How to replace your 4.6L & 5.4L spark plugs - Page 31

indyfan31 · #**451** (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 08:15 PM

Hi Everyone. I've read this entire thread before getting ready to pull the plugs on my '99 F150 5.4, what a mountain of information that was.
I was left with only one question. Since it seems that the COPs don't need to be replaced until they fail, is it possible to just buy the spark plug boots and replace them with the plugs? I ask because of this picture of the Accel coil seems to show the boot attached to the unit. Thanks in advance to everyone, and especially Racerguy.

Racerguy · #**452** (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 08:28 PM

Welcome to the forum Indyfan

Yes it's possible to buy the boots seperately. I'm not sure what the aftermarket places have available but your dealership should keep them in stock.

PhilcoPGM · #**453** (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 01:52 AM

Yep, it could be a small rock or an accumulation of grit and dirt. Agitate the area to loosen the junk down there then if you have to, blow it out with compressed air, or vacuum the junk out to expose more of the sparkplug and better contact with the socket.

Shernius · #**454** (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by indyfan31

is it possible to just buy the spark plug boots

NAPA sells the boots so other part stores might also.

jswinner · #**455** (**permalink**) 10-03-2009, 04:59 PM

Yep, an odd collection of gunk somehow got in there. I filled the hole with simple green solution a couple times and used the shop vac to suck it out and finally loosen up the stuff, and was able to eventually work the socket down over the plug. I found that a short 1/2 in piece of copper tube duct taped to the vac end worked pretty well, especially after the plug was out, to get it nice and clean. That was the only hole that had anything like that inside.

indyfan31 · #**456** (**permalink**) 11-16-2009, 06:41 PM

Ok, it finally got done. I replaced the plugs over the weekend, it took me two days at about 2 hours each day. The process went pretty much as it's been described here so there were no surprises. I bought the Motorcraft Platinum plugs and the boots from NAPA. There was only small amounts of debris and dust in each of the holes so they were easy to blow out. When I pulled that first coil off I was frankly shocked at the condition of the boots. My previous Ford was an '83 GT and the rubber parts in that car were absolutely crap. Ford has really stepped up in quality, these boots were still clean and plyable, with very few cracks:

Only one looked like it had been arcing at some point:

Then the plugs came out, again I was shocked. For 112K miles they really weren't bad:

I have to say the driver's side was considerably easier in spite of having to remove more stuff to access the plugs; probably because, unlike the passenger side, the plugs "tilt" towards the front of the truck.

Here's the NAPA boots and springs:

I didn't use the springs because of the "contact pin" in the original spring wouldn't come out easily. DON'T TWIST IT, IT WILL BREAK. Trust me.

Since the second bank went so smoothly I looked for other things to do while I had things apart. This is a good time to clean the Throttle Body, so I did. I also replaced the only rubber vacuum hoses that didn't seem to be of the same quality as the rest of the engine; maybe the were just exposed to a lot more heat. When I touched them they crumbled in my fingers:

Here's the replacement:

My only "issues" were self-inflicted. When I finished the first bank, I started the truck and had a terrible miss. I started pulling the coil wires one by one, when I got the third one .... it was already unplugged.

The other problem I had was on the drivers' side. I dropped the fuel rail screw onto the manifold, then I forgot about it. When I pulled the coil .... plop! Down it went, I got it out with a magnet.

Here's the tools I ended up using, I taped all the sockets, u-joints, and extensions together ... just in case.

Anyway, my thanks to everyone here who posted one tip or another, and an especially big thanks to Racerguy. Wouldn't have attempted this job without all the info you folks provided ......... and you saved me about $200.

stvMo · #**457** (**permalink**) 11-24-2009, 07:52 AM

I took the plunge and did the plug change in my 03 5.4.
With all the info in this thread and my own machanical ability(

)
The only real problem I had was getting the 7mm bolt out of the cop
on the second to the last on the drivers side. I had to use a 7mm open end wrench (took fr ever)
Might heve been easier takeing the fuel lines offf.
But I did it all in about 3 hrs ,so it wa'nt too bad.

thnx to all

Racerguy · #**458** (**permalink**) 11-25-2009, 01:17 AM

Welcome to the forum stvMo

Good to hear another success story.

soapbarblues · #**459** (**permalink**) 11-27-2009, 12:34 PM

New guy here...just wanted to thank the combined knowledge base here that prompted me to change my own plugs, boots and wires!

My '02 F150 Supercrew 4.6L was runnning quite rough, and having been raped recently by the dealership decided to take matters into my own non-mechanical hands.
Quite a tedious job, but basically the only real problem was cylinder #8. I didn't have a 7mm swivel socket, but the u-joint helped a lot, though not the best tool for the job.
#8 was I think the culprit as the plug itself was quite rusty. The boots looked in decent shape but I figured I might as well change them while I was at it, along with the PCV valve.
The truck just rolled 60K miles, so I guess it was time. Due to the work the dealership performed, I was certain it was a fuel problem with the injectors or throttle body. I'm not really sure they did the work they charged me for. A friend at work turned me in the direction of plugs, cop's, so that's when my research led me to this forum.
Thanks again for unintentionally walking me through this, couldn't have done it without this thread.
Regards, Allan.

Racerguy · #**460** (**permalink**) 11-27-2009, 12:53 PM

Welcome to the forum soapbarblues

If you decide to try doing anything else on your truck the guys here will probably be able to give you tips on pretty much anything you want to tackle.

soapbarblues · #**461** (**permalink**) 11-27-2009, 02:55 PM

Thanks so much, Dave.
I'll probably start a new thread on brake calipers if I don't get some resolve in the next day or so.

Allan.

goose4wind · #**462** (**permalink**) 12-01-2009, 08:38 AM

I appreciate your guidance for changing the COP's. I posted a problem with my F-150 a coouple of weeks ago, http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/90...ve-40-mph.html, and have received great responses. I removed coil packs from #1 and #2 cylinder yesterday and read them with a meter and got good readings according to my Haynes manual. I'm going to do a couple more today. My question to you is when I put the coils back on are they supposed to snap back into place over the plug ? I figured the spring that is inside the boot would work its way back over the plug as you seated it in there, but I don't feel a significant snap. Since the truck started and ran fine at idle I guess the coils were seated correctly. Another question, I am trying to figure out which coil is bad by reading it with a meter since a diagnostic shows no error code, but I'm wondering if the coils might read good with a meter but under normal operating conditions break down and cause my problem, but it is not bad enough to cause my CEL to come on. Am i pissing in the wind ? I work in electronics and come across this problem all the time. A component may check good in static conditions but not work when energized. Thanks again Dave for your help and hope to hear back from you.