There seems to be some debate on what plugs are best for the Ford 2.5L Duratec in 99-02 Cougars. OEM plugs were double platinum, but some say iridium are okay. I have some lightly used iridium plugs that fit on hand that I can use, but don't mind spending the $25 for double platinum if they are better.
Double Platinum or Iridium in Waste Gate Ignition
- Thread starter ET16
- Start date
- Status
Go with iridium they last for ever (relatively speaking) a lot of the cheaper platinum plugs will have a platinum electrode but still have chopper tip (can't recall the actual name).
Those plugs will work but if its not a platinum tip and electrode then they still wear at the same speed of normal chopper plugs.
I'll be honest I'm not really to up to date with spark plugs so the double platinums maybe the tip and electrode ones but I'm not certain.
You can save some money buying iridium plugs online tho.
Those plugs will work but if its not a platinum tip and electrode then they still wear at the same speed of normal chopper plugs.
I'll be honest I'm not really to up to date with spark plugs so the double platinums maybe the tip and electrode ones but I'm not certain.
You can save some money buying iridium plugs online tho.
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2008
- Messages
- 5,524
Waste gate ignition?
It's a mixed bag. The standard response on the Duratec has been to use the factory Motorcraft plugs, never an issue. But 3rd party plugs are hit or miss. I'd just go with motorcraft. And it's waste fire. The waste gate is part of a turbo. Waste fire is when the plugs fire twice a cycle on the exhaust so they end up getting more use that plugs that just fire once.
I have a waste spark ignition 1996 2.0L Zetec that uses dual platinum spark plugs. When I was ordering some parts from Rock Auto I checked on the spark plugs for the Zetec and one of the listings was for NGK Iridium IX plugs. Found out afterwards they are not meant for waste spark ignitions if you want to run over 30,000 miles on them. I installed them because they are so easy to change anyway on the Zetec if need be. I have to admit the Contour has never run better, even doing nothing other than changing to the NGK Iridium IX plugs from the spec'd Motorcraft plugs. I can't explain it because a properly spec'd plug should not affect operation/performance
.
Whimsey
Whimsey
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Whimsey
I have a waste spark ignition 1996 2.0L Zetec that uses dual platinum spark plugs. When I was ordering some parts from Rock Auto I checked on the spark plugs for the Zetec and one of the listings was for NGK Iridium IX plugs. Found out afterwards they are not meant for waste spark ignitions if you want to run over 30,000 miles on them. I installed them because they are so easy to change anyway on the Zetec if need be. I have to admit the Contour has never run better, even doing nothing other than changing to the NGK Iridium IX plugs from the spec'd Motorcraft plugs. I can't explain it because a properly spec'd plug should not affect operation/performance
.
Whimsey
There are also two different types of Iridium plugs, just like platinum plugs. You can get them with copper ground electrode or platinum ground electrode. Make sure to get Iridium with platinum ground electrode if you want long life.
Just ran into this exact issue for my own car, on the NGK website, they have iridium and platinum plugs listed. The one actually listed as "platinum" is actually an iridium with the platinum ground.
I have a waste spark ignition 1996 2.0L Zetec that uses dual platinum spark plugs. When I was ordering some parts from Rock Auto I checked on the spark plugs for the Zetec and one of the listings was for NGK Iridium IX plugs. Found out afterwards they are not meant for waste spark ignitions if you want to run over 30,000 miles on them. I installed them because they are so easy to change anyway on the Zetec if need be. I have to admit the Contour has never run better, even doing nothing other than changing to the NGK Iridium IX plugs from the spec'd Motorcraft plugs. I can't explain it because a properly spec'd plug should not affect operation/performance
Whimsey
There are also two different types of Iridium plugs, just like platinum plugs. You can get them with copper ground electrode or platinum ground electrode. Make sure to get Iridium with platinum ground electrode if you want long life.
Just ran into this exact issue for my own car, on the NGK website, they have iridium and platinum plugs listed. The one actually listed as "platinum" is actually an iridium with the platinum ground.
Last edited:
I don't think there's any point to using iridium plugs in a wasted spark ignition system because only one of the electrodes is iridium. The plugs that fire the opposite direction will wear out faster. I would just use double platinums. They should wear about the same rate on both sides of the coil and will be cheaper than iridium.
