2005-2009 Mustang Information on The S197 {Gen1}

Spark plug change

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Old Jun 25, 2021 | 07:01 PM
  #1  
Caseydilbeck78's Avatar
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From: Charlotte,North carolina
Spark plug change

Hey does anyone know about what it cost to get the spark plugs and coils changed in a 06 mustang gt...I would do it myself but I just bought the car a few months back and found out that the plugs have never been changed and it has 160,000 miles on it and I'm afraid of breaking them off....
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Old Jun 26, 2021 | 08:38 AM
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Dont know how much it costs but good call on getting someone to do them since they are original.
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Old Jun 26, 2021 | 09:40 AM
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Yeah I'm thinking about taking it to the Ford dealership cause I don't want to break them off and I heard it's like 400 bucks at Ford and if any break that's a extra 100 bucks per plug.... just hoping it's not that much
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Old Jun 27, 2021 | 01:11 PM
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I don't know how much they cost, but I do know what's involved for an original exchange, so here's the post:

https://themustangsource.com/forums/...-plugs-522706/

I know that some will argue about this or that (especially the plugs themselves) but two subsequent plug changes later, that first method has not been needed since. Plugs come out like butter, not a problem.
"This is the way." - Mando
"I have spoken." - Kuill



'Course, the extraction toolkit is not exactly cheap for a 'maybe', but worth its weight if you need it. You may can rent it from somewhere if needed. Past that, just patience and time and carefulness.

It's not for everyone, true, but I hope that helps, good luck!

/Not sure about that dielectric grease these days, though. There's debate I've recently seen and it's... compelling. Might want to switch it for zinc anti-corrosion paste instead?
//Was reading the replies and back then they wanted 850 at the dealership for these things. Can't say that's true today, but daaaaang, soooooonnnn...! - *Simon, Goonzquad*

Last edited by houtex; Jun 27, 2021 at 01:15 PM.
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Old Jun 27, 2021 | 09:23 PM
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From: the beautiful "Shenandoah Valley of Virginia"
I have both the '08 GT and a '07 F-150 with the 5.4, both are 3 valve motors, both use the same type plugs. The GT at 34,xxx still has OEM plugs, but I may change them soon to some new Autolite HT1 which are the same same as the most recently specified for Mustang 4.6 three valve engine ... the Motor-Craft SP547.

I have changed these type plugs on my '07 FX4 with 5.4-3valve ... exact same plug construction, only the heat range differed. I did it cool (well, it was not hot), I used about a capful Kroil in each well after removing coils and blowing out with a air hose on a nozzle.,etc ... I had 6 of the 8 come out well with patience, #2 came out leaving just the lower barrel and broken lower porcelain in the head. #8 though, the threaded body came out but it left the complete porcelain, conductor, and lower barrel stuck fast in the head.
The Lisle 65600 kit took care of #2 very easily, just follow the included instructions. #8 plug was something else, the instructions said to grab the top of the electrode and pull as you wiggle, it was in my truck and #8 was not so easy to get anything into to pull with as it is way back under the cowling, not out in the open like the GT ... so I ordered a Lisle 65710 "porcelain puller" overnighted to me. It has a 4 jaw spring steel end that snaps over the top of the electrode, it gets used with an aluminum tube already in the 65600 kit thus locking it on. It pulled the center electrode with porcelain out, then the barrel extractor finished the job. The #2 I used the pusher to push the broken lower porcelain into the lower part of the barrel, it will not be pushed out, it gives just enough room for the barrel extractor to get a grip.

The 65600 plus the 65710 makes a 65700 kit. Might be cheaper that way. When the porcelain pusher is used, it sets a limit on how far it pushes. The kit really works. Have air and a nozzle with 1/4" ID hose for blowing out cylinders. If you put the hose into the cylinder then pull the trigger on the blow nozzle, the air going in will come back out past the hose with any porcelain particles, so wear eye protection.

Really, the kit will all but guarantee NO head removals. Pictures below are same type plugs, just heat range differs.


The newer plugs have a slightly different look at lower barrel to threaded body and slightly different attachment of the ground electrode. The top of the plug also raises the seat for the coil spring thus applying more pressure in use. In this picture, the threaded seat is at the same level. You can see the change.



Anyway, doing it on my truck let me know the '08 Mustang GT will be a piece of cake. As I said, the plugs above are for a 5.4 three valve, but they are exactly the same type as in the 4.6 three valve in the GT, just a different heat range. The GT's OEM plugs have been superceded too. Heat range is determined by porcelain length from tip to thread body and head, nothing to do with the issue of separation Oh yeah, I used a smear of nickel A-S on the 10mm smooth barrel extensions only. Torqued to 24-25 ft-lbs.



Last edited by tbear853; Jun 27, 2021 at 09:34 PM.
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Old Jun 28, 2021 | 09:09 AM
  #6  
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Well I talked to the Ford dealership and they told me that to change my spark plugs would cost 375 to 400 bucks and if I wanted to do a payment plan I could so my car is going to Ford on the first for a air bag recall so I'm just going to get the plugs done at the same time....
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Old Jun 28, 2021 | 08:48 PM
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That sounds about right, t-bear please no auto light plugs they are not what they are advertised. You will start fouling them out.
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Old Jun 29, 2021 | 09:09 AM
  #8  
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You do realize Autolite is the manufacturer of Ford/Motorcraft spark plugs lol. Therefore, I have no clue where your coming from regarding they are not what they're advertised.. Anyhow, I've been running Autolite HT0 spark plugs for many years on my supercharged "06" GT.. Never ran across any issues with them fouling out.. I always keep them gapped at .030 and change them every 3 years/15k miles and apply high-temp nickel anti-seize to the ground electrode shields (barrels) but never apply anti-seize to the threads as doing so will affect the required torque value specs.. At any rate, none of my spark plugs have ever broken.
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Old Jun 29, 2021 | 10:17 AM
  #9  
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^^Agreed. Been using Autolite HT0 for fifteen years with no issue. Not sure where the fouling comment comes from. The plug is an easy-out once you use a thin coat of nickel anti-seize on the ground electrode shields. Anti-seize on the threads is not a good idea for the reason stated in post #8.
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Old Jun 29, 2021 | 02:30 PM
  #10  
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Agreed that they make the Ford Motorcraft plugs but there is a reason why they dont put the auto light plugs in from factory. It's like buying the off brand of something. The fouling out part is what I have heard from other car people and mechanics. Nothing against what others like to use. I just stick to what has worked for me and that's all I was saying.
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Old Jun 29, 2021 | 10:55 PM
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Agree with the part about the off branding.. As for the fouling out part? Don't always go by what you hear from other people, as there's always other factors to take into consideration, such as installation errors or tune related issues that may contribute towards the spark plugs fouling out
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Old Jun 29, 2021 | 11:22 PM
  #12  
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From: the beautiful "Shenandoah Valley of Virginia"
I've never had an Autoite plug dissapoint me, they are one of my "go to" brands in my Fords, the other being MotorCraft.

I do appreciate the warning though.

In close examination, the new HT1 is identical in construction to the newest plug for the other 3 valve of mine in the truck, but the correct heat range for this 3 valve 4.6 is SP547, which is the HT1.

Last edited by tbear853; Jul 6, 2021 at 07:48 PM.
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