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Yesterday I changed my plugs and wires on my 1998 Ranger 3.0L and was surprised when I pulled the plugs on the driver’s side.
The plugs are placed in the cardboard as if you were standing in front of the vehicle. Notice that the plugs on the left still have the skinny wires and the plugs on the right have melted down to the base.
Can someone please explain to me why this is happening? I changed them at 170,000 and again yesterday at 220,000 along with new Motorcraft wires that replaced the same OEM wire set. I called the dealership and verified that the Motorcraft SP432 supersedes the other specified plugs.
It’s been suggested that I go with NGK 7397 or the NGK 97287.
Please keep in mind that since I live in Alaska my Ranger sees a lot if idling time for warm up seven months out of the year….
You need to run a double platinum plug on that engine. Those are single platinum and one side of engine fires with opposite polarity causing your center electrode to burn down. I have had this same problem with the parts counter guys. Autolite and Motorcraft both make good double platinum plugs which will last over a 100,000 miles, look on rock auto.
Lets think about this some more. Seeing as how your up in cold country, seriously consider using the specified heat range Motorcraft up grade iridium enhanced fine wire center electrode with platinum pad ground side wire plug design. I get faster year round starts with this design plug in my 99 Ranger 4.0L waste spark ignition system. This spark plug mini tutorial may be helpful explaining why Spark Plug Mini Tutorial - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums (ford-trucks.com).
Were those the OEM plugs & if so, how many miles on them???
scsnls, thank you for your advice on the double platinum plugs. After speaking with a local Ford mechanic yesterday he explained the wasted spark system to me. However, I’ve looked on-line and locally and have not been able to find any Motorcraft double platinum plugs… would you happen to know the specific Motorcraft part number?
pawpaw, thank you for the Spark Plug Mini Tutorial. The plugs are Motorcraft SP432 that I bought through Factory Motor Parts here in Anchorage. I installed them the other day at 220,000 after they have been in there since 170,000 at around 2016. After speaking with the Ford mechanic yesterday he made me understand that with our idling time up here in Alaska that I probably had closer to 75,000 – 80,000 miles on the plugs.
Ok good feedback on the plugs & it Not being a flex fuel 3.0L. SO, at this point all my oldy-moldy mind can come up with on how eroded all the Drivers side plugs Center electrodes are, is maybe the fine-wire platinum pads got scuffed off during their spark gapping, or maybe they didn't get enough heat when spot-welded at the factory???
The Motorcraft Catalogue is kinda confused about this plug build type, in one description calling it a fine-wire Double Platinum good for 60-75K miles, then another description saying it was a Iridium enhanced center electrode with Platinum pad side-wire design, good for 75-100K miles, like the Autolite XP plug design. SO, if its the first design, a standard double platinum, (Nickel fine-wire center electrode, with a platinum pad welded on), (No iridium enhancement), then they won't last as long as the iridium enhanced center electrode, as platinum & nickel have a Much lower melting point than iridium, so won't last as long under high temperatures & the waste spark Double work load. All a vicious circle.
Bet that puppy is running better with those new plugs & wires.
pawpaw, funny thing that mentioned it! You’re the second person to mention “maybe the fine-wire platinum pads got scuffed off during their spark gapping”!
I’m the first one to admit that I’m probably not the best spark plug gapping expert in the world!
Anyway, I’ve decided not to get too scientific about this, it runs amazingly better. Perhaps the best course of action from now on is to pick a nice sunny day in the spring time up here in Alaska and for the price of the SP432’s just replace them every other year and call it good….
I used Autolite APP104 double platinum in my 97 3.0 and they lasted 100,000 miles easy and Rock auto has them in stock. I can't find the part number for the Motorcraft double platinum so I looked on several parts web sites and also could not find them. I suspect Ford may have quit supporting them.
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