Spark plug blow out issue

[BakerEdition]

Does this happen to a particular Generation and is it prone to the 4.6 or 5.4 or both?

 

[alaskanexpy]

97-02 5.4s have this issue. i've blown one and my buddy has blown one in his '98 also. not a huge deal. i caught another before it blew..

 

[Thermo]

baker, it is a problem in the 97-03 5.4L engines. The heads are aluminum and they only have 3 threads in the heads to hold the plugs in place. It was corrected in 04 (hence the new plug design for the following years and why they are such a SOB to get out). If you ever have an issue, let me know. I have the Timesert kit and to say that it is well travelled is an understatement. All you would have to get is the sleeves to fix the well in question. I don't really have a need for it since I did all 8 of my plug wells when I had the heads off. That way I don't have to worry about a plug blowing out on me ever.

 

[masterhacker]

From what Ive been told by my buddy who is a ford mechanic, when you change your plugs you MUST Torque them to whatever they recommend, also soak them in pb blaster over night before changing them, and change them fairly often (every 50,000 miles or sooner) cause he said what happens is you can get carbon build up in the threads of the spark plug, so when you take them out it beats up the aluminum threads

 

[BakerEdition]

baker, it is a problem in the 97-03 5.4L engines. The heads are aluminum and they only have 3 threads in the heads to hold the plugs in place. It was corrected in 04 (hence the new plug design for the following years and why they are such a SOB to get out). If you ever have an issue, let me know. I have the Timesert kit and to say that it is well travelled is an understatement. All you would have to get is the sleeves to fix the well in question. I don't really have a need for it since I did all 8 of my plug wells when I had the heads off. That way I don't have to worry about a plug blowing out on me ever.

Thanks Thermo....Knock on wood...no problems yet....had plugs changed about 5,000 ago and no problem..

 

[masterhacker]

I always figured if I had any issues with the stock heads I would buy some trick flow heads, and performance cams
and say to hell with emisions

 

[BakerEdition]

Yeah...I feel the same way....if im gonna have someone dive into it...then its time to replace the heads, timing chain and anything else....

 

[Wayne]

I have a 2004 with a 4.6 and i just had one blow out on the right side of the engine, and after i replaced the plug and coil it will not run.

 

[ArTXHorn]

2004 4.6l here and had one on passenger side blow

 

[2000eb]

baker, it is a problem in the 97-03 5.4L engines. The heads are aluminum and they only have 3 threads in the heads to hold the plugs in place. It was corrected in 04 (hence the new plug design for the following years and why they are such a SOB to get out). If you ever have an issue, let me know. I have the Timesert kit and to say that it is well travelled is an understatement. All you would have to get is the sleeves to fix the well in question. I don't really have a need for it since I did all 8 of my plug wells when I had the heads off. That way I don't have to worry about a plug blowing out on me ever.

if you ever sell the expy you gotta stay on here i may just blow a plug after all im having fun driving the expy with the edge programmer

 

[1997SCEBFEX]

1.6.2011 @ 147,774 miles # 3 on pass side not only ejected, but hit the fuel rain and went back into the cylinder destroying the head. Quote to rebuild the head was $1995, total rebuild $2995 plus accessories; my total rebuild was just shy of $4K w/ a 3 year/36K Warranty. Ford referred me to the guy that does all their rebuilds for the modular 4.6/5.4/V-10's as they really didn't want to do the work, not to mention the time out of service factor too.

 

[Wayne]

Plug blowout

Mine was #3 also that blew out but now i can't get it over 60 without it missing badly. anny ideas????????

 

[clok1966]

So does anybody know what years the 4.6 had aluminuim heads? I just picked up an expedetion and its got a miss (and a slip from mechanic saying its plugs or wires).. Got it for a song so figured I would do the plugs myself.. but i see this may be ... interesting. I see the 4.6 had both cast and Aluminium heads. And from my understanding the cast dont have the the plug issue. Mines a 98. From all my reading here i just ordered new coils, new plugs and wires. Seems just fixing the problem it will come back if i dont do all.

 

[1997SCEBFEX]

So does anybody know what years the 4.6 had aluminuim heads? I just picked up an expedetion and its got a miss (and a slip from mechanic saying its plugs or wires).. Got it for a song so figured I would do the plugs myself.. but i see this may be ... interesting. I see the 4.6 had both cast and Aluminium heads. And from my understanding the cast dont have the the plug issue. Mines a 98. From all my reading here i just ordered new coils, new plugs and wires. Seems just fixing the problem it will come back if i dont do all.

Take your time, no real specialty tools needed, just flexion, adapters and small hands are a plus. Proper torquing, as mentioned, is the key. I changed plugs @ 50K to keep the supercharger in tip-top performance, then again @ 132K as I had a misfire, and the ejection occurred @ 147K. Make sure you pay attention to your gap, and of course do one plug at a time. You may/may not have to take your fuel rails off. Also be careful to thoroughly clean around each plug before you start wrenching as you want to reduce/eliminate as much as you can from falling debris down into the cylinder. I used an old piece of fuel hose attached to my shop vac to get all the loose stuff up.

 

[toms89]

So does anybody know what years the 4.6 had aluminuim heads? I just picked up an expedetion and its got a miss (and a slip from mechanic saying its plugs or wires).. Got it for a song so figured I would do the plugs myself.. but i see this may be ... interesting. I see the 4.6 had both cast and Aluminium heads. And from my understanding the cast dont have the the plug issue. Mines a 98. From all my reading here i just ordered new coils, new plugs and wires. Seems just fixing the problem it will come back if i dont do all.

All the PI 2v modular heads are cast aluminum as are the earlier non-PI heads. All the 2v modular heads have the issues though ford corrected them with new 8 thread heads late in production before the 3v heads were introduced. Problem is it not consistant on which vehicles got them when. Mustangs, trucks, suvs...etc.. They are available now and sold as ford motorsport PI 2v modular heads. Can be purchased through Jegs, Summit and many other performance parts retailers.

 

[clok1966]

well thanks for adivice I actually did it today.. I am a mechanics son.. and have always worked on my cars. I wont say this job is the worst one I have done, but it was a top 20 (notice i didnt even say top 10). All plugs came out easy.. the key really is exstensions and swivil. I did plugs, wires and coils... the coil bolts where very slow turning.. not hard per say but had to screw up out every inch. The plug wires going under every injector wire and the large boots made it time consuming.. but not hard. I did nothing with the fuel rail. All in all it was just simpley time consuming, and a couple plugs where tight to get too . I used a step stool and chunk of foam to lay across the radiator (excellent suggestion from one of the threads). I would say i started at 3:00PM and ended about 6:30 ish... I paniced for a minute when it fired up.. my #4 cylinder check engine light was still on and it was still missing.. but the miss when away after a few seconds.. and i hadnt cleared the check engine light. once cleared its got about 40 miles on it now and runs great and no check engine light... Now onto other sub forums here for other questions .

if you plan on doing it.. have all the exstions you can muster ( as said in most how to threads here).. a step stool and some foam/blanket to put that gut on over the radiator.. and time...

 

[1997SCEBFEX]

Great feedback & congrats!

 

[DR3W]

Its happened twice in my 00' 4.6. Just got a new coil and plug and its fine.