HEI ignition
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: Cornerbrook Newfoundland
Yup, don't fall for them craptastic marketing scams. Everybody says their spark plug are better than the other guys, will give you more power, more fuel economy, but in reality these older engines are happy with copper plugs.
I mean come on... look at this ridiculousness (funniest one yet!):
Pulstar :: The world's best, most powerful sparkplug.
Capacitors in a spark plug... really? You can only get out of a capacitor what you put into it. Which generally means slowly charging it so that you can get a rapid discharge. Not happening because the coil is basically acting as a capacitor already, so you're charging a capacitor with a capacitor (not really but same concept).
I run Autolite coppers in all my Fords. Even my 4.6L Thunderbird got 'em and I've never had a problem with any engine related to the plugs I was using. Yeah I might have to change coppers more often, but to me that's a GOOD thing. Do you really want to leave plugs in for 100K miles and then hope they come out without breaking? I don't. And it gives me a chance to take a look at what's going on inside the engine by looking at the condition and color of the plugs, so more frequent inspection is an added benefit.
The only "benefit" to platinum plugs (and they ain't pure platinum, they are platinum COATED) is longer service life which is not a benefit to me for the reasons above.
If you want a hotter spark, then set your gap bigger (within reason) and get a hotter coil.
I mean come on... look at this ridiculousness (funniest one yet!):
Pulstar :: The world's best, most powerful sparkplug.
Capacitors in a spark plug... really? You can only get out of a capacitor what you put into it. Which generally means slowly charging it so that you can get a rapid discharge. Not happening because the coil is basically acting as a capacitor already, so you're charging a capacitor with a capacitor (not really but same concept).
I run Autolite coppers in all my Fords. Even my 4.6L Thunderbird got 'em and I've never had a problem with any engine related to the plugs I was using. Yeah I might have to change coppers more often, but to me that's a GOOD thing. Do you really want to leave plugs in for 100K miles and then hope they come out without breaking? I don't. And it gives me a chance to take a look at what's going on inside the engine by looking at the condition and color of the plugs, so more frequent inspection is an added benefit.
The only "benefit" to platinum plugs (and they ain't pure platinum, they are platinum COATED) is longer service life which is not a benefit to me for the reasons above.
If you want a hotter spark, then set your gap bigger (within reason) and get a hotter coil.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 959
Likes: 8
From: Imperial, MO
Have you run any fuel additives (like Sta-bil)? Those will often tint the ceramic red.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: Cornerbrook Newfoundland
I live in Newfoundland Canada and it gets pretty cold here. also where i use this truck as a work truck, it sees quite a few of dirt roads. i know that from time to time condincation can form in the fuel system, as well as dirt etc.. when i fuel up i sometimes use a higher octane fuel, as well as Lucas fuel treatment. this i use about every third or fourth fill up and once a month i get the ZMax engine and fuel treatment. Am i using too much of these products? I swear by the Lucas products cause i think that's what saved my engine. when the head gasket went, i started to get a knock in the engine at first start up. so i drained the oil out and put the Lucas oil additive in along with a good quality oil and that seemed to have done the trick. I still have a blown head gasket but the knock has disappeared. when i pulled the plugs out to do a compression test, i noticed the discoloration of the plugs. so i had to find out if it was cause for concern before i went any further. So if it's these products i'm using that's causing this, then i should use them less often. or how often should i use them? thanks for your helpful advice. T.C.M.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: Cornerbrook Newfoundland
EXCUSE ME 24951!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was only reading through the threads and I did have my own thread up. It's about the ignition upgrade and as i was reading, one of the threads caught my attencion as to one of the problems i was experincing. I'm sorry if i butted in. didn't mean to, but from now on i'll keep to myself. seems like i've put a sour taste on this site, and i've pissed some people off. I guess general info is not ment for everyone, so i'll back off SORRY!!!!! T.C.M.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
From: Peterstown
Regulations
EXCUSE ME 24951!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was only reading through the threads and I did have my own thread up. It's about the ignition upgrade and as i was reading, one of the threads caught my attencion as to one of the problems i was experincing. I'm sorry if i butted in. didn't mean to, but from now on i'll keep to myself. seems like i've put a sour taste on this site, and i've pissed some people off. I guess general info is not ment for everyone, so i'll back off SORRY!!!!! T.C.M.
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Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 27
Likes: 1
From: Hellinois
I love the HEI ignition and if you're working on an engine in an older vehicle, they are a great way to simplify the ignition system over stock. Ford sure liked to spread the ignition parts out all over the engine bay. I put an HEI on the 300 inline in my old '82. They are expensive, but worth it if you need to replace the distributor anyway.
But for a newer computer controlled vehicle from the late 80's onward, there's really no advantage to it.
I'm also in the camp of people that don't believe the fancy-dancy claims about the newer spark plugs. I usually run the plain black AC Delco's or Motocraft in all my older vehicles and have nothing but good luck with them. The newer ones require platinum plugs, but at least you can get a crap-ton of miles out of them between changes.
But for a newer computer controlled vehicle from the late 80's onward, there's really no advantage to it.
I'm also in the camp of people that don't believe the fancy-dancy claims about the newer spark plugs. I usually run the plain black AC Delco's or Motocraft in all my older vehicles and have nothing but good luck with them. The newer ones require platinum plugs, but at least you can get a crap-ton of miles out of them between changes.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 959
Likes: 8
From: Imperial, MO
IMO, yes, but only because you're needlessly lightening your wallet.
...I swear by the Lucas products cause i think that's what saved my engine. when the head gasket went, i started to get a knock in the engine at first start up. so i drained the oil out and put the Lucas oil additive in along with a good quality oil and that seemed to have done the trick...
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
From: Peterstown
Tune Up
you already have a high energy ignition,I mean it shouldnt have points and a condenser in it,that went out in the 70's! So what many people do to the 302's is to livin up the stock system...This includes a hotter coil,bigger spark plug wires,bigger spark plug gap and a timing bump also called the six liter tune-up. Many people have done this to their 302's from mustang guy's to truck guy's and everyone swears by the copper cores! Here is a link ......ignition upgrade and timing bump (no 56K) - FSB Forums
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
From: Peterstown
There are 2 MSD coils for the Ford TFI ignition. MSD 5527, and MSD 8227. The 5527's secondary output voltage is a maximum of 48,000 volts. The 8227's is 44,000 volts. The 5527 appears to be the better coil, since it has the higher output voltage, but yet, every place that sells them (part stores, and Ebay alike), sells the 8227 at a considerably higher price than the 5527. Is there some unseen reason that the 8227 would be a better coil than the 5527? Why else would it be more expensive than it's smaller counterpart?