"Don't try to replace spark plugs!" 2008 Why not?

[Robert Gift]

Fellow volunteer medical courier says to take it to the Ford dealer.

I have always changed my own spark plugs in all of my vehicles.
Why not now? Can't get access to some?

Thank you

 

[rburch]

They have a tendency to brake because they were a 2 piece plug and the ground strap section would get carbon built up around it and seize that part in the plug well causing it to break. Best advice i can give you is to watch the video and make sure you have a whole day do do the job! The longer you let the PB Blaster/Carb cleanersit and do its job the easier it will be!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Gz5Pd-hrWQ

 

[hovocop]

dont try changing plugs....... GREAT ADVICE................ plugs are buried (not like a normal trucks). You will be bending over your hood for 3 to 4 hours....... assuming you have all the necessary tools......... and dont get me started on the horror stories about plugs shooting out of the coil (costing much more than cost of changing plug by pro)........... make sure to use genuine parts

 

[rburch]

The 04+ dont have the problem with spitting plugs!

 

[Robert Gift]

They have a tendency to brake because they were a 2 piece plug and the ground strap section would get carbon built up around it and seize that part in the plug well causing it to break. Best advice i can give you is to watch the video and make sure you have a whole day do do the job! The longer you let the PB Blaster/Carb cleanersit and do its job the easier it will be!

Thank you so much, R.
I'll get the proper tools and carbon cleaner and do this. (Gives me an excuse to buy more tools with the money I would otherwise give to a dealer!)

What do I do about pressure in a compression stroke?
Can I bleed that off?

I can let the vehicle soak overnight or 24 hours or more.
Is there too long a period of time where the liquid dissipates and the carbon re-hardens?
And if I do get too much liquid in the cylinders can I wick it out with cloth rope or cloth?
Or better to just turn the engine over and blow it out?

How does one knowhatemperature range to get?
(This emergencyehicle gets pushed on emergency transports. It has transported blood at 95 to 100 mph for an hour to a distant hospital.)
But that abuse is rare. [Always watching temperature gauge.]
(When it arrives at a hospital, the engine is left running in park.)

Thank you.

 

[2000GM]

Even when that procedure is followed to a T, plugs can and do still break. It has been a well known problem on the 3V 5.4 since 2004. I just had mine done on my 2007 F150. Killed me to take it to the dealer for it but for $350 after the truck not costing me a dime for 100K miles, I just said the hell with it. Sure enough, 2 of them broke, so I'm glad I didn't try it myself. Absolutely ridiculous plug design, and even more ridiculous for Ford to not have corrected it by now. I assume the new 5.0 and 6.2 V8s don't have the same type of spark plug, so in a way maybe they have corrected it, lol. With the hundreds and hundreds of thousands of trucks out there since 2004, it's amazing Ford was never really called to the carpet over this.

 

[GAINMOB]

The 04+ dont have the problem with spitting plugs!

yeah they do...one broke in mine and the dealership did it

 

[Robert Gift]

..one broke in mine and the dealership did it

If the dealership breaks it, do we get charged more?

If I let it set overnight with much liquid, then apply again, will that lessen chance of anything breaking?
I'd rather do that than the dealer, which would be more quick about it, breaking it off.

So Ford causes yet another design in spark plugs to be manufactured?
Being specialized, are they more expen$ive than typical spark plugs?

Thank you.

 

[hovocop]

genuine parts were no more expensive than the quad platinum bosch that I had originally bought, but my mechanic said he would not warranty aftermarket parts,,,,,,,,,,, read a post on similar issue last month, his mechanic charged extra for each broken plug............. if you still intend on doing it yourself, would be curious to hear how you fared

 

[Dib52]

If you are doing it yourself, get this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00267PZUK

You can do it yourself, just take your time. PB blaster the night before and another thing I have heard is to treat the gas with a good quality fuel injector cleaner/decarbonizer prior to the job. For me, too paranoid of the horror stories, dealer getting mine.

