Proper Plug Gap for 2003 5.4L Triton ?

[Transporter]

Well my Google/DuckDuckGo Foo has failed me (plus a good Forum Search) on what the proper Spark Plug Gap is for the 2003 5.4L 2V Triton. The leader so far is 54 thousands but a couple of sites have 40 and 35 thousands listed. I called Ford and the jerks said if you buy MotorCraft plugs by proper part number for your vehicle, they come per gapped. Well gee ****, what if I don't want to trust that they were properly gapped or just want to verify it for peace of mind, then what is it supposed to be? Ford doesn't know, again MotorCraft come pre-gapped. And they wonder why I don't buy from the Dealer?!

 

[Hamfisted]

General Specifications

Firing order 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8

Spark plug gap (4.6L and 5.4L) 1.32-1.42 mm (0.052-0.056 inch)

Torque Specifications

Spark plugs 11Nm — 89 lb-in

 

[1955moose]

Spark gap is right but isn't 89 inch pounds like 7.4 ft lbs? Way too light a torque. Proper torque with even the lack of threads should be double that, 14-17 ft lbs for spark plugs. Fellas am I missing something here. 7 pounds would shoot em out like porcelain watermelon seeds?

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[Plati]

thats in your owners manual
and also on the vehicle emissions sticker on every Expy

 

[1955moose]

Well that explains why so many boneheads that read and believe everything they read are spitting them out. Think about it guys, even with tapered seat spark plugs which we have. Champion, NGK and pretty much all plug manufactures recommend 7-15 pounds. In all other vehicles I've installed spark plugs in, I just snugged them good with a 3/8 inch ratchet. Charts all say finger tight then 1/8 to 1/4 turn after that. A little trickier with motors that have half the threads to grip like all 97-04 have. The torque specs are 7lbs on low side, 15 on the high side. It's a slippery slope when torquing something that you know can go from oh yeah to oh crap, with the turn of a ratchet or torque wrench. I've always liked going a little above middle torque spec, that way it's tight enough but not helicoil time. Around 13-14 ft pounds seems to be in the neighborhood for these plugs.

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[Hamfisted]

Yeah, seems a little light to me too, but that's what's in the service manual for torque, if anybody cares. My Yamaha outboard is 25Nm . That sounded about right, so that's what my Expy gets . Maybe there's a TSB out saying tighten 'em down more, I don't know.

 

[johnboneske]

I tightened mine on my 03 5.4 to 16 ft pounds, I did that on my first expedition and this one seems to work great for me. I also always use Bosch 9605 Iridium plugs and they keep the engine so smooth! I know you guys like Motorcraft plugs, but I prefer Iridium over platinum.

 

[Transporter]

I tightened mine on my 03 5.4 to 16 ft pounds, I did that on my first expedition and this one seems to work great for me. I also always use Bosch 9605 Iridium plugs and they keep the engine so smooth! I know you guys like Motorcraft plugs, but I prefer Iridium over platinum.

Do you gap the Bosch to 54 thousands?

 

[1955moose]

Bosch is one of the few plugs I used in my 240/280z cars. Tried them all from OEM Nippon denso, Ngk, found the standard Bosch just agreed with those in line 6 motors. This is not one vehicle, speaking of our 5.4's that I'd go any less than 12 ft lbs of torque. Seems like the consensus is no anti sieze compound on threads. I've always liked using it on aluminum heads, especially cars that spend time out in the weather. I keep asking this question but never got a confirmation, do the 03/04 second edition have additional threads on the cylinder heads. I've heard rumors they finally got it right on last two years. Anybody know if that in fact is true?

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[Transporter]

Only don’t use the antisieze if you own a heilcoil kit and the broken plug remover kit.

I always use antisieze lightly and torque to 15 foot pounds.

 

[1955moose]

What year and engine size is yours transporter? Pre 05 expeditions didn't break plugs, just the 05-early 08's from all I've read over the past 4 years. It still kills me that any designers and engineers would allow heads to be produced like that. It's a mold they design to pour the aluminum into. You think they would have caught the mistake in early 95 or 96, when they first built these motors. In fact the 4.6 goes back to early ninety's, and heard the problem stems from the early Lincoln's and Crown Vic's, and Mustangs. Did they really think that 6-8 less threads on an already soft aluminum head wasn't going to rear it's ugly head, pardon the pun. Common suit thinking, was let's see if it holds, we'll deal with it later. What's the old saying, better to ask for forgiveness, than permission!

