I had a real bad idle problem a few days ago. I changed a old plug. And still didnt fix it. So today i had all new wires put on and new autolite plugs put in and new coil packs put on. and problem solved. But the problem was my old coil pack.

 

ew shoulda went with MC plugs, ive heard that autolites have a problem missfiring in ford trucks

 

i would of like to have gotten mc plugs but no one where i am sells them. and i mean no one. its bosch or autolite.

 

wow really?? everyone around me has them except maybe autozone

 

I've been running autolites for 2 years now without any issues so far. I'm going to get them out before winter but for me they havent been a problem (yet). Denso's and NGK have worked for those who have tried them as well.

 

That's BS, you just haven't looked for them good enough - call around.

More problems are sure to come with those junk plugs. They don't even meet spec lol.

If your running them in a 98 non-PI 5four. They will come pretty quick. The 98 4six will run on them, but that's about it. It won't run like it should.

She's still hurtin.

The only manufacturers who spec plugs for the 98 other than Motorcraft is Denso and NGK, - like jethat said. Personally I like the Denso (fine wires). The trucks been running those since last winter and I know she's running her best. After a quarter million miles, you just know when she's not, - you know what works, and what doesn't.

For under $40, Rockauto had a set of Densos on my front porch inside of 3 days.

 

I really don't understand this business of certain plugs not working on Ford trucks. Spark plugs are pretty simple: electricity travels from one electrode to another electrode, jumping a gap and producing a "spark" in the process. How can a reputable plug like Bosch work other places but suddenly not so well on Ford trucks?

There is the matter of how far the electrodes protrude into the engine, but I'm pretty sure this is standard for all plugs. And there's how far the "tail end" sticks out of the valve cover (how it fits into the COP boot), but the Denso and MC which are said to work fine have very different lengths already, so this evidently isn't a huge issue. So where is the problem?

I've been running Bosch Platinum +4 plugs since 60k and I've had no problems with the plugs (now at 145k). The #3 plug gets gunked up every 40-50k, but I'm pretty sure that's a gasket problem and not a plug issue. When I decide to pull and rebuild my engine (whenever I get something else to drive in the mean time) I'll probably use Densos, but I'm not there yet.

jethat, you seem to be one of the main detractors of Bosch plugs. Can you explain? I'm not calling you a liar, I just don't see where the difference is and I'd like to know.

 

Are you serious lol. These Modulars need the correct heat range. What the manufacturer Specs. That's why they tell you what to run in your manual and why they have a sticker under the hood directing you what to run and/or what runs best in these motors.

If your not sure what to run, don't question the engineers and/or think this is really much simpler than what it portrays to be. Everyone else knows, -you apparently don't. - Just listen

Bosch is the worst, -Autolite isn't far behind - Both DO NOT meet Ford spec. Run what you want, it's your truck. Sometimes it takes awhile to realize the damage you have done, but you will, -eventually.

 

I have tried bosch in all of the big three truck motors. These were all efi with obd11 systems 90 percent of them threw codes for miss fires. From Ford there have only been 2 4.6 engines we have put the bosch plugs in upon customer request. One didn't even get out of the lot and the other made it to 12K. My best suggestion is like jbrew said "go by the sticker under the hood".
I have tried them in 2.9, 3.0, 4.0, 4.6, 5.0 all Ford motors. Every one of them threw the miss fire codes.

 

Never made it off the lot lol. Yea I tried Bosch as well - Long Time ago in my 98 - before I purchased my first computer lol. Didn't make it out of the garage. She fired, popped, backfired then quit.

I have made it back and forth to work with a set of Autolites (103's) in the past (40 miles). Made it to work on all 8 (I think?), by the time I arrived back at the house that night, I was barely running, - on just 6.

Removed the Autolites and they had turned about 5 different colors, - looked cool , but they quit working. I have pictures in my gallery of that experience lol.

I went as far as to write Honeywell about the problem, Honeywell is the Mother Corporation with companies that manufacture BOTH Autolite and Motorcraft plugs. They look identical!! Well their not, I found out the hard way. Anyway, they basically said it was my dumb-*** fault for purchasing plugs that weren't spec'ed for my vehicle by the manufacturer. Motorcraft builds are produced to Ford specifications. Autolites are not. They did refund me tho, - a year later.

Pic of misfiring Autolites -



Pic of another users Bosch plugs, he was able to run them, but in time the plugs fell apart and destroyed the valves -

 

Doing something just because someone else said it's the best thing to do is the worst - or minimally the least compelling - reason in the world. Most of the time when a manufacturer specifies a part made by their own company, it's a ploy to make more money. They also specify Motorcraft oil where Castrol will do just as well. And I see you've got lots of aftermarket parts on your vehicle, so along the way you've decided to go against Ford/Motorcraft's recommendations yourself. It's just as reasonable to think another company can make a better spark plug as it is to believe Magnaflow makes a better muffler/exhaust system.

Now that we've dispelled the "Motorcraft is best because it's made by Ford," you said something about required heat range. That sounds like a real yardstick for quality/compatibility. As you said, I don't know, and I'm trying to find out so that I can make informed decisions rather than let others make them for me. How does heat range work / what does it mean? And where can I find the required spec for comparison?

I'm also an engineer, though not in the field of automotive mechanics, but I'm pretty sure I'm able to understand technical specifications once they've been shown to me.

Thanks for your help.

 

I'm an Engineer as well, woh-hoo.... You can learn more in the field. As an engineer, you should know that drawing from actual life experiences/occurrences from those in the field has allot of weight. Individuals who are into this BOTH passionately and as a career are the people your discrediting? Wow.- Sorry but that's *** backwards, - who are you again? Never-mind, not important

Well, you obviously don't make good use of the search bar and actually investigate before you post. - Unless there's a better way, AFTER -you've finished all the books. With innovation always on the forefront, you have to be hungry if you want to keep up.

So, spare me your crap lol.

Geezzz....

BTW - Your comment about my after market parts; Did you even read them? Try it one more time, but use your head after doing so.

Also - If you read all the above and just didn't comprehend, -Ford doesn't make Motorcraft. - Maybe it'll stick this time.

 

Nice pics jbrew!
If I didn't believe in using stock plugs already I would use them after I saw those pics!
LOL's

 

The real dissapointment with Autolites is allot of people think autolite is a ford part. Allot of the parts that came stock on my Mustang had Autolite stamped on them, The stock carb and the stock Radio were Autolites along with many other parts. When I bought the Autolites for my truck I thought I was getting a ford speced part..

 

I've never seen a radio that has autolite on it. IBD. Learnsomething new again today