Spark Plug Change

[Gimp]

I decided to replace my spark plugs this weekend and can report that it was an extremely easy job to do on the 2.0 EcoBoost. I was worried about the complexity after watching online videos on replacing the plugs in the 6-cylinder Edge engines as an awful lot of components needed to be disassembled. With the 4 cylinder engine the process was essentially: 1. pop off the plastic cover, 2. remove the air intake from the filter box cover on back (two clips at the filter box and one screw on the clamp in back, and 3. disconnect about three electrical plugs to move wiring cables out of the way. Prep took less than 10-minutes including the time to carefully eyeball everything to figure it out. After the plugs had been changed, re-assembly took about two minutes. The only difficulty I encountered was with my spark plug socket. It is pretty old and the rubber inside was just stiff and wouldn't let go of the plug. I ended up buying a new magnetized socket which made it really simple.

 

My vehicle mileage was at 91,335 and the replacement plugs came from my Ford dealer. They are 100,000 mile plugs, but I didn't see any point in waiting any longer since it's unlikely that I'll be the owner when it's time to do this again. My vehicle had been sitting overnight and it was about 50 degrees in the garage when I did this. The old plugs screeched just a bit as they broke free and that was the extent of my nervous moments. The total time required was only about an hour (not including the trip to get a new socket) from start to finish including blowing out the dust, and putting the tools away.

 

I will add that I should have worn gloves when I pulled up the plastic engine cover and it would have saved me some discomfort. The front two attaching points popped up fairly easily but the back two points were stubborn. Right at the moment when I was thinking 'there must be a hidden bolt' and 'I should probably reach over and put on those gloves sitting next to me' it came free and I lost some skin from the back of my thumb which is now turning purple under the nail bed. The resulting discomfort complicated my follow-on task of replacing the front brake pads and rotors.

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

One of the advantages of having a 4 They really should put some dielectric grease or something on the ball studs/sockets before installing the covers. Would make removal/installation SO much easier!

 

Thanks for posting your experience, the next owner will be grateful I am sure that this was taken care of!

[macbwt]

Overall a bunch easier to do than the 3.5.

[Gimp]

Overall a bunch easier to do than the 3.5.

 

I watched your video and was left thinking that doing this could be a really bad idea. As it turned out, the two experiences are on the opposite ends of the difficulty scale. I think that I even had a much easier time with the brake pad and rotor replacement, benefiting from your lesson learned to pay extra attention that I was turning "lefty" rather than "righty".

[macbwt]

Never a good video if I do not break something. Wait until you see me go full Gorilla on my MAF sensor in an upcoming video.

 

 

I watched your video and was left thinking that doing this could be a really bad idea. As it turned out, the two experiences are on the opposite ends of the difficulty scale. I think that I even had a much easier time with the brake pad and rotor replacement, benefiting from your lesson learned to pay extra attention that I was turning "lefty" rather than "righty".

[tachessher]

Is there a video posted for this? Gimp what plugs did you use? I've heard some say it's best to use ngk, some that say oem is better... What is your experience? I'm a well seasoned mechanic, but I've never worked on the edge before. The edge is my wife's DD, and I need to change plugs one evening after work. I don't wanna bite off more than I can chew. What size spark plug socket does it call for?

[Gimp]

I used the Ford SP537 spark plugs that I picked up at the dealership for just over $9 each. My manual specified the SP527 plugs but these are the replacement. I had the parts department manager double check on that to be sure. They are 100,000 mile plugs so for that price I don't know why you would want to try anything else.

 

The spark plug socket I used was 5/8" with a built in six inch extension. I went with the magnetic version and it worked great. The spark plugs are set in deep and you can't see them so you need an extension. As mentioned in my original post I was having problems with my old rubberized socket because it wouldn't let go and my non-attached extension was coming off before the socket would let go of the plug. This magnetized version worked much better. I also applied a bit of spark plug anti-seize compound on the threads. Some advice says it isn't necessary, some advice says to do it. I decided to do it as a favor to the next person who has to remove the plugs.

