sparkplugs

[smokesho52]

anyone know anything about splitfire sparkplugs?
the part number on the box is sf392d, just wondering if anyone has them in there car.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap. The only plug specifically designed for the SHO is the Motorcraft AGSP32PP double-platinum plug available from FordPartsNetwork.com for $3.99/ea. Any other plug is going to be a waste of $$$. Search the forum under plugs.

 

[JoeHoe_SHO]

SHOooo:
Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap. The only plug specifically designed for the SHO is the Motorcraft AGSP32PP double-platinum plug available from FordPartsNetwork.com for $3.99/ea. Any other plug is going to be a waste of $$$. Search the forum under plugs.

That is what you call nailing the ol' nail on the head thumbs_u

 

[89 Gary]

I've got the Bosch plat. 4 and they fit perfectly and give great performance. I got exactly 30mpg on my trip to Fla. last year (1400m) when I never got over 26mpg ever! in 250k miles. After 10k miles with the Bosch it still is good. boink

 

[projectSHO89]

I picked up a 6-pack of the motorcrafts today from O'Reilly's (ordered from warehouse).

Under $25 including tax, plus a $.60 mail-in rebate per plug.

Steve

 

[Doug Waschenko]

Yes I ran them.
The engine seems to be peppier with them, maybe 10hp worth,
problem is they won't last very long, maybe 20,000 miles, probably closer to 15,000.
My car just ate the tips off of them around that milage.
If you don't mind changing them every 10-12,000 miles they are worthwhile.
There is a reason that the factory used the platinum plugs. They give better averaged performance over a very, very long life then anything else available

 

[RStalveyARFF]

The factory uses double platinum spark plugs, for a reason. The DIS system is unlike you average ignition system. You have spark out one spark plug, and another grounds through the electrode and back into the coil. The reason your tips are being worn down is because a splitfire is simply not meant for this type of application. Either Motorcraft AGSP32PP plugs, or Autolite 3924 Double platinums are about your only choices. (yes the autolites leave a little room between the valve cover and plug wire seal.)

 

[Doug Waschenko]

The splitfires run fine, they just don't have the durabilaty of a platimun plug which was put in the car for servicability reasons.
As a matter of face the splitfires produce a noticable improvement in power accross the entire rpm range.

 

[shojuan]

Doug Waschenko:
The splitfires run fine, they just don't have the durabilaty of a platimun plug which was put in the car for servicability reasons.
As a matter of face the splitfires produce a noticable improvement in power accross the entire rpm range.

Compared to a worn plug. If more people took the time to compare brand new splitfires to brand new OEM plugs they'd realize what a bunch of snake oil those splitfires are. Of course nobody wants to take the time to do this.

 

[RStalveyARFF]

Doug Waschenko:
The splitfires run fine, they just don't have the durabilaty of a platimun plug which was put in the car for servicability reasons.
As a matter of face the splitfires produce a noticable improvement in power accross the entire rpm range.

If that's the case, then how come the Bosch platinum +4's run like crap in our cars? This is meant as constructive criticism, you need to look up more things before you become the "expert" on them.

 

[LaTechSHO]

well...unfortunately i sell splitfire plugs.... and to set the record straight.... splitfire ALSO has a TRIPLE platinum plug which would solve the arguement as far as having platinum on "both" electrodes.... HOWEVER.... and i speak in a much broader sense than just Taurus SHO motors...... Bosch Platinum, Bosch 2, and Bosch Platinum plugs IN GENERAL do not last past 10,000 miles in ANY engine... now...that being said...i would run a bosch plug in a car that had bosch plugs OE (i.e. Audi) ... if you run them, and you like them, good for you..... but I've been selling auto parts for a while now.... and i have spoken with those that use them or have used them EVERY day... i wouldn't put them in ANYTHING unless they were called for... and you will even find that most manufacturers....EVEN TODAY do no call for Bosch Platinum plugs.... if they use bosch, its Bosch Super or regular plugs...

now.... as for Splitfire plugs... i sell those too, and i can honestly say that the results i have seen are not impressive.... when they first came out i tried them (not in the SHO) and noticed no difference besides the fact that i needed to change them after 20,000 miles...

to those of you who wish to venture out and try new things, good luck... but when it comes to the absolutely IMPORTANT aspect of the properties of spark plugs... ie heat dissapation properties into the head .... i would imagine that the engineers at yamaha/ford have/had a fairly good idea of optimal specs on a spark plug for the heads they designed..... NOW.... if things are modified which lends to different combustion conditions.... you may do well by trying a different plug..... but if you are staying factory... why not trust the guys who designed it???


Food for thought,
Louis

 

[Mr Anonymous]

lb-sho:
to those of you who wish to venture out and try new things, good luck... but when it comes to the absolutely IMPORTANT aspect of the properties of spark plugs... ie heat dissapation properties into the head .... i would imagine that the engineers at yamaha/ford have/had a fairly good idea of optimal specs on a spark plug for the heads they designed..... NOW.... if things are modified which lends to different combustion conditions.... you may do well by trying a different plug..... but if you are staying factory... why not trust the guys who designed it???

AMEN!

