Spark Plug/Coils

[ediddily]

I just got a 2007 XLT and did extensive research about the spark plug problem...discovering that they are the most least thought of design irritates me and the possibility of them breaking IN THE HEAD, I mean c'mon! Either way, I took the car to the dealer and found out that the check engine light went on for a bad coil. Coil #4 is going out and I was hoping someone could tell me which cylinder is #4?
In addition, would it be ok to change just the bad coil or should I change them all? I also ordered the broken plug tool kit for when I change the plugs just in case they break.
Should I remove the plugs when the engine is hot or cold? And what about putting the new ones in besides covering them with anti-seize, should the new plugs go in hot or cold engine?
Any information would help and thanks in advance.

 

[Dib52]

You can just replace the culprit coil and should be good to go. #4 is on the pass side, back at the firewall. My 08 had #2 and #5 go bad and I just replaced them, left the others in place.
As far as the plugs are concerned, before the change, run a good fuel injector cleaner through the system to help break up and carbon deposits and then hit the plugs themselves with a good penetrating lubricant the night before. For me, the dealer is gonna get the work, ain't dealing with the potential hassle.

 

[ediddily]

Thanks for the reply, what about the plugs? Should I change them hot or cold?
I've also seen on youtube some guy taking them out with an air gun and was successful 8/8 without breaking a single one. Thoughts?

 

[Maddog7771]

Thanks for the reply, what about the plugs? Should I change them hot or cold?
I've also seen on youtube some guy taking them out with an air gun and was successful 8/8 without breaking a single one. Thoughts?

You want to replace them when the engine is cold otherwise you can mess up the threads an plus the plugs will be very hot to the touch. Also when you drop the new ones in use the grease on the threads the help them from fusing. And dont use an air tool on spark plugs its easy to pop the out. And remember when dropping them back in to not over tighten them trust me. The manual should state the TQ specks for the plugs. Hope this helped

 

[Miekk]

A bad plug took out my #4 coil. The coil gets weak because it has to work harder to jump the ever increasing gap.

I just ordered the Lisle tool from Amazon and Ford PZT14F plugs. (the part number on the plug itself)

Hopefully I don't need the tool and it will go back.

In 04 the 3 valve came with a PZT2F4 plug. That was too hot and caused detonation in the desert mountains. In 05 they came with PZT1F4 (which is the plug that the 4.6 3v came with). It turned out to be too cold and would allow deposits to build up causing high load high RPM misfires. In 07 they changed the electrode tip and made a plug with a heat range between the 1 and 2 and named it PZT14F. It was standard until 09 or so when the head and plug design was changed to prevent breaking.

Changing the plugs:
There seems to be two schools of thought on this:

1) Follow OEM proceedures: Cold, Crack lose, spray and soak for hour, work back and forth till comes out (broken or if lucky, maybe not).

2) Operating temperature, rip them our with air impact. (the guys that do this swear by it)

Autolite has a video on this proceedure and it's not #2. I can tell you, all metal logic wouldn't have them ripped out when they're hot due to the aluminum threads, but if it works...?

I don't understand the Hydrolocking issue if too much penetrating lube is used. Just put rags over the empty holes (without plugs in them), hold the loud pedal to the floor to prevent the injectors from signaling for fuel and spin the engine over to blow out any excess fluid. Common solution if people own snowmobiles...

Autolite Video
Campion Video
Some guy using the Lisle tool
Some guy using the Impact

Napa tool

 

[timberwoof]

The plugs are a ******************** to do. I was watching a ford machanic dither plugs on a f150 5.4 and I about cried watching how much work it took just to get one out. He said he could do mine but it would cost almost three times as much to do it myself. Uh I don't know if I want to shell out the money for that.

 

[Miekk]

Plug Update:

SP515 (PZH14F) is the new redesigned one piece replacement for PZT14F.

 

[WHOISMOOTOO]

once you get all the intake and out of the way and have a stool to stand on its not too bad but might as well do all 8 while your under there! and for those last two on the passenger side i found it works easier if you unbolt the pcm.

 

[CARO'S98EB]

I do these alot. I do it with the eng hot and an impact [3/8] usually come out fine. I also take out the pcm and bracket to do 3 and 4 on the passenger side. the Lisle tool works well to remove broken plugs. always blow out the debris [porcelin and such] after plug breaks and before using removal tool\
I work at a Ford dealer as a tech and the Ford procedure is a waste of time.

 

[Miekk]

Just replaced all the plugs today. Cracked them last night and let them soak till this morning. The first 3 I did the proceedure as stated by ford. All three broke. Then I stopped the "back and forth" part of the proceedure and just turned them out, not one more broke. Might be something there...