 

I don't think there is a video online for the 4-cylinder Edge. I purchased the first one sold at my dealership when they were just released so I'm probably one of the first to change the plugs. I never even considered making a video. It would take too much effort to edit out inappropriate language that I tend to utter when I'm getting agitated. I'll look and see if I can take a couple of photos tomorrow.

 

The best thing to do before undertaking this procedure is just pop off the plastic engine cover (while wearing gloves) for an initial look so you can size up the job. It's got a clip at each corner and all you do is just pull straight up. It will probably be sticking so wear gloves for when you smack your fingers when it finally comes free. Note - lubricate the attaching points before putting it back on. Once it is off, just note that you need to disconnect the top of the air filter box, and loosen a screw back where the air intake passes over the spark plugs. Pull it forward and you'll expose the plugs. Just take five minutes to look with the cover off and I think it's easy to see what needs to be disconnected. There are two or three electrical plugs that also need to be disconnected so that you can push wiring bundles aside. They will be easy to see. Before you actually do the work, have a source of compressed air ready to blow all the dust away from your working area so nothing drops down when each plug is pulled. Do one plug change at a time.

 

There is a torque spec for the plugs but I didn't use my really large torque wrench because it wan't practical in the limited space. I just went with snug, being careful not to over tighten. That was probably my only nervous moment.

 

My automotive maintenance experience is probably mid-level. I change oil, air filters, plugs, brake pads, rotors, shocks and struts, bumper fascia's and even one muffler on the floor of my garage. I thought this plug change effort was easier than everything but an oil change. I'd really been dreading it because I knew the 6 cylinder Edge plug change was very challenging.

[tachessher]

Well, I'm not sure what I was worried about. That had to be the easiest plug change I've ever done! Old plugs were toast.

[tamugrad2013]

I know when the time comes for mine I will really appreciate this post. I already clicked to follow this topic. I am really going to appreciate this.

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

Should be a bit easier on the 4-banger EBs than the v6 for sure!

Edited April 15, 2016 by WWWPerfA_ZN0W

[tpettigr]

I changed the spark plugs in my edge today and this post was very helpful. It didn't take long at all after I had waited for the vehicle to cool down (it was still slightly warm). I was nervous about using too much force to remove the old plugs but they actually came out pretty easy. I have a 2012 SEL and it has almost 110,000 miles on. Some of the plugs had some fouling but it wasn't too bad. I checked Autozone and O'Reilly's and neither had the Motocraft Plugs in stock so I used the NGK Iridium plugs. Everyone says that the plugs are gapped correctly in the box but that's not the case so make sure that the gap is correct. After I finished I started and ran the vehicle for about 10 minutes. I drove it a short time later and I it seems to run better than before but that could just be all in my mind.

 

[tamugrad2013]

I feel like this may be a stupid question, but I am generally curious because I know come June I am doing this job. Is it advisable to change the ignition coils at the same time you change the plugs. The reason I ask is my last car had a very old style 3.4 liter V6 and it had spark plug wires and I know those needed to be replaced with a spark plug change.

 

Thanks in advance.

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

COPs have not been a point of failure on the Ecoboosts, so unless you have reason to believe the need, I would not change them. Just check them thoroughly for the normal stuff like carbon tracking, torn boots, etc. and put a nice dab of dielectric grease inside the boot before installing over the new plugs. In some cases the boots can be stubborn and get separated from the rest of the COP, so having new boots on hand, THAT I would recommend. Ford dealership is usually the best place to get them, but your local AutoZone/Advance Auto/etc may carry other brands as well. Not sure how they perform in comparison to OEM tho.

[tamugrad2013]

Well until my car is out of its premium care warranty in 20,000 miles it is OEM or nothing that way there is no question of a repair issues comes up.

[walsh_dw]

I'm pretty new when it comes to servicing my own vehicle, but I would really like to be able to do more and not rely on shops for basic maintenance... With that said, I am about to change my spark plugs for the first time and want to make sure I'm doing it right.

 

I bought some NGK spark plugs that are factory gapped to 0.044 inches, but I just read in the manual that factory gap for my 2.0L EB is 0.029 inches... Am I going to have an issue with the plugs I bought??

