Spark plugs S Series 2.8 1988

Spark plugs S Series 2.8 1988

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Trefhead

Original Poster:

96 posts

237 months

Wednesday 2nd January 2019
quotequote all
I am searching to buy a set of new plugs for the old girl. 1988 S1 2.8......Not having my 'Bible" to hand, will someone advise what the spark plugs should be....

A granada engine uses for example NKG:- BPR6ES or BPR6E (I don't know what the difference is with the 'S' at the end)

greymrj

3,316 posts

203 months

Wednesday 2nd January 2019
quotequote all
Either is fine. This is not a particularly sophisticated engine. The original Ford spec is Motorcraft 5099775. Any decent motor factor will be able to cross reference from that.

Just a point. If it is a 2.8 it will NOT be unleaded compatible*, unless someone has spent a lot of money on it. Nor can the 2.8 heads be readily converted to unleaded. The thickness of the casting around the valves is marginal and although some will take inserts, in a minority of cases one or more of the insert recesses will cut through the casting and scrap the head. Burton will supply inserted and gas pressure checked heads but you will be warned that your original heads might fail during the machining. It will not be recommended.

  • You may be told that some are unleaded or to look for a letter on the exhaust stub. Forget it. The experts in engine rebuilding (Burton for example) say that only a very few special 2.8 engine heads were made as unleaded compatible and these did not go into production cars, as Ford were redesigning the whole engine to produce the 2.9.
You MUST retard the ignition and use an additive.

If you do not there will be micro-welding between valve and head and the valve seat will gradually be eroded. If you find your valve clearances are CLOSING then recession is happening. As it recesses, you adjust the clearance to compensate, the recession rate increases and the valve head starts to drop below the surface of the head. That then effectively reduces the valve opening time and starts to dramatically reduce the ability of the engine to 'breath', and the 2.8 has restricted breathing anyway as it has siamezed ports. Incidentally that siamezed porting also increases the heat at those ports and they are the most likely to be the first to recess.

AlfaSpider

213 posts

197 months

Wednesday 2nd January 2019
quotequote all
https://www.sparkplugs.com/Data/uploads/Charts/NGK...

I used the BP6ES in my 2.8 which work well. I believe the S denotes a different style electrode.
I didn’t use the resistive plugs as I didn’t see the need.

GreenV8S

30,149 posts

283 months

Wednesday 2nd January 2019
quotequote all
My notes say Motorcraft 5099775 for the V6.

See https://www.sparkplugs.co.uk/spark-plug-symbol-cod... for an explanation of the NGK codes.

Trefhead

Original Poster:

96 posts

237 months

Friday 11th January 2019
quotequote all
Thank you
Sorry for my delay in responding. Yes, it was me who paid a lot of money to have the heads done. That was before the body off that is n-e-a-r-i-n-g completion

Cheers