1989 Aerostar 3.0L Spark Ping after new plugs

I have an 89 Aerostar with 125K on it. I recently put those new Plus 4 4 prong Bosch plugs in, because they were "the best" and any of you that have ever tuned this thing up, know how hard the plugs are to get at... (yeah, I did get them all, and not skip #5)

Anyhow, I changed the wires, Cap, Rotor, etc... as soon as I drove it for

10 miles or so, I heard a slight ping, even when downshifting at higher RPMS... (no load) The car had Regular Bosch Platiums in there before I replaced them, and it never pinged once... It runs great though as far as response, etc...

From what I have been reading, the plug is burning too hot for 87 octane basicly. I put 89 in, and the pinging is gone.

Now for my question: I know that prolonged pinging will destroy the pistons over time, and the timing was perfect, so I don't want to retard it, etc... But just because I use better gas, is it ok to run the hotter plugs? or am I still silently ruining the engine? I have heard yes and no... in other words, "if the tree falls in the forest, but you don't hear it, will it still damage the house?" I want to be one of those people that have 250K on their original engine (many aerostars with the 3.0L do out there, so I've been told.... I want to be on that list :-) - Thanks

Reply to
RobGute
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RobGute opined in news: snipped-for-privacy@localhost.talkaboutautos.com:

Oh yeah... how the aftermarket loves guys like you.

Not only did you pay a premium price for a plug you dont need and wasnt designed for your engine, but now you're spending 10 cents more a gallon because of it.

Those plugs are too hot.

Freaking motorcrafts last 75 k easy in all my fords.

Lemme guess .. you could feel a miss after about 30 - 40,000 on those Bosch single plats and the miss was at idle and at feathered cruise, not acceleration.

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

Hi,

Exactly right... Ran REALLY Rough, but never stalled... actually it was at about 20K, 2 of the 6 plugs were fouled out... such junk... The first day it gets warmer, I will put OEM Motorcrafts back in there. I don't drive it that much until then, so... and here I thought it was a couple of bad wires....

The funny thing is, I contacted Bosch, and of course they say that the heat range is the same as the OEM plugs... can't be... I can pull the plugs and submit my reciept to them, and they supositly, will refund my money... I will keep you posted on that...

Reply to
RobGute

Well, mine showed up starting to miss, at about 2 weeks.. but i gave 'em the benefit of the doubt in your case.

RobGute opined in news: snipped-for-privacy@localhost.talkaboutautos.com:

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

Bosch Platinums of ANY description are overpriced junk. The +4 is definitely no better than the rest of their crappy plugs. Even regular Bosch plugs make me cringe.

Put standard Motorcraft plugs in. I used the non platinum ones in my

90 Aerostar, and my 89 before it - and changed them about once every 5 years. That is, I pulled the original platinums at 100,000+ Km, and then replaced the standard plugs about every 60,000 thereafter untill I had 240,000+ on the 90 and sold it almost 3 years ago. It's still running - I see it every couple weeks.
Reply to
nospam.clare.nce

Wow... What problems did you have with the 89 or 90? I assume they both had the 3.0L? Advice, things to do? I'd love to hit at least 200K (I'm at 125K right now) You can't find anything as big and as easy to drive.

Reply to
RobGute

The 89 had a cold slap (piston)right from the day I bought it with

20,000KM on it. I blew an accumulator seal on the tranny (took me 1/2 hour to fix on my driveway)It rusted worse than I would have liked. The rocker cover gaskets leaked. It was hard on front brakes, and the parking brake was prone to hang up until I softened the automatic adjuster spring with the torch. I sold it at about 110,000Km and bought my Dad's 90 with 23,000Km on it. Sold the 89 to a friend who drove it another 100,000 over 5 years.

The 1990 blew a front tranny seal while pulling my trailer across the continent, and I had to replace a rear U-Joint on another long trip. I replaced the regulator twice, and the alternator once. Ford replaced the engine under warranty for a cold piston slap. The front sprag clutch and input shaft went out on it - put in about $150 worth of parts and 4 hours labour at my brother's shop. Oh, and it rusted a bit worse than I would have liked - did rust repair on it twice in 10 years. It was mean on front brakes untill I discovered Carbon Metallic pads. After that the rotors lasted longer than the pads, and I could actually lock the front wheels on dry pavement.And the pads lasted longer than the factory pads too. The hand brake had a habit of hanging untill I also softened the spring on it.

All in all, they were good (if rust prone) vans - and as you say, there is NOTHING like them on the market today. I would have bought a '97 if I could have found a decent one at a good price, but ended up with a 95 Pontiac TransSport instead. No comparison. The 3.0 Ford out pulled the 3.8 Poncho hands down with a trailer - had a lot more room, and was within inches of overall length. It did burn more gas than the Poncho. It rode a bit more harshly.

Lightly loaded, the Poncho has a lot more snap, particularly at speed. It rides better, and is every bit as miserable to work on as the AeroScare.

Reply to
nospam.clare.nce

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