stockyd

If you own a F150 or other Ford truck with a 5.4 Triton V8 Read this, it could save you a lot of $!. My 2005 has just 50,000 miles on it. I took it to the dealer and had them change the fuel filter, clean the injectors and most important of all, had them change the spark plugs. The maintainence manual tells you to change the plugs at 100,000 miles. DON'T WAIT THAT LONG! If you have near 50,000 miles or more, CHANGE YOUR PLUGS!
The dealers mechanic had to soak mine for 2+ hours to get them out without breaking. The manager told me, and I have verified this through other mechanics, some with Ford, Some independant. The plugs design and the tight fit cause build up around the shaft of the plug and it is VERY common for the plugs to break at the weld when they try to take them out. There is a tool to help with this (Ford makes sure their mechanics have them) but it only works at best 50% of the time.
Once the plug breaks and the tool fails it will cost you in the neighborhood of $3000.00 to have your heads removed and the plugs taken out. Ford will not pay for this even though it is the poor design that causes it.
My truck runs great but I will not put another 50,000 miles on it before I change the plugs again.
I hope this saves someone the extra cost of having to take broken plugs out.

 

widman

put anti-seize compound on the threads before installing them

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Richard's Corvair

Selection of the Right Motor oil for flat tappet engines

2003 F550 6.0 Powerstroke
2001 E350 Econoline Natural Gas

360ci

Anti Seize does wonders. Only an idiot would leave plugs in for 100 000miles anyway (sorry if I offended anyone). GM now too states that the plugs are good for 100K. I change plugs every 40K for best performance (copper!, not platinum or iridium which last longer but don't burn anymore efficiently).

Look at it this way: at 80K your plugs are 80% used, I wouldn't want those in my engine. I change copper plugs every 25K like clockwork. Sure, after I pull them out they look like they could run for another 25K, but it's not worth the cost of a head. Not to mention the time and patience!

Same thing goes for exhaust manifold bolts. They are heat treated but around the 100K mark they become weak and can break off, meaning the only way to get them out is to drill. Unless you like listening to an exhaust leak :)

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'99 Taurus 3.0L 2V Vulcan 145hp; 107,820m
'00 Durango R/T 360ci 300hp (modded); 90,651m
'06 Pontiac G6 GT 3.5L 220hp; 14,224m

Amsoil in all vehicles!

kaboom10

Just did mine at 36k for a couple of reasons. I intend to keep this truck till the paint fades off. I've read the same thing on forum after forum about replacing plugs at a resonable mileage. Plugs blowing out, plugs breaking off, etc. depending on design and mileage. I also wanted to read the plugs since I've advanced the spark tables to wake it up.

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2002 5.4L F-150 4wd
Baer rotors w/ carbon kevlar pads, Amsoil filter w/modified air box,
Flowmaster exhaust, Optima battery,
Kenwood radio, Livewire tuned, Edelbrock shocks,
4R70 trans kit, 4.56 TruTrac rear carrier, Accel 21lb injectors.

rodney.duran

My truck has just hit 80k miles and the check engine light came on like clockwork. miss fire #8 cylinder. Of course when I replaced the plug it broke in two pieces. The local ford dealer has tried twice using the special tool for this job (398.00 dollars later). No progress has been made. The Lead Mechanic called explaining my two options. ONE) tap the remaining plug threw and let the engine take chew the plug up and spit it out the exhaust or TWO) pull the head. I do not have the 2900 dollars to pull the head, and I know pushing the plug threw isn’t smart, but I’m left with no choice. I always do my own work on the truck (besides getting the plug out). Do you think I should pull the head myself or push the plug threw, take a shot of whisky and pray like hell I don’t mess anything else up? Any comments will help.

w/R Rodney Duran USN

jwko

If you think the engine is gonna chew that up & spit it out you're wrong. That plug end gonna chew up your engine. You can and or will bust a piston, break/bend a valve, bend a rod and tear the hell out of the cylinder wall. I would remove the head or leave it in and let it miss.

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kaboom10

Fix it properly. The misfire will screw up the catalytic convertor. If you can't do it see if a school can do it to teach students proper procedure and maybe they'll do it for the cost of parts.

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2002 5.4L F-150 4wd
Baer rotors w/ carbon kevlar pads, Amsoil filter w/modified air box,
Flowmaster exhaust, Optima battery,
Kenwood radio, Livewire tuned, Edelbrock shocks,
4R70 trans kit, 4.56 TruTrac rear carrier, Accel 21lb injectors.