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[Transporter]

I really wish that were true. Number 2 and Number 7 cylinders on my 2003 5.4L Triton have been helicoiled as they both shot the spark plugs out! At 45K miles, I had a P0305 Code. Went to change the COP and Plug, the plug was in two pieces.

 

[1955moose]

Wow, yours is the first I've heard that broke a plug on a 2 valve motor. My thinking is whoever installed the last set, used a cheap spark plug socket, or better still a regular deep 5/8 inch socket without the soft cushion inside. Or worse yet he used a 9/16 socket from a 04 on up 3 valve motor, and rocked it in. My 2000 has a little over 102k, and runs great, so guess what, in they stay. I can't even get folks to seal tires these days, I end up redoing myself at a good friends shop that has a tire machine. Damned if I would trust anyone to get my spark plug swap right! No, when it starts bucking or snorting, I guess I'm stuck doing it myself.

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[johnboneske]

Do you gap the Bosch to 54 thousands?

they come pre gapped, but made sure they were at .054 when i put them in. I used antisieze on them too, haven't had an issues... Although I don't use alot of It. Just enough to get into the threads.

 

[Transporter]

Wow, yours is the first I've heard that broke a plug on a 2 valve motor. My thinking is whoever installed the last set, used a cheap spark plug socket, or better still a regular deep 5/8 inch socket without the soft cushion inside. Or worse yet he used a 9/16 socket from a 04 on up 3 valve motor, and rocked it in. My 2000 has a little over 102k, and runs great, so guess what, in they stay. I can't even get folks to seal tires these days, I end up redoing myself at a good friends shop that has a tire machine. Damned if I would trust anyone to get my spark plug swap right! No, when it starts bucking or snorting, I guess I'm stuck doing it myself.

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Moose, please read a little deeper, it was a Factory installed plug that was in two pieces. I have so many MAC and Snap-On tools that if I didn't have them I could probably have retired years ago, so I was using the correct plug wrench and socket to remove Plug 5 at 45K miles IE it was a Motorcraft plug that was in two pieces.

Anybody that has looked at the tools in my Roll Cab knows that I have the proper tool for the proper job as all my screwdriver tips are in great shape and none of my ratchets have ding or nicks on them because I don't use my screwdrivers as punches, pry bars, scrapers, or chisels nor do I use my ratchets as hammers or bang on the handle with a hammer if bolt/nut will not break loose. But what I wish I now had was a Diagnostic Machine and a Smoke Machine but I wasn't an auto mechanic. I worked on aircraft and electronics. If anybody needs to get the stepper motor out of a Collins E4 Radio Altimeter, I have the two different sized Bristol Spline Drivers one needs to release the main drive gear from the stepper motor shaft and to remove the motor from the chassis mount!

Since the two blowouts and removing the broken plug at 45K with using a small amount of antisieze on all new plugs, I haven't had any issues for the last 250,000 miles with blowouts, broken plugs, or stuck plugs.
.

 

[1955moose]

Transporter I wasn't insinuating it was you that did the plug, I thought you had a shop do the work, or bought vehicle that way. I too have mostly snap on or Matco stuff as well. Any spark plug can snap it's porcelain. Just hadn't heard of the first edition and early second edition snapping off plugs. Usually it's that stripped thread deal. I feel your pain, on that danged spark plug. I'm holding off on mine. I'm thinking mine might have been changed by past owner before I bought at 64 k. Again sorry, I was referring to non owner techs in my post.

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[CertusExpo]

So... Bosch 9605 Irridium's huh?

May have to try those puppies out and do a COP swap-out for laughs and giggles.

 

[johnboneske]

So... Bosch 9605 Irridium's huh?

May have to try those puppies out and do a COP swap-out for laughs and giggles.

laughs and giggles, how come? I've never had an issue with Bosch plugs and those coil packs

 

[CertusExpo]

laughs and giggles

Only a figure of speech akin to 'For ***** and grins'.

I need to swap out my COPs so while I'm at it, may as well spend 4-6 hours doing plugs as well and try out those Bosch plugs. I haven't found a plug I'm happy with yet after three tries. I carry 10 spare COPs on board.

 

[johnboneske]

I stand by those Bosch plugs, they seem.to smooth out the engine, if you ever notice it seems rough sometimes with the Mororcraft plugs... I also use the cheap Amazon coil packs, I always get mine from the vendor CCCP, and have never had an issue.

I understand what you mean now, my bad! You can spend LOTS of money working on these Damn things...got to save where you can. I have had the plugs and coil packs in it for about 50k now and so far so good...