Where are you guys buying them, I've priced them at a Dealer $8.00 each, no way I will go Bosh first.

Denny

 

Use only the Motorcraft plugs, Bosch will give you problems. Plenty of people have found that out with Ford modulars...

I think people have found them in Walmart, and other brand-name auto parts stores.

 

Autozone carries Motorcraft plugs. I agree, you will be throwing your money away with Bosch plugs.

 

Your dealer is a crook, I paid $5.50 for mine at the dealer. My Windstar plugs were $8 though. Like the others said, stay with Motorcraft unless you like changing plugs.

 

I live in a small town with only 200 people so no AutoZone but I did get on line and they have a on line store. Plugs are only 2.49 each, I'm in no big hurry so I think I will order them and a new AIC.

Denny

 

Why is it so important to stay with Motorcraft plugs? Is this because of the blowout issue or something else? Just curious for when I need to change my plugs.

Thanks.

 

Because thats what they put in from the factory

 

With Motorcraft, you are sure you will be getting the correct heat range plug.

 

The blowout issue relates to the early heads with about 4 threads and the TCE difference between steel and aluminum, plus not keeping them torqued. I don't think there's any particular relationship to the plugs

 

Some ford dealers have internet parts groups and charge much less than they do at the counter. I paid 2.65 each ($7 s/h) Total came out to $37 with Wa state tax. StevenG

 

Something to remember about factory parts, everything was purchased from the lowest price provider. Quality or performance beyond getting it passed for emmissions certificates is secondary. To say you should stay with Motorcraft because that is what it came with is EXACTLY what Motorcraft wants. There are many higher quality parts manufacturers out there, most for competitive or lower prices. This is a great forum becuase you can become an informed buyer. A last comment specific to plugs, no one has proven to me yet there is a legitimate 100,000 mile plug out there. Just look at the gaps when you take them out at 50,000 miles, they take a beating!

 

True enough on the lowest bidder. But from experience I can say that the Ford engines I have, and have had, only Motorcraft plugs work consistently. I tried Bosch, Autolite and even those NGK Iridiums at $12 each. As they say in Texas; El-PASS-o. I will never, ever put anything but a Motorcraft in my Fords again. I DO NOT have a love affair with my plug wrench. Cracked insulators, engine misfires, you name it.

 

Ken04, point taken: it really comes back to personal preference and experience. I race a formula car that has a Ford 2.0 liter engine (pinto motor) and am forced by specs to use many Ford original parts. I prefer some brands of oil, plugs, filters, tires, etc. to others based on my experience. Buy what you like and what works for you is my mantra.

 

Sit on this site for the next four years and you too will be spouting the line "Do not use anything BUT Motorcraft in your Ford Modular"

I can't begin to tell you how many times this has been gone over. Many MANY people reporting misfires and generally bad-running modulars after changing to another brand plug. Switch back to Motorcraft, BAMMO. Back to running like new.

Whether that's the aftermarket manufacturer's cross-reference being off on the heat-range, or something not quite right w/the plug for the modulars, I don't know. But if their cross-reference is wrong, they haven't done their homework anyway, so I'll gladly stay away from anything else.

Caveat: I never, ever, bought Motorcraft anything for my other Ford's. I figured if it broke, why by an original part and have it do it again anyway? I'll still feel that way about water pumps (as long as the aftermarket isn't too cheap, which is a bad thing), starters, you name it, but not plugs after being on this site for so long (and other sites too, like the t-bird/cougar MN12 sites).

Side story: Triumph spec'd Champion plugs on their TR7 2.0L slant-4, from '75 through '81 (all years). I used to work on them on the side through a mechanic friend who didn't know the cars and passed them on to me. Someone would come to my house with Bosch-platinum/Autolite/NGK plugs in the motor and say it needs a valve-clearance adjustment, or maybe there's a burnt valve, or carb rebuild or something pretty major because a "real" mechanic had told them that after not being able to find anything simple. I'd go into my garage and find a dirty set of Champion plugs, clean them up and regap them, swap them for the Bosch's (or whatever) and the car ran fine.

One guy was so happy he threw me a $100 tip. I told him the cleaned up plugs I used would last about 5K or so, and get them done the next oil change ... I talked to one guy a few years later and he said they were still in the car years later. He figured if it ran right, why mess with it?

Now, you'll say "Champions? They're crap"... nope, but enough people have had problems with them when using them in cars that are NOT SPEC'D for Champions, and have problems, and blame them on the brand instead of the fact that those plugs just weren't compatible with the car.

Now, you'll say "What? I've run all sort of plugs in my cars and they all work fine". Well, non-Motorcraft plugs work "fine" for some (if not most) people. But we here have seen more cases of people with misfires with non-Motorcraft plugs than even I can imagine.

Not to shove the "new user" thing down your throat, but there are too many cases of non-MC plugs screwing with your head.

 

I've had the same experience! My Ranger developed a mis, shortly after buying it (I bought it used with about 36K miles). I found the previous owner
had installed Bosch, replaced the Bosch with Motorcraft, and it hasn't had a mis since! My gas Mercedes, however, runs great with Bosch plugs!!!