trend established on how long the stock COPs last. It's also not one of those items where the performace degrades...it either works or it doesn't. I bought the set from Global from a cost perspective, not a lack of faith in the stockers going bad. I had one go bad and after shopping for one, buying the whole set from them is the most cost effective route in the long run (in the sense that the whole set from Global is not much more than one from Ford)

 

I have 83k on mine and never replaced the cops yet. Although I have been having a slight rough idle for awhile that has me thinking that one or more are starting to go bad. I'll be replacing all of mine come early spring maybe with the set from Global Automotive.

 

Please re-read the post above yours before you go out and buy a set for nothing.

 

I will correct my mileage refrence. I meant that the plugs should be changed every 60k. That is about what I get out of my plugs and wires on my 4.6.

As for the COP's, I agree, they should either work or not. I have had no dealing with them as of yet. But, IMO, I don't like having to repeat jobs, if, I am already there and have them off. Why not replace them and sleep with ease. But, that just explains the difference in how people do things. No, biggie.

But, I guess it was a blessing having the others around huh.

 

When I replaced my COP's for the first time .. My truck felt like it shed 1000 lbs . If felt lighter , quicker, like a new truck...

 

Be carefull saying the COP work or they don't.
There is a condition where they will cause missfire under light load and EGR conditions and not set any codes.
The only way is to take a chance and replace all, in order to get the one that is failing or have a stress test done on all, to pick out the one or ones causing the drivability problem, otherwise you will hassle with it for a long time.
Total failure is either an open winding, or shorted turns that don't fully deem the coil dead, but still works.

 

Yup i replaced mine at about 80,000 miles and my cop's never failed completely. I didn't want to pay for a stress test so i just replaced all of them with the Globals. Mine would have a slight miss after it would hit the next gear at light throttle and was kinda doggy if you went WOT from a dead stop.

 

I have read statements where even though no codes were givin a couple of coil packs were getting weak but within spec per Ford but did cause an idle issue although very so slightly. Even though I've also have heard that they don't degrade but either its good or its bad I'll have to disagree on that one..... Just my opinion on it

 

Yea , that's just bad info. When the get old - they just get tired, like most things. The windings will deteriorate in time and start to break down..

 

X3

 

It's to bad Galaxy had a bad experiance with Globals COP's.. Damn , they had a 100% NO DOA record before I heard this..If you search back , I was the first to try these in 05 . I began referring these on this site and since then many have got out of paying that HIGH COST for them @ the dealerships and from third party suppliers. I pulled my freakin hair out testing COP's every which way because of the high cost to replace, before finding Global .

I did all that when there was a simple solution out there. Some of you may remember, I know I remember it well .

Well, I purchased the top end from a 2000 crate motor (Crown Vic 4.6) from the Romeo plant while I was working at Ford. I used the COP's , Type 3 injectors and most of the harness from that crate motor on my 98. At about the same time I purchased the Global kit that came with plugs for a friends 99 @ $130 back then.. Kurts 99 is still running the Global COP's and it's been over 2 years. I have since replaced my COP's AGAIN with Global's COP's. No problems.

Grantenelli's, Accell and even Moto Blues have had allot of problems and there more pricey plus advertise HP gains which is just Hype in advertising IMO.

The best advertising is with people who have nothing to loose or gain when complimenting a product. I sure don't. I'm just telling you what works and what hasn't..

I also remember Bluegrass doing allot of testing on this and Spark-plugs as well in the past..Allot of you may not know there has been a few of us that has taken the time and share the results..

 

I appreciate the replies, especially the one from jbrew above. That definitely solidifies what I've been hearing about some of the aftermarket COP's. Galaxy's bad experience with the Global's is what actually made me question them. I can't recall where I saw that post, but I know I came across it somewhere. For $85, I suppose I could give them a shot. Well, that's two of the three questions that have been taken care of- 1. What plugs? . . . Motorocraft, 2. What COP's? . . . Global, 3. To anti seize or not to anti seize? . . . undecided.

-Craig