So I called my local repair and he tells me it will be $450 for new plugs and wires!!??!! He says it is very hard to get to the plugs, so my question is how do I get to plugs and wires so I can save myself about 350 dollars? It cant be that hard right?

 

Right, it's not that hard. I changed the plugs on my 2000 Mountaineer V8 with AWD and A/C and don't remember it being particularly hard. Changing all the heater hoses on it, that was hard! Plugs and wires, not so much.

It's bee a few years since I changed them, but my recall is I did the driver's side from the engine bay and the passenger side from the wheel well. Jacking the front up, supporting on jackstands, and removing the wheel will make it quite a bit easier. I do have an assortment of extensions and u-joint extensions, but I don't remember needing a unique arrangement to get to any of the plugs though.

If your repair guy or you have really large hands though, that could make things more difficult.

-Rod

 

Rod, do you remember if the replacement plugs were short or long thread. I took out a plug and its a short AWSF 32EE. Everywhere I go are giving me the part number that is a long thread design. Can these be used on my 99 5.0 explorer?

Marty

 

I don't know that detail. I don't have any recall of if the plugs from my 2000 Mountaineer V8 were short or long. I however don't recall them looking noticeably different from a typical spark plug, so I'd be inclined to say they were short thread. And the plugs I put in were ordered by application and matched closely what I took out. Does you emissions label under the hood call out the spark plug that Ford wants you to use? Does it cross over to a short or long plug?

-Rod

 

You should be careful about changing the reach of plugs, too long and you may touch the piston crown, too short and the spark will be muted in the thread bore...

Use a vainer gauge to measure the thread depth in the head, then follow the measurements accordingly...... cross check with the notation on the emission sticker under the hood....

Install Motomaster or Autolite plugs for best match/performance.....Philip

 

The manual says its Motorcraft AWSF 32EE and these are short threaded plugs. Now I guess I will search the web for the plugs since the auto supply stores only have the long thread platinum and short thread coppers.

Thanks,
Marty