B2300 tuneup; things that make you say hmmmmm.

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No ?, just an observation.

Decided to tuneup the B2300; it has been about 88K and still has the factory plugs in it. I wander over to the ranger forums and everyone seems to be saying "use the autolite double platinums; they are designed with that motor in mind; use the factory plugs" bla bla bla. I, for some reason, associated Autolite with Ford, but it appears to be an association 50 years old...

So I dump the idea of using iridiums and buy a gapping gauge, figuring I'll need it and I remove a SP only to find "the factory plugs" are NGK iridiums.

Probably a good lesson on not overthinking or researching anything before "looking at the job"

-T
 
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Haha, so I have found as well. Too much advice can be detrimental.

My daughter has an 01 B2300 Mazda/Ranger, we love the little truck.

Now I learned a bit more about my only Ford...
 
Autolite makes Motorcraft plugs. But if it doesn't have Motorcraft plugs ...

I don't remember what mine were. I'll have to check to see if they were NGK or Motorcraft.

I switched my Focus' iridium plugs (same engine, just smaller displacement) out for Autolite platinum and it works fine.
 
I know in the old days there was a simple pairing

Mopar / Champion
GM / Delco
Ford / Motorcraft or Autolite

I'm an NGK person, and just put them in my 305, but since some cars can be picky, I'd lean towards the OEM plug.
 
Before I'd ever heard the Autolite/Ford association, my brother tried installing Autolite plugs in a '97 or '98 Silverado 350 v8 (this was at least a dozen years ago). The ol' Chevy would NOT run right on the Autolites - I wouldn't have believed it if I wasn't there to witness it myself. We ran to the parts store, picked up a set of Delcos, switched them out, and all was solved.

I prefer Delcos and NGKs in GMs, though I once had a GM 4.3 that ran well on Bosch Platinums.
 
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
...it has been about 88K and still has the factory plugs in it...


If they've held up well for you this long, there's little sense to 'upgrading' at this point imho.
 
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
2300 is a Japanese/Mazda engine,its no wonder it has NGK in it.


X2, that engine has its roots at Mazda. It's not some old school Lima, Ohio or Cologne, Germany engine like everything else Ford put in the Ranger.

What you heard on the Ranger forums is true for an OLD 2.3 (Lima), 3.0, or 4.0, but not so much for the Duratec. Use NGK and be happy.
 
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
2300 is a Japanese/Mazda engine,its no wonder it has NGK in it.


X2, that engine has its roots at Mazda. It's not some old school Lima, Ohio or Cologne, Germany engine like everything else Ford put in the Ranger.

What you heard on the Ranger forums is true for an OLD 2.3 (Lima), 3.0, or 4.0, but not so much for the Duratec. Use NGK and be happy.


It's a good little engine, though! I like my 2.0L smaller brother. I think a ranger with a 2.3 and 5 speed manual would be a good little truck.
 
Autolite = Fram group.

Given the choice between Autolite and NGK, I think it's obvious who I trust more
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts

Decided to tuneup the B2300; it has been about 88K and still has the factory plugs in it.


Why change so early? I run iridium plugs 100-120k
 
Originally Posted By: danthaman1980
The ol' Chevy would NOT run right on the Autolites - I wouldn't have believed it if I wasn't there to witness it myself.
I believe it. I once tried to use Champions in my '94 Thunderbird SuperCoupe. Didn't idle right. Put Motorcraft in and it played like a champ.
 
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