 

[sgtowing]

I had a mechanic (not the dealer) do it and 4 broke. Im sure the dealer may have not broken as many but I think 1 or 2 would have still broke.

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[ELVATO]

I think the spitting plugs were fixed in the 03-04 engines. The breaking plugs came with the 3V motor. I think Ford fixed this (or alleviated the problem?) by the 08 models of F150s (and I'm assuming Expedition as well?).

Either way, follow the TSB. I think I have heard of people leaving the carb cleaner overnight. Read around on the F150online forums, but a lot of the success stories definitely involve following the TSB.

Usually, the way I've heard of it working with dealer pricing is they charge you a set amount for the change, plus however extra (~100) per plug broken. They follow the TSB, or whatever method works for them. Ask to see what their record is with those plug changes.

By heat range, are you talking about the spark plug heat range? I'd probably stick with stock, unless otherwise specified. They seem to have work well thus far, right? Try not to get aftermarket as I've heard of some of these engines being a bit picky of what gets put in.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Is this only for 3rd gen?

 

[sgtowing]

05 & 06 2nd gens as well.

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[Captain Morgan]

Cool, I didnt see anything about it for the 1st Gen. I'm not sure if the plugs and coils were ever changed on my '98. I'm under the impression that it is still a pita but changing those out plus the 02 sensors etc isnt all that expensive and something I can do myself . . . with patience, finesse and liquid wrench


I just found the "Broken Spark Plug Remover for Ford Triton 3 Valve Engines"

Has great reviews, it bites down in to the sleeve and allows it to be removed, but I imagine that the solvent steps in the video would still apply.

 

[07Expy4x4]

I changed the plugs in my 07 without any breaking, but my Expy only had 55k miles at the time. I think that was the most important reason that I didn't have any breaks. I did the job at a friend's shop who has extensive experience changing these problem spark plugs. I ran a full tank of gas with Lucas carbon cleaner before I pulled the plugs. My friend told me to use his air ratchet as he said that he has less breaks when using an air ratchet. His idea is that the air ratchet's vibrations break the carbon loose. My friend did have the extraction tool available at his shop in case I had a plug break, but I ended up not needing it!

My advice is to change the ASAP. If you have a lot of miles, you should probably go ahead and buy the tool, unless you could wait a few days to order the tool in the event that one breaks. It is a gamble to change the plugs without the tool at hand.

One more thing, I was told that my local Ford dealership pulls the entire head when a plugs breaks. This is entirely unnecessary, but they sure do make a lot of money when they do it! If you decide to take your truck to a mechanic or dealer, ask if they have experience changing the plugs on the earlier 3v 5.4 and make sure that they don't pull the head in the event of a break.

 

[sgtowing]

They don't pull the head. A friend of mine works as a service tech at a local ford dealer and he uses a special tool. I don't know if its the same one as above.

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[Captain Morgan]

Your friend sounds pretty smart. Clean the carbon on the inside and use vibration. Reminds me that I have a compressor and impact set I've never even used.

Thx for sharing 07Expy4x4 - you probably saved someone some grief.

 

[07Expy4x4]

Your friend sounds pretty smart. Clean the carbon on the inside and use vibration. Reminds me that I have a compressor and impact set I've never even used.

Thx for sharing 07Expy4x4 - you probably saved someone some grief.

Yeah, he has over 20 years of experience as a mechanic. I will give him a shameless plug since he has helped me out so many times in the past and does excellent work. He and his brother run 1st Choice Automotive in Alexandria, LA. They do lots of performance mods as well, including complete motor builds, superchargers, turbochargers, and custom tuning.

If I had the cash, I'd get them to install the Procharger system on my Expy... but I doubt I will ever be able to afford it.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Well it's a bit of a drive from Hico to elek but probably worth it to get the job done right. Nothing wrong with a shameless plug, give credit where credit's due.