Spark plugs

Safety

• Do not gap one engine to another engine's range. The 2.7L, the 3.5L EcoBoost, and the 3.5L TiVCT are three different gaps.
• Replacement is a dealer instruction in this book. This page does not add a coil-pull procedure.
• Drive-belt routing next to the specifications is a figure and is not the plug job.

Symptoms

• A misfire is not, by itself, a plug gap. Read the engine before you buy SP-542, SP-520, SP-534, or SP-519.

Diagnosis

1. The 2.7L gap line is printed as .028-.031 (0.7 - 0.8 mm) without the abbreviation in. The other three gaps include in. Both wordings are quoted.
2. The 2020 book lists different Motorcraft numbers on some of these engines. Do not move SP-578 or SP-551 onto this 2017 truck.
3. The drawing on this page is the firing sequence. The manual does not say which bank is cylinder 1, so the drawing does not show a bank.

Tools

• None listed for removal

  The parts notes say to contact an authorized dealer for spark plug replacement. They do not name a socket.

Specifications

Steps

1. 01Match the engine

   SP-542 is the 2.7L EcoBoost. SP-520 is the 3.5L. SP-534 is the 3.5L EcoBoost. SP-519 is the 5.0L.

   1. All four say coil on plug.

2. 02Use the printed gap

   2.7L .028-.031 (0.7 - 0.8 mm). 3.5L TiVCT and 5.0L .049-.053 in. (1.25 - 1.35 mm). 3.5L EcoBoost .030-.033 in. (0.75 - 0.85 mm).

   1. Do not transfer the 2020 3.5L EcoBoost gap onto this 2017 3.5L EcoBoost. The later book prints a different gap and a different part number.

3. 03Read the sequence as a sequence

   1-4-2-5-3-6 on the six-cylinder engines. 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 on the 5.0L. That is the order in the specification table, not a map of the coils.

   1. The figure on this page is that sequence only.

4. 04Stop where the manual stops

   Contact an authorized dealer for spark plug replacement. The schedule says every 100,000 miles (160,000 km).

   1. No coil-boot procedure was read, so none is added.

Common mistakes

• Installing the 2020 SP-578 or SP-551 because a later guide lists them.
• Gapping the 3.5L EcoBoost to the 3.5L TiVCT range. This printing separates them.
• Treating the firing sequence as a picture of the engine banks.

Parts and tools

Outbound links only. BaySheet does not sell parts. Confirm fitment on the retailer page. Amazon links are searches for a real part name plus this vehicle. Tool rows do not get a product search. The search is not a part number.

• Part

  Motorcraft spark plug for that engine

  SP-542, SP-520, SP-534, or SP-519 as listed. The manual says Motorcraft parts meet or exceed Ford's specification.

  Spark plug numbers in the 2017 F-150 owner's manual (opens in a new tab)Search Amazon.com (affiliate link) (opens in a new tab)

• Tool

  None listed for removal

  The parts notes say to contact an authorized dealer for spark plug replacement. They do not name a socket.

  Spark plug notes in the 2017 F-150 owner's manual (opens in a new tab)

Questions

Sources

• 2017 F-150 Owner's Manual, second printing, edition date July 2016, engine specifications (opens in a new tab). Ford Motor Company. Published 2016-07-01. Read 2026-10-15.

Checklist and email notes

The maintenance checklist is on the site now. The email list is not sending yet, so this box will not store an address.

Other repairs on this 2017 F-150

All Ford F-150 repairs

Other years of this Ford F-150

Same repair, different model year. Use the page that matches the truck or car in the driveway. A figure on one year is not a figure for the next.

This repair on other vehicles

These guides cover the same kind of work. Their numbers belong to those vehicles, not to this one.