SP542 Thread

[K1llD4shN1n3]

A little update. I have been running these plugs without issue for about a month now and they’ve been great but last night up high in the mountain(9000-10000ft elevation) I got a misfire on cylinder 6 a couple times.

The truck seemed to correct and be fine after changing it back to normal mode from sport.

I’m not sure if it was the elevation or cold or what but I’m going to head back to the stock plugs.


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[evan9r]

Has anyone noticed a 1.5mpg drop with these plugs in colder weather? My truck took a 1.5mpg drop and the only thing I can attribute it to is these plugs. When the temperature got back up, so did my mileage. Coincidence?

 

[FORZDA 1]

You don't "need" colder plugs unless you're running WOT for long periods of time. Your results match the theory and logic behind them as well. I'm still of the opinion that this "better" spark plug phenomenon is placebo, vs facts. A placebo can be very "powerful" to those that accept it.

 

[smurfslayer]

Has anyone noticed a 1.5mpg drop with these plugs in colder weather? My truck took a 1.5mpg drop and the only thing I can attribute it to is these plugs. When the temperature got back up, so did my mileage. Coincidence?

It depends. I’d be more inclined to believe you’re suffering from WGS - winter gas syndrome, or ethanol content gas or similar. Our winter blends are a stupid idea designed to manipulate collected pollution data and make it comply with smog standards. We get worse mpg as a result.

That said, my ZX14 has a 7500 mile plug change interval. yes, 7 thousand, 500 miles. I thought that might be a manual misprint or something, that’s more like an oil change interval but no, it’s legit. Begrudgingly, I bit the financial bullet to the tune of about $10 / plug. I’ve only done one plug change that was worse, my 460 ci 1969 Cougar. Kawa. includes a tool in their tool kit just for this change. Nevertheless, I got 1mpg better over the next several tanks of fuel so maybe the guys who wrote that manual knew a thing or 2.

 

[Gsteve]

my winter mpg always drops a ton

 

[Stroked out]

The 542 helped my truck run smoothly, changed them with less than 2k on the clock. On my second set (the first set was fine) just checking the burn. My first set I gapped to 25 and the second I left alone at 28. The stock plugs were just to jumpy for me. Btw my tuner suggested this change.

 

[Jaws285]

A little update. I have been running these plugs without issue for about a month now and they’ve been great but last night up high in the mountain(9000-10000ft elevation) I got a misfire on cylinder 6 a couple times.

The truck seemed to correct and be fine after changing it back to normal mode from sport.

I’m not sure if it was the elevation or cold or what but I’m going to head back to the stock plugs.


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Are you running a Whipple/Tomahawk by chance?
I am and mine is at the dealer right now for this same issue. Only throws the P0301-P0306 codes in sport, freaks out and “diesels” then returns to normal. Check engine stops flashing and all except my heart rate seem normal. This only started after my update with Whipple in December (got mine late). So I changed out my plugs (542’s @ .025) the others had almost 30k so nbd. BTW it is well known forced intake motors eat up plugs that’s why they are cheap, platinums need not apply. There is NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR MOTOR! It’s a 3.5 making 450+ hp that idles! Anyway, I digress.
And same P0301-P0304 reappeared. Damnit! Talked with Whipple and we are pulling the tune at Ford in Brighton Colorado, great dealer btw. No question about warranty even gave me a loner. Only problem was getting the part #code to get into the PCM. Whipple should provide that with the tuner. DUH .
Should know more today. I was just looking back though back pages and see others with Whipple/Tomahawks showing the same codes.
Whipple says I’m the only one with this issue so far. Believeable? Once the tune is off and the Ford tech can run some diagnostics I’ll wait and see. New update from Whipple in a week or 2.
I’ll update later.

 

[K1llD4shN1n3]

Are you running a Whipple/Tomahawk by chance?
I am and mine is at the dealer right now for this same issue. Only throws the P0301-P0306 codes in sport, freaks out and “diesels” then returns to normal. Check engine stops flashing and all except my heart rate seem normal. This only started after my update with Whipple in December (got mine late). So I changed out my plugs (542’s @ .025) the others had almost 30k so nbd. BTW it is well known forced intake motors eat up plugs that’s why they are cheap, platinums need not apply. There is NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR MOTOR! It’s a 3.5 making 450+ hp that idles! Anyway, I digress.
And same P0301-P0304 reappeared. Damnit! Talked with Whipple and we are pulling the tune at Ford in Brighton Colorado, great dealer btw. No question about warranty even gave me a loner. Only problem was getting the part #code to get into the PCM. Whipple should provide that with the tuner. DUH .
Should know more today. I was just looking back though back pages and see others with Whipple/Tomahawks showing the same codes.
Whipple says I’m the only one with this issue so far. Believeable? Once the tune is off and the Ford tech can run some diagnostics I’ll wait and see. New update from Whipple in a week or 2.
I’ll update later.

I’m running an MPT tune. I went back to stock plugs and no more misfire issues. [emoji2369]


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[Jaws285]

Hmmm.. Plug a bit too cold perhaps? Interesting. Thanks for the update I’m going to consider for sure.

 

[K1llD4shN1n3]

Hmmm.. Plug a bit too cold perhaps? Interesting. Thanks for the update I’m going to consider for sure.

Maybe [emoji2369] I gapped them at .028 and left the stock ones at .030 - The catch can I installed with the stock plugs has remained empty after a couple thousand miles so I’m not sure if the colder plugs people are using is leading to more blow by as well.


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