Spark Plug Life with Turbo/DI engines

[Whimsey]

Is the spark plug life realistically less with a turbo/DI engine vs a NA engine? I'm thinking maybe due to the harsher conditions that it's subject to it is. I know that with today's NA engines spark plug change intervals are usually suggested around 100,000 miles. The interval for our 2017 2.3 EB Explorer is 100,000 miles also. I seem to recall that BDcardinal said he was seeing EB engines coming in with misfire problems due to spark plugs much earlier than 100,000 miles. Just asking

.

Whimsey

 

[mightymousetech]

Originally Posted By: Whimsey
Is the spark plug life realistically less with a turbo/DI engine vs a NA engine? I'm thinking maybe due to the harsher conditions that it's subject to it is. I know that with today's NA engines spark plug change intervals are usually suggested around 100,000 miles. The interval for our 2017 2.3 EB Explorer is 100,000 miles also. I seem to recall that BDcardinal said he was seeing EB engines coming in with misfire problems due to spark plugs much earlier than 100,000 miles. Just asking

.

Whimsey


Well, to give you a data point.

The BMW 128 (6 cyl, NA) has a 100k mile spark plug schedule. When you go to the 135i, which is more or less the same motor, but with a turbo, the spark plug interval is 45k miles. If you add the factory performance tune which bumps the boost a couple pounds, (10% increase in power), it gets reduced to 30k miles.

 

[Quattro Pete]

FYI, on our Q5 with the supercharged 3.0 V6 DI, recommended spark plug replacement interval is 60K miles.

The new turbo 3.0 V6 DI - 40K miles.

 

[benjy]

for similar reasons plugs on turbo'd engines generally gap a bit tighter.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Do they use colder plugs for these TGDI engines, or do they keep using hot plugs for the same reasons they try to get away with 0w20 in a turbo? :]

 

[oldmaninsc]

My Impala 3.6 V6 calls for 100,000 mile spark plug changes, and I'm currently at 78K. No problems, though it is direct injected but not a turbo. (Waiting for all the D.I bashing to start!)

 

[FordBroncoVWJeta]

My 17 Jetta has spark plug replacement of 40,000 miles. DI and Turbo.
The 15 CRV is DI but not turbo, asking for 100,000 miles.

 

[GMBoy]

My CTS as well as 2 others I know with the 3.6DI (mine being a 2008, the others were 2008 and 2009) have a 100k mile plug interval but I only made it to 44k miles when I had plug related misfire. The other 2 went similar miles. The OEM Delco plugs are made by Bosch, which I never had high thoughts of. I replaced them with Autolite Double Platinums and ran those until 100k miles. No misfires and they went longer than the OEM plugs but I figured I should replace them and did with Denso Platinum TT's which are also doing well - I have 160k miles now. I will replace the plugs again at 170k. The other cars I installed Autolite Iridium XPs and NGK's and we also did 60-70k intervals. Plugs are cheap and easy to install on the 3.6DI motor. The NON DI motor add a little extra time to loosen and lift up the intake to get to a few coils.

 

[SHOZ]

My Gen Coupe 2L turbo is going on 60k with the current OE part plugs. My 2010 manual says good for 100k miles, the 2013 manuals says change at 45k miles.

 

[Whimsey]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Do they use colder plugs for these TGDI engines, or do they keep using hot plugs for the same reasons they try to get away with 0w20 in a turbo? :]


Don't know about the heat plug range for this 2.3 EB compared to NA 2.3 engines. The Motorcraft spec is CYFS-12Y-2. It's iridium center electrode and standard ground, no tip or puck on the ground. This Turbo/DI engine thankfully requires a 30 weight oil, not 20 weight. Thankfully because it shears Mobil 1 5w30 to close to a 20 weight in 7,000 miles of all highway driving. Using Motorcraft 5w30 it sheared well into a 20 weight viscosity at only ~4,300 miles, even with a fair amount of highway driving.

Whimsey

 

[Whimsey]

Thanks everyone for your input. With this 2.3 EB being an inline 4 the plugs are easy to get to. I'll change the plugs some where around 30,000-40,000 miles, when it's convenient for me to do so. I definitely do not want to get caught with misfiring plugs since it can cause a lot of damage to the cats and turbo. I ordered a cabin and engine air filter from RA and was able to add the spark plugs without any extra shipping charges. The Motorcraft iridium plugs cost only $4.63 each, cheap!

