Hey everyone! I have need of your knowledge on a couple of things. First off, does anyone know what the part number and/ or for the Copper plugs which work in PI heads? Next do I go colder, stay stock, or hotter in heat range in a GT running 91 octane gas, 11:8-1 compression to help keep detonation down. I have a hell of a time with pinging since they oxygenate the gas here in Utah and I have to run one to two bottles of octane booster every tank. My last question is this. I have had my mustang dyno-tuned and programed with an SCT X2 tuner and we have pulled 3 psi of fuel pressure out since it was running a tad rich. I was wondering if using Octane boost will cause a vehicle to run rich at times, or if a dying fuel pump (169,000+ miles on it) will cause this intermittent surge in richness? What do you all think?

 

I believe for evey point of compression you increase (as in 9.0-10.0), it is 1-2 steps colder for the spark plug.

 

Motorcraft sparkplugs:
stock heat range in copper is a AGSF-32C*
1 heat range down is AGSF-22C*
2 heat ranges down is the AWSFA-12C**

I would try the ASGF-22C's first and see if they work, if not then the 12C's

* denotes the new "full thread" design which replaces the 1/2 thread design
** 1/2 thread design, as of now NO full thread design in production

 

Thanks. I appreciate it. I have always wondered what the thinking is on the cold/ hot plug application.

 

yeah but tuning might be different for you being in UT, what altitude are you at as the thinner air can change things

 

You should be getting another tune for colder weather. I know Tim @ MPH was sending out free tunes to his customers just for this reason.

 

I will have to check with him. I am at a solid 4600 ft above close to 4700 feet where I am. Does Tim at MPH have a number or link to reach him?

 

modularpowerhouse.com

if your car wasnt tuned by him then he wont send you a "free" tune. you can call and ask if you would need a retune for your elevation and weather change.

 

No it was tuned here in Utah by Modular Madness and Heath the owner does a good job. I will contact Tim and see what he thinks and then talk to my tuner and see if he agrees on a course of action/ tuning. I have a 91 Octane low spark tune on the programmer on it, but am hesitant about using it since I am about to install the new coilpacks (Accel) on the motor. My current ones have nearly 170,000 on them so it is time to renew them.

 

word of warnning, send those Accel coil paks "packing" and get the stock Motorcraft ones. I had Accels on mine and thought they were working fine till we dynoed my car and saw the Accel coil paks could not keep up above 5k, put the stockers back on and they worked fine all the way up-to 7500rpms

 

Really? Why is that I wonder. I will take your word on it, other than the coil packs, do I use "a boost-a-spark" to get more spark energy or just rely on plugs?

 

You could always try the MSD coil packs. I know Hot Rod Magazine used them along w/ the whole mod engine's ignition system to extend the rpm range of their 5.7 Hemi.

 

honestly the factory ignition is very good and unless your having issues wth the stock coil(s) then no real need to waste $$ but if you are, I agree the MSD coils would be a better choice then the accel's.

a different sparkplug and some better wires could improve performance, I use Moroso plugwires and Champion plugs in mine but its not a street car anymore

 

I went to the one range colder plug the AWSF-22C and am going to go back to the MSD wires I used to use and will see if Late Model Resto might take back the coil packs, if not, oh well. I am always holding or keeping on hand some spare parts in a pinch. I also have a new fuel pump and fuel filter and a buddy came by your place (so he tells me) who lives about 10 miles from your dealership and brought out the grommet for my tank to me when he came to visit. I hope to get the tank out and fixed and then see where it stands. January 5th is a gear set and a Professional Products intake plenum for the motor.

 

Went one range colder using a cross referenced Autolite plug #103 from the Motorcraft AWSF-22C you advised me on. Seems to help some, however it seems I have a tad longer wait til the pistons and engine warm up to allow the forged flat tops to expand and quiet down a bit.

I wanted to ask, some of the minor pinging I am dealing with I believe is mostly the blend of gas, but I wanted to ask if a fuel pump with 170,000 miles on it although the pressure is good, could actually have a lower volume and cause this a bit? I have a new pump hopefully going in this weekend. Since I am N/A and not doing a whole shitload to the car right now, I am dumping a 155 lph Walbro pump into it.

 

sure can... fuel pumps can cake with fouling over time and that could easily reduce their flow capacity. 170K on a pump means replace it to me. In any event... it's hella old and you have a tempermental engine that likes a reliable fuel supply. New pump should make you happy.

 

Ok, so the fuel pump ended up having to be put off for another week or so. I ended up with a ton of gas mileage going out the pipes, only to find during the standard troubleshooting sequence I had two (yes two) bad plug wires on the same bank. I had one with a badly torn insulator and the next one left the metal tubing inside the plug wire attached to the plug (no I did not pull on the wire, I have a plug wire puller which grabs the boot). New wires were installed (thank god for Autozone in a pinch on new years day) and the thing roared back to life. My question is what likely could have caused the tear in the boot and the wire to fall apart? I have been told the motorcraft wires are cheaply made and I was using FRPP wires.

On a positive note, the stang got her new gears and a professional products upper plenum. Damn gears help a ton. I know you all say 4.10's in an automatic, but with all the damn freeway driving I do, I had to stay with 3.73's. Modualr Madness in Salt Lake City did the work.

I hope everyone had a great holiday and I want to thank everyone for all the help they gave me the last few months. I appreciate it.