Holy Guacamole....
I was considering doing this but I just looked at the ?space???
What in the "H" do you have to do.. pull the engine to change the plugs and plug wires?? Guess I didn't expect it to be that bad....just frustrated at what I saw.
Tim

 

Most of the plugs can be reached through the wheel wells if you jack the front end up a little so you can get your hands in between the tires and the frame. The driver's side is very accessible. It's the passenger rearmost plug that gives all of us headaches. You can remove the doghouse opening in the van and sort of see that plug. Seeing it is one thing, getting it out is another. I found that by disconnecting the battery, then removing the alternator, you have a clear shot of this plug. It's hell to have to do this, but I think that's the least time consumming option since the alternator can be removed in 20 min.

Just make sure you get the Autolite or Motorcraft plugs and wires. You don't want to have to do this too often

Good luck

 

The band of plugs seems less important, but OEM grade wires is a must. I just changed out my wires for Napa Premium wires, which are at least as good as Motorcraft. It didn't resolve my minor misfire, which only seems to happen at idle, so I'm thinking thats not the problem. But hey, the wires were about due, and I replaced the cap and rotor too. The plugs are new too. I used Bosch Platinums for the plugs. I always get the rear passenger side plug from underneath the vehicle. I can replace that plug in under 5 minutes, (includeing removing the boot). Getting the boot of was the hardest part, then I just put my socket up in there, and once it was loosened, I threaded the plug out by hand. Had the new plug all ready with anti seize compound. Threaded it in, thightened it with the wrench, and the attached the wire. Done. Make sure you use Platinum plugs that are good for at least 50-60k miles.

 

I agree that the easiest way to change the right rear plug is to get at it from underneath. On Stars without rear air it can be done through the doghouse opening. With rear air the refrigerant lines get in the way. I just changed the plugs on my 94 EB ext AWD. The front plugs on the passenger side are easily changed through the wheel well. I changed the two front plugs on the driver's side; the front plug from standing in front of vehicle and the middle plug from underneath. Don't ask about the rear plug on the driver's side. Had to get wife's help for that. She has really slender small hands. Used Bosch double platinum for the rear plugs on both sides. Regular Bosch platinum for the other four. A pack of two Bosch double platinum plugs at Wal-Mart is $7.96 in PA. Advance Auto has Autolite plug wires for the 4L for $37.46. They appear to be as good as MotorCraft. Two nice tools to have for the job are a longer non-ratcheting socket wrench to loosen the plugs and a good spark plug boot-puller. With the tight clearances, it is sometimes difficult to get the boots off. Usually toughest part of job. I have changed the plugs on three different Stars for a total of 7 changes. I would rather have my teeth drilled by a dentist. Also, wearing rubber gloves cuts down on the time it takes to clean up your hands and arms.

 

XRAYJOCK,
Why two different plugs? Special for the back two??
Tim

 

Well, the double platinum don't need gapped. And maybe I would skip changing those plugs next time. I had already bought the single platinum at Advanced. I was tempted to pay almost $6.00 a plug at Advanced but didn't. But when I saw them at Wal-Mart for $8.00 a pair I bought them for the rear positions. I don't want to ask wife to change the left rear plug again. Cost me too much, haha.

Jerry aka Xrayjock.

I am a x-ray fluorescence spectrometer analysis lab supervisor for a major glass manufacturer.

 

Jerry
Ok, got it thanks..
Tim

I'm retired. Well, sort of, acre of land keeps me busier than when I worked...

 

Tim:

Just watch out for Bosch plugs. They are good for the 3.0L, but no good for the 4.0L. The reason, I believe is that the plugs in the 4.0L are bi-directional. The spark travels in one direction for half a cycle and then in the opposite direction during the exhaust cycle. Don't ask me why!!!! I'd go for the Autolite double platinum.

The same goes for Bosch wires. They don't work, period. It's not that they don't work well, they just don't work. At least for my brother's case. He ordered a set on line for close to $40. The wires kept popping out of the coil pack. Really cheezy stuff.

 

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but I have used Bosch wires and single electrode platinum Autolite plugs without problems for the past 50,000 miles. ('91 4.0 AWD) Copper is correct, there are junk wires out there - been down that road already. Not only do they not fit correctly, they do not last beyond 20,000 miles. I'm still undecided as to whether multiple electrode plugs are justified. With the return of our summer gasoline blends, I am still seeing 19-20mpg on the aforementioned setup. Most of my driving is at altitude (4500 to 9000 ft) so, I am pleased with the performance of these components.

 

Hi Aerocolorado:

I think the "double platinum" designation, at least on my Autolite plugs, meant that the platinum coating is on both ends of the spark. It still has only one single electrode.

 

With Bosch double platinum plugs the center electrode is heavier in platinum content, according the the literature with the plugs. There are two opposed ground electrodes. They also make a quad platinum plug. Anyways the Bosch plugs come with a money back satisfaction guarantee. I don't have any experience with Bosch plug wires. Advanced carries Autolite plug wires and that is what I use. Also the bit about spark reversing direction is questionable at best. With direct current it only flows one way i.e. from the center electrode to the ground electrodes. You can't have spark flowing from the block to the center electrode. One thought that comes to mind with the Bosch wires. How do you know you havn't bought some cheap pirated knockoffs? Just a thought.

 

Hi Xrayjock:

That bit about the spark going both ways I got from the Ford manual for the 4.0L engine. Everytime spark occurs in one cylinder, the coil applies a small fraction of the energy in REVERSE POLARITY to another cylinder in the exhaust cycle.

About the Bosch wires, yes we got the genuine articles from Autozone with lifetime warranty, not a cheap knockoff. We just never could get it to stay on the coil pack.

 

Greetings copper, et. al.

I'd bet like everything else, there are varying grades of Bosch plug wires. I do recall they were a LOT more expensive than any other plug wire AutoZone had in stock. The cheap, 'Ultimate' ones I had purchased earlier in the day would not fasten down on the coil pack without snapping off the chintzy little clips. The Bosch set had the same nice connectors as the Motorcraft set I was replacing.

 

Went with bosch double platinum and autolite professional wires. Ok so far. Was a real PITA job....like someone said would rather go to the dentist. Took about 7 hours of grunt and cuss. Ford engineering at it's finest.

One quick question. Front plug, drivers side was very oily on threads back toward seat. Contact area was dry....any ideas?? Manual suggest major problems perhaps....I don't want to think about that.....
Tim

 

Check the valve cover gaskets.