I WOULD NOT use a std Ir plug on waste spark iggys; 1/2 of the cyl count fires GND to centre, and Irs are weak here.
Double plats with raised pills are prescribed. I think Denso has something in the Ir TT but Ive never tried them on a FORD but I bet the correct motorcrafpt will work at least OK. You only need the doubles on the NEG side. I have 4 denso TT for a 2011 Ranger never used.
Denso TT:
Double plats with raised pills are prescribed. I think Denso has something in the Ir TT but Ive never tried them on a FORD but I bet the correct motorcrafpt will work at least OK. You only need the doubles on the NEG side. I have 4 denso TT for a 2011 Ranger never used.
Denso TT:
Last edited:
I've been running Autolite Iridium XP plugs in my 2012 5.7L Hemi Ram for over 2 years now - no problems. Warranty when I bought these plugs was 7 years & unlimited miles, but I believe it's been revised to lifetime warranty period. These were $2 per plug after rebate when I bought them at AZ. With 16 spark plugs in my engine I wanted to minimize the number of times I had to change plugs.
There were many old wives' tales about only using OEM copper plugs in these engines when I installed my Iridium plugs but FCA themselves came out with an emergency services Ram in 2012 MY with 100K mile plugs from the factory, dispelling that. When I took my truck in for a factory recall on the steering system, I was even told these iridium may work in warm weather but not cold - but they went through a Great Lakes winter as flawlessly as South Texas summers. No comments from dealership personnel when I pointed out the Ram Emergency Services configuration.
http://www.allpar.com/squads/police-cars/ram.html
There were many old wives' tales about only using OEM copper plugs in these engines when I installed my Iridium plugs but FCA themselves came out with an emergency services Ram in 2012 MY with 100K mile plugs from the factory, dispelling that. When I took my truck in for a factory recall on the steering system, I was even told these iridium may work in warm weather but not cold - but they went through a Great Lakes winter as flawlessly as South Texas summers. No comments from dealership personnel when I pointed out the Ram Emergency Services configuration.
http://www.allpar.com/squads/police-cars/ram.html
Kestas
Staff member
Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
There are also two different types of Iridium plugs, just like platinum plugs. You can get them with copper ground electrode or platinum ground electrode. Make sure to get Iridium with platinum ground electrode if you want long life.
Just ran into this exact issue for my own car, on the NGK website, they have iridium and platinum plugs listed. The one actually listed as "platinum" is actually an iridium with the platinum ground.
I'm pretty sure you'll find most platinum and iridium plugs have a copper core ground. You probably think the copper is the exposed electrode. That is not the case. It's in the core of the ground electrode. Iridium and platinum are just the very tip of the electrodes. Anything that is not iridium or platinum on the exposed electrode is likely nickel, which is good at resisting hot corrosion.
There are also two different types of Iridium plugs, just like platinum plugs. You can get them with copper ground electrode or platinum ground electrode. Make sure to get Iridium with platinum ground electrode if you want long life.
Just ran into this exact issue for my own car, on the NGK website, they have iridium and platinum plugs listed. The one actually listed as "platinum" is actually an iridium with the platinum ground.
I'm pretty sure you'll find most platinum and iridium plugs have a copper core ground. You probably think the copper is the exposed electrode. That is not the case. It's in the core of the ground electrode. Iridium and platinum are just the very tip of the electrodes. Anything that is not iridium or platinum on the exposed electrode is likely nickel, which is good at resisting hot corrosion.
My choice would be NGK Laser Iridium plugs and NGK wires. The Denso Idirium TT is another good choice.
And if you have to pull the intake, you might as well replace the valve cover gaskets while you're in there
And if you have to pull the intake, you might as well replace the valve cover gaskets while you're in there
NGK and Denso are Iridium centre electrode and platinum button welded to the ground electrode.
Same with the Autolite XP plugs I'm running.
"Iridium enhanced center electrode
Patented platinum sidewire technology"
http://www.autolite.com/products/best-spark-plugs.aspx#iridium-xp-spark-plugs
"Iridium enhanced center electrode
Patented platinum sidewire technology"
http://www.autolite.com/products/best-spark-plugs.aspx#iridium-xp-spark-plugs
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked