Preventative Maintenance -- Replaced spark plugs!

[Joe 5.0]

I have a 2015 Mustang GT with 28,000 miles. I replaced my OEM Motorcraft spark plugs with NGK 6509 spark plugs today (stock heat range). I gapped them to 0.051, and the car feels great.

For anyone looking to do preventative maintenance, spark plugs are fairly cheap and are easy to change. You'll need a 3/8" ratchet, a couple of 6" extensions, a swivel socket, a 5/8" spark plug socket, and a gap tool.

The photos below are what my OEM plugs looked like after 28,000 miles and a few tanks of E85. A few of them also had a larger gap than factory, which was slightly concerning.

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[noac]

Why not use Motorcraft plugs?

 

[Joe 5.0]

Why not use Motorcraft plugs?

Good question. My answer is—I don’t know. I’ve never had any issues with NGK, so I stuck with them.

 

[ChitownStang]

How bad are the ones by the firewall? i heard it’s really tough to get to.
I’m almost at 50k and wouldn’t mind doing it myself
worried about torquing them properly too.

 

[Joe 5.0]

How bad are the ones by the firewall? i heard it’s really tough to get to.
I’m almost at 50k and wouldn’t mind doing it myself
worried about torquing them properly too.

The last spark plug near the firewall on the passenger side is the only difficult one, but it’s nothing to stress about. You can change it with no issue if you’re using an extension and swivel socket.

I torqued them down a little more than hand tight. I’m not worried.

 

[ChitownStang]

Thanks for the advice Joe.
Do you think waiting to do this when I upgrade my manifold to 18 will make it any easier to do the plugs or doesn’t matter?

 

[Joe 5.0]

Thanks for the advice Joe.
Do you think waiting to do this when I upgrade my manifold to 18 will make it any easier to do the plugs or doesn’t matter?

Happy to help!

I don’t think it will matter since the plugs are easily accessible. But, you’ll have all of your tools out for the manifold install, so you can do everything in one shot during that install.

I have the same manifold. You’ll like it. It’s a nice bump in power.

 

[Elp_jc]

Two questions for you guys. Any oil consumption? And what's the spec to tighten the plugs? I'd NOT do it just by feel. Either with a torque wrench, or the old school way to 3/4-turn after seated, or something like that. All have to be torqued the same, and at the proper spec, but proper heat removal. VERY important .

 

[Joe 5.0]

Two questions for you guys. Any oil consumption? And what's the spec to tighten the plugs? I'd NOT do it just by feel. Either with a torque wrench, or the old school way to 3/4-turn after seated, or something like that. All have to be torqued the same, and at the proper spec, but proper heat removal. VERY important .

I haven't noticed any oil consumption. I change my synthetic oil once a year, which is about 4,000 - 5,000 miles.

I don't know what the torque spec is. I just added anti-sieze to the threads and tightened them all down by hand. I'll get my hands on a friend's torque wrench, but until then, I'm going to let it rock.

 

[ETAGuy]

I just changed mine the other day after 91,000 miles, gapped mine to .053 with a feeler gage, not a fan of the round gage. I used Bosch plugs. My motorcraft plugs looked similar to the OP, just a little more crispy on the threads. Torque spec is 12lbs, but I just tightened them till it felt right.

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