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I’m getting my Focus back on the road for the first time in 4 years. My question is what spark plugs should I run? The car is totally stock with 76K.
What spark plug to run?
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Hopefully you changed the timing belt. I run double platinum. SP524.
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35 Posts
Thanks, I haven’t changed the timing belt yet. I did inspect it and visually it looks good. Ford parts are hard to find and I’ve heard aftermarket timing belt parts suck.
CHANGE that belt, SVT is the one engine that guarantees every valve bent in it with a bad belt and you absolutely cannot tell the condition of the belt by simply looking at it. They commonly suddenly strip several teeth off when they looked fine and then you have junk if SVT engine.
Ford does NOT make its' own belts there, they use the same aftermarket we do. Gates works and commonly what Ford uses.
Most people blame the parts when they don't have the skills to rebelt a SVT, they can be pretty touchy getting back just right to not post codes. Make sure the tensioner bolt FULLY goes ALL the way in, some bolt holes were not deep enough to get the tensioner truly tight then the timing moves on the run, bent valves, and why again people blame the parts when they were incompetently used. You may need to remove a bit off the bolt length to make sure it pinches the tensioner good and solid. The plastic encased bearings are crap but you got what you got, I've failed official Ford part there in 40K miles when the plastic simply fell apart.
Ford does NOT make its' own belts there, they use the same aftermarket we do. Gates works and commonly what Ford uses.
Most people blame the parts when they don't have the skills to rebelt a SVT, they can be pretty touchy getting back just right to not post codes. Make sure the tensioner bolt FULLY goes ALL the way in, some bolt holes were not deep enough to get the tensioner truly tight then the timing moves on the run, bent valves, and why again people blame the parts when they were incompetently used. You may need to remove a bit off the bolt length to make sure it pinches the tensioner good and solid. The plastic encased bearings are crap but you got what you got, I've failed official Ford part there in 40K miles when the plastic simply fell apart.
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35 Posts
I hate to be that guy…. But I’m looking for a timing belt / kit and it seems like gates has multiple options that fit. I’m not seeing much for SVT only dohc engines, is gates belt T294RB the one I want? Sorry to be a pain.
Buy from Matt. He has the correct tensioner spring installed in an aftermarket tensioner. Complete kit.
That's the correct belt.
The belt and idler on the DOHC Zetec and SVT are exactly the same. The only difference is the spring tension on the tensioner itself.
Regarding your plug question, I recommend SP524 or SP463. Both work fine in the SVT, gap both to 0.051". The 524 is more expensive, stock replacement double platinum. The 463 is hotter, copper, needs to be replaced every ~10-15k. Some argue the idle quality is better with the 463s, and they're a lot cheaper so the cost to replace them doesn't make it far more expensive compared to the 524s.
In short, either will work fine. I use the SP463s.
In short, either will work fine. I use the SP463s.
I paid $4.89 each for the 524's from Oreillys.
Not bad! I paid $2.99 for the 463s in 2020, which will certainly need to be changed more than twice before your 524s burn up.
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I just ordered the timing kit from 5 acre focus. Thanks for all the advise!
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Been running the Zetec 1psi on the SVT for years on Customers cars with no issues ever , the BEST Plugs for the SVT I have found on the dyno and Building them is the Motorcraft SP463 , I Gap them at .055
Tom
Tom
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Motorcraft would be best if you’re talking oem, but i have found that the NGK iridium ones work 20 times better the change in performance is felt.
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How did you get the extra springs into it?
It only takes one. I haven't used them yet. I bought the springs as backup. Both of my SVTS are 5 years away from needing a belt. If you contact Matt at 5acre he will send you a procedure.
You just pull the two halves of the tensioner apart and replace the spring. It's really self explanatory once you have it in hand.
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