Any tips on changing spark plugs?

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JHolden

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Noose, mine looks the same as the pictures you posted. So that confirms that it’s a 3v
 

poppie

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My 07 EB with the 3:31 rear end has just under 114,000 on the original plugs, took a trip from the north woods of Wisconsin,Boulder Junction, down to the Chicago area and got 21.5 mpg,around here mixed town and back roads going to Minocqua with temps below 0 most of the winter it's sitting right on 19.5 mpg,i will say it does not like town / urban driving with stop lights every couple of block's and the mpg falls fast IF i'm stuck for any length of time in that crap, still starts at the click of the key every time and runs like a sewing machine, LOVE OUR EXPY 5.4 with the 6 speed, if Ford still offered that engine & trans I might think about trading, I believe KISS, in Keep It Simple Stupid and do not want anything twin turbo with all the parts to go bad in a 10 speed.
 

JExpedition07

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The 5.4L Triton isn't exactly a simple motor when you compare it to older varieties, it is a great power plant. That being said I love mine too, I'm at 161,000 miles and she runs like brand new. As far as the 10 speed yes I bet they will be quite problematic down the road. Ford and GM worked on the 8&10 together and many of them are already having issues. Too complex and too many points of potential failure.
 
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Boose

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My 07 EB with the 3:31 rear end has just under 114,000 on the original plugs, took a trip from the north woods of Wisconsin,Boulder Junction, down to the Chicago area and got 21.5 mpg,around here mixed town and back roads going to Minocqua with temps below 0 most of the winter it's sitting right on 19.5 mpg,i will say it does not like town / urban driving with stop lights every couple of block's and the mpg falls fast IF i'm stuck for any length of time in that crap, still starts at the click of the key every time and runs like a sewing machine, LOVE OUR EXPY 5.4 with the 6 speed, if Ford still offered that engine & trans I might think about trading, I believe KISS, in Keep It Simple Stupid and do not want anything twin turbo with all the parts to go bad in a 10 speed.

5.4 was a great motor, especially by the 2007/2008 model year. All the kinks were worked out by then. To say that the 3V is 5.4 a "simple" motor is a little off however. We're not talking about a push rod 90 degree V8 here exactly.
It's a fully electronic throttle by wire MPFI motor, with electro/hydraulic variable valve timing. Very unique head design with 3 valves.

The Ecoboost V6 motors with their DOHC 24V is actually an older design if you take the turbo's off... That motor can be traced back to the DOHC "Duratec" 3.0 offered in the Taurus as far back as 1993. The Ecoboost 3.5 is that motor stroked/poked with turbos and VVTI...

The 3V 5.4 was in North American production from 04-14. The 3.5 Ecoboost has been around since 2009 and it keeps getting better, no end in sight.

The 5.4 by it's design was the less tried and true concept. The 2V version was far simpler but didn't have the power without a blower (F150 Lightning).
 

tater

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Did my plugs on my 07 @100,000. Blew out all the dirt with compressor and soaked overnight with Kroil. Just barely broke them loose in the morning, let them soak a few more hours. No issues removing all the plugs. Only problem I have now is the dang exhaust manifold gaskets. That job is over my head with the issue of the broken studs.
 

theoldwizard1

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Maybe not the "official" approved Method but most professionals now just blow the dirt out of the plug well and use an impact gun to spin them out hot.
 

plumcolr

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Definitely blow out the wells before changing. In fact blow clean before removing coil packs. There is a TSB on the recommended procedure, pretty much as follows:
Loosen 1/8 turn. pour in a teaspoon of carb cleaner let it sit for 15 - 20 mins, then remove plugs. If they are really difficult to turn, tighten, loosen until they are out. I followed this, had the Lislre tool handy just in case. Found the previous owner had someone do it but they only replaced the easiest 4. Mine had 130K when I did it (06). Also helps to have a short length of 3/8 rubber hose in case you need to fish them out of the well. Shove the hose over the plug and lift out.
Be prepared to disconnect the battery and unmount the computer and bracket so you can get at number 4.
Good luck.
 

Triplet Dad

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I did all of the tricks...Seafoam, carb cleaner, etc and still broke 6 out of 8. Have the Lisle tool handy, and air compressor with an extension, magnet on a stick, and the right sockets, extensions, elbows, wrenches and you should be OK. Even if they break, removal with the Lisle tool will be about 15-20 min. I used the magnet to remove rust and spark plug parts from the cylinder once the plug was out.
 

Dick Daigle

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What did you torque them to? I just changed mine in my 07 EB and I am getting the gas smell and ticking. So I want to re torque them to "spec"
 

1955moose

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The actual recommended torque is between 24 to 27 ft lbs. Me personally, I like to use a small amount of antisieze on the threads to keep them from seizure in the heads. Remember their going to stay in there for almost 100 k miles. Makes removal easy, instead of a headache.

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Richard_S

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The actual recommended torque is between 24 to 27 ft lbs. Me personally, I like to use a small amount of antisieze on the threads to keep them from seizure in the heads. Remember their going to stay in there for almost 100 k miles. Makes removal easy, instead of a headache.

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Keep in mind if you torgue them wet (anti-sieze) to the same 24 to 27 ft lbs, you are actually torquing them more, since there is less friction.
 

1955moose

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OK here we go, always a pipe smoking engineer in every crowd! If you use anti sieze, definitely recommended, torque to 21 to 24 ft lbs. The only ones that have torque issues are first gens like mine, too little say 10 pounds, they spit out like watermelon seeds, too much, they strip out, and do the same thing! Gotta love Ford, chinch out on putting enough threads for 5 years, then finally put enough, then start the nightmare all over again, with a self destruct spark plug. I've been wrenching on these pups for over 45 years, and it never ceases to amaze me what they come up with next. At 30k plus back in late 90's to buy one of these vehicles, was aluminium that expensive, that 4-5 more threads would have kept the top vp's from their 100 k bonus that year! I'm looking forward to a year model that works as it should, with no Tsb bulletins, and no recalls, or as we called them campaigns! Well a Moose can dream!



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