Motorcraft or Bosch spark plugs?

[92ShoOff]

Hey how's everyone doing this weekend? I'm getting ready to change out the plugs in my '92 SHO, and I was looking all over for Motorcraft double-platinum spark plugs. I ended up getting a set of Motorcraft Platium (single) plugs from the local Ford dealer, and they said that's all that they have available for that engine. I searched online also and found nothing. I went to AutoZone and all they had were the same ones avaialable from the dealership, so I ended up getting a set of Bosch double platinum plugs. So now I have Motorcraft platinum plugs and Bosch double platinum plugs. I should be receiving my Magnacore 8.5mm plug wires next week, and I plan to slowly start working on modifying the car. Right now all I have is a 190lb Walbro fuel pump, but I plan on doing the complete exhaust, 80mm MAF, and under-drive pullies over the next few months.

So for someone that wants performance out of their SHO, are the Bosch plugs ideal? What is your opinion on Bosch vs. Motorcraft? I keep hearing that the Motorcraft double-platinum plugs are the most recommended plugs, but as youi know I was unable to find them. So all I need is a few suggestions on which set of plugs I should install on an everyday driver that I plan on doing a good few modifications to eventually. Thanks for your time!

-Andrew Grayson

 

[qiksho]

I believe I heard that the motocraft plugs had a part # change. The old one was agsp32pp shrug or something like that.

You need double platinum plugs in the SHO motor. 3 of the SHO's I bought had new plugs in them when I bought them...and they weren't the motocraft double platinum. Needless to say 5k miles after I bought the car's, they start missin, runnin ******...guess what...wrong plugs. nono

As far as the Bosch plugs I donno...but I will stick to motocraft.

 

[NoSlo]

I replaced the plugs around October and the Ford dealer still had AGSP32PP, and I got them for about $6 each because of 'club pricing' + 15% maintenance part sale they were having. Always worth asking for a better price to see what the parts guy will do for you. I would tell the dealer the part number and if they can't bring it to you from stock, find another dealer. After reading hours of misc forums I concluded that Ford plugs were the only way to go.

 

[SuperHypedOutput]

Read this:
http://www.shotimes.com/php-bin/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0&sid=62

 

[92ShoOff]

Yeah the guy I spoke with at the parts dept. at the dealership said that there WAS a part # change for those plugs. He said that something about the part # with "pp" was the double-platinum Motorcraft plug, but the new part number that it cross-referenced to was that spark plugs I ended up with-- the single platinum. So maybe they were still around back in October or so, but you think that means that they possibly stopped making them? I mean that's what it kinda sounds like to me. But yeah if I can't find the double-platinum Motorcrafts I think it's worth a try with the Bosch ones I have. I mean they were only $24.00 for all six. Plus I'll be removing most of the top end of the motor off to replace my oil well seals and valve cover gaskets here in a few weeks, so that would be a good time to install those rear spark plugs.

By the way, are there any other gaskets I'll need when taking all that top end of the motor off to replace the valve cover gaskets?

Thanks a bunch guys! And I'll let you know how the Bosch plugs work out after the first 5k... which would only take me about two months or less unfortunately.

 

[92ShoOff]

Hmmm.. after reading that ShoTimes article I think I'm going to install just one Bosch plug and see how well the plug wire mates the surface of the valve cover. If it looks like it's going to seal fine, I'll give the Bosch plugs a go. Otherwise I'll go with the Motorcrafts that I have.

And the Ford part # for the plus that I just bought is: AGSP32FM (F6) ..so I'm guessing the AGSP32PP may have been discontinued and replaced by this new single platinum. What do you guys think?

 

[projectSHO89]

The double plat plugs have been superceded by the finewire version, AGSP32FM. The P-P version may still be available, but stocks will eventually be depleted.

There is no need to fret because they are no longer referred to as "double-plats". They will work just fine.

Steve

 

[92ShoOff]

Well I have the new ones, and there is definitely only one tip on the bottom of each spark plug, rather than two. Each little spark plug says "Platinum" on the box and on the plug. So I'm guessing maybe these new single platinums were made to be just as good as the double platinums, so Ford sees no use in wasting more money on making the double platinums.

That's just my guess.

 

[Rockledge]

92ShoOff:
Well I have the new ones, and there is definitely only one tip on the bottom of each spark plug, rather than two. Each little spark plug says "Platinum" on the box and on the plug. So I'm guessing maybe these new single platinums were made to be just as good as the double platinums, so Ford sees no use in wasting more money on making the double platinums.

That's just my guess.

Good guess.

I offered some information about the new Motorcraft "fine wire" spark plugs a little while back, but I don't think too many people were interested in hearing about them at the time.

http://www.shoforum.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=009561

http://www.shoforum.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=009918#

 

[Andrew Tilson]

double platinum on our plugs just means that there is platinum on both side of the plug, the bosch double platinums have 2 tips, and are a bad waste of time kinda like splitfires. we put some platinum 4's in a honda civic (stock) and drove it literally around the block before it started to miss, pulled the plugs out of it all the electrodes were burned off. replaced bosch platinum 4's with el cheapo autloites= no more problem

 

[wood_e]

Rockledge:

92ShoOff:
Well I have the new ones, and there is definitely only one tip on the bottom of each spark plug, rather than two. Each little spark plug says "Platinum" on the box and on the plug. So I'm guessing maybe these new single platinums were made to be just as good as the double platinums, so Ford sees no use in wasting more money on making the double platinums.

That's just my guess.

Good guess.

I offered some information about the new Motorcraft "fine wire" spark plugs a little while back, but I don't think too many people were interested in hearing about them at the time.

http://www.shoforum.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=009561

http://www.shoforum.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=009918#

I've got about 300 miles on my fine wires I put in my SHO. NO issues thus far.

 

[BlankDisk]

i recently bought Bosch Platinum 4's for my car, and I haven't noticed ANY difference. Something you gotta remember about multi-pronged plugs is that the spark will occur only on the prong with the least path of resistance. So wether you get 1 2 or 4 prongs, it really doesn't matter. The ONLY reason I could see to considering a 2 prong plug would be to "assist" the SHO's double-spark system. But even then, I don't think it would work any better.

 

[projectSHO89]

BlankDisk:
i recently bought Bosch Platinum 4's for my car, and I haven't noticed ANY difference. Something you gotta remember about multi-pronged plugs is that the spark will occur only on the prong with the least path of resistance. So wether you get 1 2 or 4 prongs, it really doesn't matter. The ONLY reason I could see to considering a 2 prong plug would be to "assist" the SHO's double-spark system. But even then, I don't think it would work any better.

It won't unless there are other ignitions system problems.

If multi-pronged plugs were so great, you would see engine manufacturers install them at the factory.

Steve