Whimsey

 

[bdcardinal]

My mom has a 2014 Fusion with the 2.0EB. She just passed 30K miles last week so I will pull and change the plugs to see what they look like. It takes the same plugs as the 2.3EB, SP-537 / CYFS-12Y-2. Funny enough the coils were cheap enough that I though of doing them also while I did the plugs, but I will wait until next time. I have her trained to always use Shell V-Power, 91 octane here, when she gets gas.

When I had my 2004 Volvo S60R which had a 2.5L port injected turbo and made 15psi of boost stock I would do the plugs every 30K miles. They would be pretty wasted by the time I changed them and I would pick up 1-2mpg plus noticeable restoration of power doing them.

 

[Whimsey]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
My mom has a 2014 Fusion with the 2.0EB. She just passed 30K miles last week so I will pull and change the plugs to see what they look like. It takes the same plugs as the 2.3EB, SP-537 / CYFS-12Y-2. Funny enough the coils were cheap enough that I though of doing them also while I did the plugs, but I will wait until next time. I have her trained to always use Shell V-Power, 91 octane here, when she gets gas.

When I had my 2004 Volvo S60R which had a 2.5L port injected turbo and made 15psi of boost stock I would do the plugs every 30K miles. They would be pretty wasted by the time I changed them and I would pick up 1-2mpg plus noticeable restoration of power doing them.


Thanks for responding, I had hoped you would since you see what's happening at the dealer level with these EB engines, in and out of warranty. While we use mainly Shell, since late August we went to Shell 87 octane instead of the 93 and 89 we ran during the summer. Performance wise we could not tell any difference. And ironically when I change the oil in December it did not smell of gas like it did the oil change in August when 89 & 93 was used during for that OCI.
Here in NJ 93 octane is 60+ cents a gallon more than 87 octane, that's a lot for no noticeable driving difference. Again thanks.

Whimsey

 

[bdcardinal]

No problem. I use 91 because in a whole tank of gas it is maybe $2.50 more, usually .20 difference between 87 and 91 here.

I have noticed that with all the Ecoboost vehicles 30K is about when the techs start recommend doing plugs. If there is a misfire code on one cylinder they seem to suggest to do all of them to prevent the customer coming back over and over again. Plus at least in my view this is another thing where spark plugs are so cheap and easy to do on these that I would rather change them out early than risk catalytic converter damage due to misfires.

 

[Whimsey]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
No problem. I use 91 because in a whole tank of gas it is maybe $2.50 more, usually .20 difference between 87 and 91 here.

I have noticed that with all the Ecoboost vehicles 30K is about when the techs start recommend doing plugs. If there is a misfire code on one cylinder they seem to suggest to do all of them to prevent the customer coming back over and over again. Plus at least in my view this is another thing where spark plugs are so cheap and easy to do on these that I would rather change them out early than risk catalytic converter damage due to misfires.

. Thanks again. 30,000 miles makes it easy, that's when the air filter is scheduled to get replaced per Ford's maintenance schedule. You're right they are cheap enough and look easy enough to do. The ones on my 2.0 Zetec are a piece of cake to do. But I know they don't have cop. My 4.6 F-150 did and I could manage them also.

Whimsey

 

[dailydriver]

Some of the modded, bigger turbo/aux fueling system owners on the Fiesta ST forums change out their plugs every 5K miles!

But, they are also using at least a one step colder plug due to the increased cylinder pressures/temps, and are fearful of fouling, and spark 'blowout' on weakened plugs.

I will change mine out every 15K-20K miles with the factory heat range NGK Laser Iridiums since they are easy to change, and there are only four of them to buy, and I might just install the tune I purchased a while ago this summer.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: Whimsey
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
No problem. I use 91 because in a whole tank of gas it is maybe $2.50 more, usually .20 difference between 87 and 91 here.

I have noticed that with all the Ecoboost vehicles 30K is about when the techs start recommend doing plugs. If there is a misfire code on one cylinder they seem to suggest to do all of them to prevent the customer coming back over and over again. Plus at least in my view this is another thing where spark plugs are so cheap and easy to do on these that I would rather change them out early than risk catalytic converter damage due to misfires.

. Thanks again. 30,000 miles makes it easy, that's when the air filter is scheduled to get replaced per Ford's maintenance schedule. You're right they are cheap enough and look easy enough to do. The ones on my 2.0 Zetec are a piece of cake to do. But I know they don't have cop. My 4.6 F-150 did and I could manage them also.

Whimsey


I try to keep maintenance on family vehicles easy so I have more room on the mental hard drive for work files. I do OCIs my mom's Fusion and my Mustang at 5k along with rotating.

 

[Old Mustang Guy]

My wife's 18 Highlander has stop start. With this feature the plug interval was changed from 100 to 60k " in order to keep the emissions warranty in effect".