 

[munkee]

I run the triple (okay they are really only double) platinum plugs. I am not going to claim a performance gain or loss as opposed to the motorcraft plug because there isn't any and I don't have any problems with them whatsoever. Any brand of plug you use on the sho needs to be the double platinum plug or you will be changing them a lot more often! Smokesho, I don't know by the part number but look at the plug. If it is the platinum tipped plug then you will be all right using it. If it's not then I wouldn't use it. The only advantage I can see to the splitfire is you have two pads of platinum on the top piece for the spark to fire to (and from). This allows the plug to stay in the optimal gap range longer than a conventional plug(although anyone would be hard pressed to tell any difference in driveability between the two) because the spark will fire along the shortest route. As one side wears down the other side becomes the shorter path and the spark switches accordingly. The split is also supposed to allow the flame kernel to travel straight down into the cylinder but in my opinion, the fires gonna burn no matter where you light it from.
P.S. Shojuan, I have spent lots of time (not on a dyno unfortunately)and cash checking out different plugs over the years comparing new to new and used to used. My findings are that the splitfires aren't quite snakeoil but the bosch plus fours are. When I first got my 90 sho the motorcraft plugs were overgapped by more than .50, there was practically no electrode left but the car would still burn rubber quite literally. I stuck in a brand new set of +4s (out of curiousity, not the intent to leave them) and you could tell the car was more sluggish. It would still burn out but the acceleration was slower. I could notice no difference between the splits and the motorcraft so I went with the splits because they were cheaper at the time. (I hadn't heard about FPN yet)Anyway, my advice is either go with the motorcraft or the splitfire, other than that your on your own.

 

[shojuan]

lb-sho:
and i speak in a much broader sense than just Taurus SHO motors...... Bosch Platinum, Bosch 2, and Bosch Platinum plugs IN GENERAL do not last past 10,000 miles in ANY engine... now...that being said...i would run a bosch plug in a car that had bosch plugs OE (i.e. Audi) ... if you run them, and you like them, good for you.....

I actually ran a set of Bosch Platinum plugs for 50,000 miles with great results in my old 1990 Camry 2.0 liter. I put them in about 25,000 miles and still had the set in at 75,000 miles when the car got totaled. Actually, it might have been 80,000-85,000 miles, I forget. The reason why I used them is because I used them in my old 914 and liked them there and I used them in my Mitsubishi 2.6 and liked them there too. No, I would never use them in the SHO and I would especially avoid the +2 and +4 versions. But really, in those cars I used them in they were a good performing and long lasting plug. Hehe, back then I was very pro-aftermarket and anti-OEM but now I tend to go for OEM parts more on things like spark plugs. The Bosch platinums will stay in the 914 but the Mitsubishi 2.6 now has stock NGK U-groove copper plugs.

For the SHO the best advice is to use the stock Motorcraft double platinum plugs unless running nitrous. Nitrous users should look into Iridium plugs for the ultimate (I forget if the NGK or the Denso is the brand to use, JT knows) or Copper plugs for economy. Coppers will need to be changed every 10,000 miles.

There's really no excuse not to use the stock Motorcraft plugs. They aren't very expensive from Ford Parts Network and they are the only plug with a proven track record in our engines.

 

[Silver Bullet]

The MOTORCRAFT plugs will never let you down, and they will surely last longer than ANY other spark plug you decide to put in your SHO... Trust me... I have tried them all, and nothing compares to those double platinum warriors!! wink

 

[LaTechSHO]

shojuan:
I actually ran a set of Bosch Platinum plugs for 50,000 miles with great results in my old 1990 Camry 2.0 liter. I put them in about 25,000 miles and still had the set in at 75,000 miles when the car got totaled. Actually, it might have been 80,000-85,000 miles, I forget. The reason why I used them is because I used them in my old 914 and liked them there and I used them in my Mitsubishi 2.6 and liked them there too. No, I would never use them in the SHO and I would especially avoid the +2 and +4 versions. But really, in those cars I used them in they were a good performing and long lasting plug. Hehe, back then I was very pro-aftermarket and anti-OEM but now I tend to go for OEM parts more on things like spark plugs. The Bosch platinums will stay in the 914 but the Mitsubishi 2.6 now has stock NGK U-groove copper plugs.

well.... i'm glad you had a good experience with them... and i can say you are one out of a handful that have had good experience vs. a group of immeasurable size that has had bad experiences with them... perhaps it has to do with a bosch platinum plug not being as good in a less than optimal combustion condition.... perhaps you got a few good batches...... perhaps everyone i talk to about them gets bad batches.... i don't know.... as i said.... i am just speaking on past experiences with them....
i hope you continue to have good luck with them... i am just trying to relay my thoughts and experience on the subject....

to everyone... if you stay OE on nothing else.... i'd stay OE on spark plugs... and that goes for nearly EVERY engine..


Louis

 

[SnoSho]

I just put in a set of Denso Iridiums, Got a 30 buck off coupon from Nopi at a carshow wink So I figured what the **** if I'm out 20 bucks I'm out 20 bucks. I'll have to post pictures of the +4's not sure how long they were in the car I bought it last year and really didn't get much drive time. They are just BURNED all 4 points and the electrode are charbroiled. Anyway I figure Denso built the plugs for Ford for OEM so they should work, they fit perfect and the boots scnap down tight.

 

[DHMag]

ive never used Splitfires, never had a desire to. but in my 94 Ranger 4.0, the DIS system is identical to the SHO. i ran Bosch Plats in my Ranger for the better part of 100K and had no problems (with only one plug change at 60K). the electrodes stood up to the test of time. i tried the Plats in my SHO and after less than 8K miles, i pulled em out and put in the Motorcraft. 2 reasons i pulled the Plats: 1) fuel economy had gone away (was getting 28 on the highway, now only getting 16), 2) the electrodes went away. with the insulator protecting so much of the electrode, i wouldnt have been able to get an accurate gapping.