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Check your plugs

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StoneColdBlue22

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Hey all, I noticed recently that I was having some vibration at idle. I decided to pull the plugs to take a look, driver side came out fine, but passenger side were pretty loose, looser than i would have liked and the threads seem to have carbon or oil coking. Needless to say I changed them for some bosch 1 step colder while I was at it. 20230110_185648.jpg
 

Jeppo

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Mileage?
 

Sgt1411

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StoneColdBlue22 said:
15k
Click to expand...
Did the vibration at idle go away with the Bosch plugs installed?

I always thought that issue was fuel quality?
 

OP
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StoneColdBlue22

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Sgt1411 said:
Did the vibration at idle go away with the Bosch plugs installed?

I always thought that issue was fuel quality?
Click to expand...
The issue went away completely, idle feels better
 

OP
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StoneColdBlue22

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ARC said:
What Bosch plug model did u go with?
Thanks
Click to expand...
The rears can be alittle tricky, make sure you have various lengths of extensions and a few swivel adapters
 

ARC

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StoneColdBlue22 said:
The rears can be alittle tricky, make sure you have various lengths of extensions and a few swivel adapters
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, I heard the passenger side was a nightmare to work on.
I've been getting my use out of the factory ones.
Been running an E50 tune and so far no issues with stock plugs.
 

OP
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StoneColdBlue22

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ARC said:
Oh yeah, I heard the passenger side was a nightmare to work on.
I've been getting my use out of the factory ones.
Been running an E50 tune and so far no issues with stock plugs.
Click to expand...
With the right equipment it isn't as bad as ppl make it out to be, should be a nice 2 hour install from start to finish
 

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I certainly miss the old days. At one time on one of my V8 cars, I could change the plugs, install new points, condensor and distributor cap in under 20 minutes. Another 5 to do the dwell meter to adjust the points and set the timing with a light. Of course, one needed to do that every 5k miles or so!
 

GearHead_1

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TMac said:
I certainly miss the old days. At one time on one of my V8 cars, I could change the plugs, install new points, condensor and distributor cap in under 20 minutes. Another 5 to do the dwell meter to adjust the points and set the timing with a light. Of course, one needed to do that every 5k miles or so!
Click to expand...
I'm guessing that one wasn't a '70 Mach 1 with a 428 CID in it. :)
 

UNBROKEN

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At least you went with the right Bosch plug…too many people wasting money on NGK 6510’s for a colder plug and these 3.0’s hate them.
 

F=MA

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My old 1972 Chevelle SS454 with Hooker headers and the factory Air Conditioning housing made for some interesting homemade tight clearance spark plug sockets and crows foot header bolt attachments. Don't forget you can usually get the spark plugs started by using a chunk of vacuum hose pushed over the spark plug wire end of the spark plug and then pull the hose off and finish the install with the appropriate ratchet setup if space permits.
 

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mwinn

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TMac said:
I certainly miss the old days. At one time on one of my V8 cars, I could change the plugs, install new points, condensor and distributor cap in under 20 minutes. Another 5 to do the dwell meter to adjust the points and set the timing with a light. Of course, one needed to do that every 5k miles or so!
Click to expand...
Still have all the equipment in good working order. Maybe should donate to a museum. Timing light has got to be 45-50 years old. Same for dwell/tach meter.
 

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Cdubya

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AB2A9BE8-529B-453F-BE38-151AE20506EF.jpeg
Just changed mine today. These are after 60k miles. Left side with a little more burnt appearance but nothing too bad.

Stock was Motorcraft SP 578. Now replacement listed as SP 594. Both iridium. The 594 were all pre-gaped.
 

Last edited:
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StoneColdBlue22

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UNBROKEN said:
At least you went with the right Bosch plug…too many people wasting money on NGK 6510’s for a colder plug and these 3.0’s hate them.
Click to expand...
ive always used bosch, they make tons of aerospace and oem components. ive run them in 3 of my past 4 vehicles and have never had a problem.
 

UNBROKEN

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Cdubya said:
View attachment 16066
Just changed mine today. These are after 60k miles. Left side with a little more burnt appearance but nothing too bad.

Stock was Motorcraft SP 578. Now replacement listed as SP 594. Both iridium. The 594 were all pre-gaped.
Click to expand...
What’s that gap? Looks rather large in the pic.
 

SimonsGTS

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mwinn said:
Still have all the equipment in good working order. Maybe should donate to a museum. Timing light has got to be 45-50 years old. Same for dwell/tach meter.
Click to expand...
Same, I still have a working dwell/tach and a portable ignition scope. I can't just throw them away!
 

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Cdubya

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UNBROKEN said:
What’s that gap? Looks rather large in the pic.
Click to expand...
Didn't measure the old ones. Spec says they should be 0.028-0.030 in. All the new Motorcraft SP 594 measured in that range
 

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