went to the local auto parts store to pick up some new sparkplugs. well he gave me some cheap ones called Autolite. anyone heard of them? are they any good? just wondering because when i installed them they made my 351m run worse. i compared them to the Champion (3025) and the Autolite's were longer (not the insulator side). should i return these and get the same Champion ones? the Champions made my truck run really good about 2 months ago but due to my holley carb being a piece of junk i couldn't get the right air and fule mixture right so it ran rich for a while then after a while the truck went downhill. All opinions wanted
Autolite makes the best plugs on the market as far as I am concerned. That is all I run. I have a 90 Mustang that makes 800hp with a 5 liter (R302) block running 20 lb of boost. All you will find installed is the Autolite Platinum plugs. In my 78 4x4 I run regular .99cent/plug Autolites!
Originally Autolite plugs were made by Motorcraft, their intention was to take the motorcraft line of plugs off the retail market and replace them with autolite. It didnt work out, and eventually autolite was sold to allied, which also makes fram filters. To answer your guestion, autolite is ok but not as good as they used to be. But in my opinion they are better then champion. If you can find them, motorcraft is still the best choice for ford products. I've worked in a parts store for alot of years, and over time i've tried different plugs in my 78 F159, 460, including autolite's, ngk v-pawers, splitfires, etc, and nothing has lasted like motorcraft. I dont know where you live, but I know Autozone stocks them and I think Napa does now.
I put my champions back in and it runs better so maybe i will go check out the platum plugs from boshe. The gap wasnt set at no 75. it was more like 30. i gaped the to .46. thanks for your opinions
I run bosch platinums in my 1979 F-150 with a 302 and I think they are great plugs. No troubles and good idle. I've also ran them in a 1985 Pontiac and 1982 Camaro - before the days of my Ford Truck!
When it comes to AutoLites - I am suprised at the poor performance - they are (or were) a top rated plug.
As for the Champions - all I can say is that they make great Lawnmower plugs.
Motorcraft are good stock plugs - I've heard that they have good longevity.
And while I am at it - AC/Delco's are good stock for Chev's! (I know it is a faux-paus, but it had to be mentioned!)
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 09-Apr-02 AT 05:06*AM (EST)]Autolite plugs are good plugs, and Champions are good plugs, I can't say as much for AC-Delco. Bosch is a good brand, but for Fords I stick with Autolite.
BUT! Any brand of plugs can turn up with a few bad ones. I had 3 out of 8 in a set of Champions bad. I have had 4 out of 8, 2/8, and 1/8 AC-Delco's bad. I have had 1 out of 8 Autolite's bad as well as 1/8 Bosch. It can happen to any brand of plug. You may have 1 or more bad plugs even in a new set. Also, While the insulators on plugs are incredibly tough it only takes a little slip with a wrench to crack one. I have cracked a few in my time also. It always happend when I had to work on Chevys The only way I know to "shade tree" find a bad plug is to change them out with known good plugs, or short out the wires one at a time. I always save my old plugs, after throwing out any suspect or known bad ones, in boxes on a shelf in the garage. I mark them with the engine they came out of for reference. I have installed many hundreds of sets of plugs, so the few bad ones I have run into are a pretty low percentage.
But! You might have got lucky!
over!
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"Beam me up Scotty. There's no intelligent life down here..."
The buy that helped me build my engine told me three things would void his handshake guarantee. Using Pennzoil, Fram and Autolite or Champion plugs. For plugs I've come to like the NGK v-power. You can tell a definite pick-up when you put them in. Thats compared to the Motorcraft plugs I had been using. My 2 cents worth.
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Dave,
1979 F150 4x4 390 w/C6, Edelbrock carb, cam, intake.
2000 F250 PSD, Kwik filter, AIH delete, DIY fuel pickup. Superchip, WW
1994 Explorer EB, with a twin still awaiting repair
I can definitely agree with the Penzoil and Fram! Penzoil and Havoline are two of the worst oils you can pour in an engine. Penzoil will leave carbon deposits you wouldn't believe in an engine. I have seen it many times. In fact my 78 F250 had Penzoil in it most of it's life b4 I got it. The first thing I had to do to it was fix a leaking valve cover. When I pulled the valve cover I had to do a double take, it looked like there was another one on under it! The carbon had made a complete "mold" of the underside of the valve cover down to the Ford logo, what a mess! Havoline was used for many years by GM as a "test" oil for engine durability. It was considered to be a low quality oil and if the engine would make it XXX number of miles with it, then it would make it with ANY oil. The best oils in my opinion are Valvoline and, if you can find it, Trop Artic comes in second.
Fram air filters are some of the most restrictive on the market, they filter well though. Fram oil filters are a middle of the road filter. Purolator oil filters are the best for dirt holding and AC are the worst. I have heard good test results for Wix oil filters but I do not have any experience with them. This is just experience from opening many oil filters and testing oil for particulates, plus adding in a lot of hydraulic oil filter training and engineering.
NGK plugs seem to be good ones, right up there with BOSCH. I just can't justify the expense for my Ford, although I use them in my 90 Isuzu Trooper (one tough little vehicle).
Some of these plugs with multiple electrodes seem to have tooo much of a good thing. It seems as though they are almost shielding the mixture from the spark, almost like you would have a dead air zone down around the electrode.
-My 2 cents worth.
over!
__________________
"Beam me up Scotty. There's no intelligent life down here..."
I mistakenly replaced the Motorcraft 22E's in my 98 5.4L engine with Autolite plugs and experienced an immeadiate 8% DECREASE in economy. The Motorcrafts had 75K on them and looked great with virtually no gap erosion.
From my experience, Penzoil and Quaker State are the two worst oils there are out there. I tore down a 3.8 Chevy one time that had been running Quaker state, and there was sludge so thick on the head you couldn't see the head bolts. I've also found Champion plugs to be only a headache. I've always used Bosch Platinum plugs in anything I drive.
I agree!!!...I think Torque1st meant to say Pennzoil, and Quaker
State, instead of Pennzoil and Havoline. I have heard nothing
but good things about Havoline.....
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The only way I know to "shade tree" find a bad plug is to change them out with known good plugs, or short out the wires one at a time. I always save my old plugs, after throwing out any suspect or known bad ones, in boxes on a shelf in the garage. I mark them with the 
