First time post. I've been following the site for some time now and i enjoy/have used some of the info yall have posted.

I have an all stock (hoping to change that) '07 GT w/ 45K miles. Since i am Curious George and have done all maintenance, minor and major, on every vehicle i've owned, i decided to pull the plugs to see how they looked. When i pulled the #1 plug i noticed that there was a small amount of rust on it and in the hole. So, i proceeded to pull all 8 and they all looked exactly alike (at least it's consistent). The engine is other wise in pretty good shape. Oil change every 5k miles, add ZMax, and Lucas Injector cleaner. Is this normal? They are the plugs from the factory. Is it time to switch them out? Much thanks guys.

 

I am not familiar with plugs but I'm not real big on those 5k oil changes, I've never went more than 3k without one.

 

Yeah, i thought 5K miles was kind of strange as well but that's what is "recommended" in the scheduled maintenance guide.

 

You should search around the forums a bit regarding the spark plug issues on these cars. I'm actually quite surprised you got them all out in one piece, as you didn't mention anything about finding the TSB on removing them. A lot of guys have been breaking them off even when they followed the instructions to a T. Ford put 2-piece plugs in the 2005-early 2008s and as a result they like to bind up with carbon and break off when you try to take them out.

You might want to consider getting a set of one-piece plugs and swap them out for piece of mind. Champions are fairly popular around here; I think there are others that make them, too.

BTW Ford says they are good for 100k miles....

 

like it's already been said, get the newer style plugs in there for the peace of mind.

also I'm not a fan of the 5,000 mile oil changes either, especially in a performance car that's not getting grannied around. I go every 3,000 for new oil and filter, might be overkill but it can't hurt

 

Hi- Now that you got the plugs out in one piece you should change them. I use a NGK brand in my car and they seem to be working just fine. Pick a good 1 piece plug, also make sure you stay in the same heat range as your stock plugs. Even if they come pregaped make sure you check them and they are gaped to what your car calls for. A good plug can save you a little gas as well as help with performance. As for the oil, if you are using syn oil you are fine changing it around 5k each time, but if your oil looks dirty before that, it needs changed before that. I own a small dealership so I know what I’m talking about. Many people ask me questions like this all the time and this is not the 1st time I’ve heard this one. Also save yourself some trouble in the future and use never seize on your plugs and change your air filter.
Thanx-Muzzy 04 S281SC Convertible #355
42#
JLT cold air
JDM SCT 93 oct tune
90mm maf
75mm TB
Ported and Polished SC by PSE
Mosaleen pulley sys
Gaterback belt
NGK tr6 @034
2.9 pulley
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Carbon fiber dash kit and shift ****
1 bottle of water wetter (haha)

 

Thanks guys. I'll get those plugs ASAP. But what causes the rust to build up like that? I'll do some searching on here and see what i can find. BTW, the manual recommends 5W-20 synthetic blend. Is it ok to go to a full synthetic? If so, what weight? Once again, thanks. Yall are awesome.

 

Full synthetic is fine. There are as many opinions on oil change interval as there are people changing oil. If the manufacturer recommends a 5000 mile oil change, then change it at 5000 miles. If you use a good synthetic, you can increase the change interval if so desired. I run my 1999 F250 V10 10,000 miles between changes (3000 recommended) using a high grade synthetic and filter, and have the oil tested periodically to make sure everything is okay. Every time I get the report back, it states that the oil is still viable. But I feel comfortable with 10,000 on that vehicle, so that's when I do it. Also, I'm not a greenie, but I do think about all the oil waste from those frequent oil changes. Just my $.02.

Robb

 

Strange that there's rust on the plugs...
Did you buy the car new? Could it have been in a flood?
Is the rust on part of the plug that's on the outside of the cylinder, or down inside the cylinder? If it's down inside then somethig is wrong. Should not be water down in the cylinder...
From what I remember when pulling my plugs I didn't think there was any raw steel on them that could rust like that...

 

I know what you are talking about, but I doubt it's rust. It might be some deposit left by some additive in the fuel. I saw it on mine too. Rust just doesn't make sense.