Spark Plug Check

gatornek

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I like to stick with Ford Motorcraft, so the SP550X it is, but can anyone confirm for me the manufacturer's gap and has anyone had any success in shortening it?? Google has a variety of answers on the SP550x "factory gap", but since my Mustangs plugs always come plus .30, Im guessing the same for these?

And on the Mustang, I'd bring it down to .27 and had zero problems. I see some online shops advertising a .29 for the 2.0 engine. But I'd like to hear from people who've done it with the Badlands. Anyone here do this or have you replaced your plugs and can offer some insight on your experience?
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gatornek

gatornek

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Thank you sir. That is much appreciated. Excuse my laziness in pulling it up.

Now, has anyone here actually gapped these plugs at .28? 🤔
 

Mwittke5857

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I like to stick with Ford Motorcraft, so the SP550X it is, but can anyone confirm for me the manufacturer's gap and has anyone had any success in shortening it?? Google has a variety of answers on the SP550x "factory gap", but since my Mustangs plugs always come plus .30, Im guessing the same for these?

And on the Mustang, I'd bring it down to .27 and had zero problems. I see some online shops advertising a .29 for the 2.0 engine. But I'd like to hear from people who've done it with the Badlands. Anyone here do this or have you replaced your plugs and can offer some insight on your experience?
I checked the gap suggested by the NGKs I used (to replace the Fords that were in there) and as usual with NGKs, they were spot on at 32. Runs like a champ
 


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gatornek

gatornek

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I checked the gap suggested by the NGKs I used (to replace the Fords that were in there) and as usual with NGKs, they were spot on at 32. Runs like a champ
Thank you. These are the types of experiences I was hoping to draw out. People who've swapped them out already by themselves. I'm getting a set of Motorcrafts on order soon. The gaps are usually fairly solid from factory, but its always worth checking.

However, I did have SOLID success in shortening the gap on my Motorcraft plugs for my Mustang 2.3, and was wondering if maybe someone else has tried shortening them all to the low level of .28 as indicated by the screenshot that @cprcubed so nicely put up??
 
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gatornek

gatornek

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I would probably just go with the .028.
For what it’s worth with my focus ST calls for .026 can’t remember if that from the manual or from my tuner. So
.028 sounds reasonable to me
It does. I just like to hear success stories that give my insides warm and fuzzies before I play with something as benign, yet as critical as the spark plug gap. 😂
 

cprcubed

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I'll be the guy to ask: What's the rationale behind the smaller sparkplug gap? Usually, I'm shooting for the middle of the specified range (in my case with the 1.5L, there is no range). Cheers!
 
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gatornek

gatornek

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I'll be the guy to ask: What's the rationale behind the smaller sparkplug gap? Usually, I'm shooting for the middle of the specified range (in my case with the 1.5L, there is no range). Cheers!
Reduce the chance of a misfire when in WOT. Again, coming from the Mustang 2.3, shortening the gap to as close as possible was "all the rage" if you were tuned. Not saying I want to do that here, but just want a consensus for what people have been doing. I'm not tuned, but I do lay the pedal down when I have to. And when I do, I wanna make sure its ready to rock and roll.😊
 


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gatornek

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Mark S.

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Thanks. But trying to keep this thread to people who have checked the gaps themselves going into the BS 2.0.
??? I didn’t post this out of the blue. I was responding to your claim that a narrower gap can prevent misfire.
 
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gatornek

gatornek

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??? I didn’t post this out of the blue. I was responding to your claim that a narrower gap can prevent misfire.
No offense on previous. Just more interested in experiences. Mine was not a statement, but a quick response to the previous question, without stating what I then had to state to you. Again, not looking to have a debate on the merits of wide vs short gap. Not at all. I just wanna hear about people who have checked the gaps on the plug and what type of success they have. Thank you, though.
 

Mark S.

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I replaced the plugs on the wife's 2014 Escape 2.0L using Motorcraft. The plugs were accurately pre-gapped from the factory.
 
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gatornek

gatornek

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I replaced the plugs on the wife's 2014 Escape 2.0L using Motorcraft. The plugs were accurately pre-gapped from the factory.
Thank you sir. without looking it up, I imagine it’s the same.SP550x? Without sounding Pollyanna-ish, what were they set to?
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