Plug Change
Rookie
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 57
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What did the engineer from Detroit have to say? Price of the plug to me is not as important as the labor cost to install them. $2 or $8 is not the issue. It's how long will this take and has anyone paid to have theirs changed. This is the question I asked to start the thread, yet I am getting a class on spark plugs. I don't care what they use. I only care what they charge. The dealer does ALL my maintenance. And I will not do anything to affect my warranty adversely.
Record Breaker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,661
Likes: 1
From: Virginia Beach
What did the engineer from Detroit have to say? Price of the plug to me is not as important as the labor cost to install them. $2 or $8 is not the issue. It's how long will this take and has anyone paid to have theirs changed. This is the question I asked to start the thread, yet I am getting a class on spark plugs. I don't care what they use. I only care what they charge. The dealer does ALL my maintenance. And I will not do anything to affect my warranty adversely.
It is a forum, you will get all kinds of replies.
The dealer won't/should'nt put in any plug except for what is in the service manual. So, no platinums.
Record Breaker
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,513
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Okay, did some more digging. It seems we have a wasted spark ignition system. With this type of ignition system, one spark plug is fired normally and the other is fired backwards.
With one firing backwards, if the plug is not a double platinum, it will wear prematurely and cause issues since the plug gap gets bigger and bigger.
So, I am thinking a double platinum *should* work while the single platinum will cause issues.
With one firing backwards, if the plug is not a double platinum, it will wear prematurely and cause issues since the plug gap gets bigger and bigger.
So, I am thinking a double platinum *should* work while the single platinum will cause issues.
Ok. Does the 5.7L come with coppers from the factory? If they do, then it only means one thing, saving $$$ off the line.
A system like the one stated above chews through copper plugs fast. The ford 4.0L V6 uses this system, and for that reason, they send the trucks out of the plant with (get this bs) 3 platinum plugs on one side, and 3 DOULBE platinums on the other side, because the regular platinums would get eaten alive on the side that fires backwards, so they put 3 DOUBLE platinums on that side, and the other side, to save money, just regular plats. Wouldnt you expect a company to just say "might as well do double plats all the way around".
However, once customers take the truck to ford service shops for new plugs, theres only 1 part number, and thats for the double platinum, to be installed on all 6 cyl. to minimize confusion. So, they purely put 3 regular plats in off the line to save a few dimes., and they dont carry them at the dealers. It's all about the bottom line. And chrysler does it too. Coppers ensure you come to get the service often, period.
Now if chrysler is putting copper plugs in there hemis with this kind of system, then thats insane, and a hell of a way to save money imo. (if they put double plats, then i just typed all this for nothing lol)
A spark plug is not voodoo science. If the spark plug is the correct heat range, and is gapped properly before installation, it should perform fine. The coating on the electrode just extends the life of the plug. I agree it may be cheaper to run copper plugs rather than platinum over the life of the vehicle, but I would rather spend a few more dollars and save my knuckles.
I always switched to platinum plugs, autolite double plats. So I only had to change them half as often. Never had I heard that they cause misfiring and sh*t until I joined forums like this.
It's just blown out of proportion hear say. Copper plugs are in the 3.7, 4.7 and 5.7 from the factory. Once there shot, i put in double platinums and Ive never noticed a difference. Now I hardly ever have to change them. I never had one get stuck yet from being in there long, knock on wood.
Copper and platinum do yeild different resistances, but not nearly enough to effect the ignition system. Some companies, that make platinum plugs address the small change, and set a wider gap on there platinum plugs, vs the counterpart copper plugs. NGK does this for my part number, autolite does not.
Last edited by MonkeyWrench4000; Oct 2, 2009 at 04:30 PM.
Professional
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: anchorage, AK
What did the engineer from Detroit have to say? Price of the plug to me is not as important as the labor cost to install them. $2 or $8 is not the issue. It's how long will this take and has anyone paid to have theirs changed. This is the question I asked to start the thread, yet I am getting a class on spark plugs. I don't care what they use. I only care what they charge. The dealer does ALL my maintenance. And I will not do anything to affect my warranty adversely.
Record Breaker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,661
Likes: 1
From: Virginia Beach
Ok. Does the 5.7L come with coppers from the factory? If they do, then it only means one thing, saving $$$ off the line.