[enigma-2]

Certainly looks like it. The manual states the correct gap is o.o29" +- .oo1".

 

Believe the correct NGK plug is 96622. According to the specs, the NGK plugs for the 2.oL come pre-gapped at o.o32", which is over the spec.

 

If you don't mind my asking, why did you go with NGK over Motorcraft?

Edited August 25, 2017 by enigma-2

[walsh_dw]

Perhaps a rookie mistake, but I did a fair amount of reading articles and reviews on spark plugs and the NGK 6509 had really good reviews across multiple sites... and multiple auto part sites claimed these would fit and work fine in the 2.0L EB. Looks like I'll be sending them back and paying more attention to gap from now on!!

 

Nevermind, I just realized adjusting the gap is incredibly easy and will now use this as another learning opportunity!!

Edited August 25, 2017 by walsh_dw

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

Adjusting gap on plugs today needs to be done with great care to not touch the center electrode. Many plugs explicitly come with the warning to NOT adjust gap. Ecoboost engines are quite particular about gap size, so unless you get a plug with gap in the range specified by the manual, go oem.

 

EDIT:
Motorcraft SP527 is OEM

 

Similar items include

NGK 6509 LTR6IX-11 IX Iridium Plug
AUTOLITE XP5863 Iridium
Denso ITV22 / 5430

Edited August 26, 2017 by WWWPerfA_ZN0W

[walsh_dw]

Adjusting gap on plugs today needs to be done with great care to not touch the center electrode. Many plugs explicitly come with the warning to NOT adjust gap. Ecoboost engines are quite particular about gap size, so unless you get a plug with gap in the range specified by the manual, go oem.

 

EDIT:

Motorcraft SP527 is OEM

 

Similar items include

NGK 6509 LTR6IX-11 IX Iridium Plug

AUTOLITE XP5863 Iridium

Denso ITV22 / 5430

 

I'll be very curious to see what the gap is when they arrive, because the NGK plugs that you mentioned are exactly what I ordered from Amazon. However, I looked at them on autozone.com after and they showed the gap as being way outside the recommended range in the product details, but also claimed they would be a fit for the 2.0L...

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

I believe all 3 aftermarket plugs are supposed to be at 0.032, a bit outside the recommended range. Not horrible if you do not have a tuned vehicle. A feeler gauge is the recommended way to check gap, and a spark plug pliers is the best way to adjust the gap if really needed. Pliers/gapping tools can be found on summit.com and jegs.com, sometimes eBay.

[2011edgese]

Doing the v6 is harder for sure but not terrible if you have time and patience. The 2.0L , you can do with 1 hand tied behind your back. ?

[Lincoln81]

I did the plugs on mine yesterday took all of 25 minutes. lost a 8mm socket but a very simple job to do on these - purchased vehicle used, has 57000km on it, slight carbon build up on it but piece of mind

 

 

[icyplains]

I was getting a cylinder #2 misfire error on my wife's 2012 Edge 2.0 EcoBoost.  This weekend I changed out the spark plugs (thanks to this post) and used Motorcraft SP537 as replacements. Now it is giving me a P0299 (turbo / super charger underboost) code.  I could feel the hesitation in the engine and could tell something wasn't right.  So, this morning I decided to remove the plastic cover and make sure I didn't miss plugging something back in and pushed on and wiggled the connectors just to make sure, but everything seemed to be correct.  I drove it to work after doing that and it feels a lot better, but I will have to wait till I get home to clear the code again. 

 

Could this be a spark plug gap issue?  From what I've read, the SP537 should be a direct replacement, although I have found a lot of misinformation online.  Does anyone have another idea of why this just started after changing the plugs?

 

Thanks for any help!

[jamie1073]

You should always check the gap on any plug before installing.  So I would double check that if you did not. 

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

P0299 is a common code on the 2.0s unfortunately.  Boils down to a broken wastegate linkage internal to the turbo.  I have heard it can be fixed, but no details on that.  So a replacement is what you would be looking at.