A system like the one stated above chews through copper plugs fast. The ford 4.0L V6 uses this system, and for that reason, they send the trucks out of the plant with (get this bs) 3 platinum plugs on one side, and 3 DOULBE platinums on the other side, because the regular platinums would get eaten alive on the side that fires backwards, so they put 3 DOUBLE platinums on that side, and the other side, to save money, just regular plats. Wouldnt you expect a company to just say "might as well do double plats all the way around".
However, once customers take the truck to ford service shops for new plugs, theres only 1 part number, and thats for the double platinum, to be installed on all 6 cyl. to minimize confusion. So, they purely put 3 regular plats in off the line to save a few dimes., and they dont carry them at the dealers. It's all about the bottom line. And chrysler does it too. Coppers ensure you come to get the service often, period.
Now if chrysler is putting copper plugs in there hemis with this kind of system, then thats insane, and a hell of a way to save money imo. (if they put double plats, then i just typed all this for nothing lol)
I don't know if I agree that it was a $$$ thing. I am not against it though. Is there any proof of it being a money thing aside from assumption?
EXACTLY.
I always switched to platinum plugs, autolite double plats. So I only had to change them half as often. Never had I heard that they cause misfiring and sh*t until I joined forums like this.
It's just blown out of proportion hear say. Copper plugs are in the 3.7, 4.7 and 5.7 from the factory. Once there shot, i put in double platinums and Ive never noticed a difference. Now I hardly ever have to change them. I never had one get stuck yet from being in there long, knock on wood.
I think the key here is the use of double platinums. So far, the ones I have found with issues used a single platinum.
Copper and platinum do yeild different resistances, but not nearly enough to effect the ignition system. Some companies, that make platinum plugs address the small change, and set a wider gap on there platinum plugs, vs the counterpart copper plugs. NGK does this for my part number, autolite does not.
Exactly. I was not claiming a change in resistance was a culprit, but I was not ready to rule it out. Diablo said there was 15,000 pages of programming for the 2009 PCM. I am sure some of that programming involved sparks plugs in one way or another.
A system like the one stated above chews through copper plugs fast. The ford 4.0L V6 uses this system, and for that reason, they send the trucks out of the plant with (get this bs) 3 platinum plugs on one side, and 3 DOULBE platinums on the other side, because the regular platinums would get eaten alive on the side that fires backwards, so they put 3 DOUBLE platinums on that side, and the other side, to save money, just regular plats. Wouldnt you expect a company to just say "might as well do double plats all the way around".
However, once customers take the truck to ford service shops for new plugs, theres only 1 part number, and thats for the double platinum, to be installed on all 6 cyl. to minimize confusion. So, they purely put 3 regular plats in off the line to save a few dimes., and they dont carry them at the dealers. It's all about the bottom line. And chrysler does it too. Coppers ensure you come to get the service often, period.
Now if chrysler is putting copper plugs in there hemis with this kind of system, then thats insane, and a hell of a way to save money imo. (if they put double plats, then i just typed all this for nothing lol)
I don't know if I agree that it was a $$$ thing. I am not against it though. Is there any proof of it being a money thing aside from assumption?
EXACTLY.
I always switched to platinum plugs, autolite double plats. So I only had to change them half as often. Never had I heard that they cause misfiring and sh*t until I joined forums like this.
It's just blown out of proportion hear say. Copper plugs are in the 3.7, 4.7 and 5.7 from the factory. Once there shot, i put in double platinums and Ive never noticed a difference. Now I hardly ever have to change them. I never had one get stuck yet from being in there long, knock on wood.
I think the key here is the use of double platinums. So far, the ones I have found with issues used a single platinum.
Copper and platinum do yeild different resistances, but not nearly enough to effect the ignition system. Some companies, that make platinum plugs address the small change, and set a wider gap on there platinum plugs, vs the counterpart copper plugs. NGK does this for my part number, autolite does not.
Exactly. I was not claiming a change in resistance was a culprit, but I was not ready to rule it out. Diablo said there was 15,000 pages of programming for the 2009 PCM. I am sure some of that programming involved sparks plugs in one way or another.
Last edited by sarguy01; Oct 2, 2009 at 08:08 PM.