2006 5.4 Spark Plug Change- 100% success & procedure I used
#16
150K Tune Up
Is there anything else major that I should do or have done for my 150k tune up? Do you think I should have the shop do the plugs or is it doable for a general handyman. That tool looks like it will help, but will these broken plugs add 4 extra hours?? What the hell is the problem with Ford 5.4 plugs, if you ask me, it should be a recall!!
#17
This is not rocket science by any means. Many get anxious because of all the chat regarding the possibilities, with the issue being the original manufacturer of the motorcraft plugs (which I think is federal-mogul), which instead of welding the entire body of the plug together, they 'crimped" the bottom half on. Because of the extended length of the plug, carbon can & does build up on the tip and at that part of the combustion chamber where the plug screws in/protrudes, the carbon binds as you try to unscrew the plug and because of the "crimp" assembly, the bottom half of the plug simply twists off.
Can you really blame Ford, unlikely. Can you blame FM who built the plugs, partially because they will say no-one realized that excessive carbon could build up and factor in gas quality, etc, etc....
So, if you have 50k miles or more, do (or have a mech do) a fuel injection cleaning service, have an extraction tool handy (about $50 online) then give it a try. If it's too much then drag it to a mechanic.
and yes, without breaking any plugs, including soak time, it took me 4 hours...so plan on the better part of a day.
Can you really blame Ford, unlikely. Can you blame FM who built the plugs, partially because they will say no-one realized that excessive carbon could build up and factor in gas quality, etc, etc....
So, if you have 50k miles or more, do (or have a mech do) a fuel injection cleaning service, have an extraction tool handy (about $50 online) then give it a try. If it's too much then drag it to a mechanic.
and yes, without breaking any plugs, including soak time, it took me 4 hours...so plan on the better part of a day.
#19
#20
#21
#24
I finally bit the bullet and changed out my plugs this afternoon. Truck has been idling like crap recently, and my mpg's seems to have dropped over the past 10K or so
68K on the truck, all 8 plugs came out with no issues.
As with beechkid, I got a set of SP515's for $8/pc from O'Reillys and ran 2 20oz bottles of Techron for about 40gal of fuel earlier this week it to hopefully clean out everything as much as possible.
Got some AeroKroil from Kano directly. 2 cans for $12 shipped--Best deal around.
Offer code - LATE
Kroil works... I stopped twisting the plugs as soon as I started feeling more resistance than " wrist tight" and let it soak more and tried again 15-20min later. Repeat. 5 of 8 gave a bone chilling creak all the way out, but they weren't more than "wrist tight" so I kept going until they came out. The 2 rear plugs closest to the firewall were tighter than others; when I first cracked them open with 1/8 turn, I let those soak longer. After taking a 2hr lunch break with the wife, the last 2 came out fairly painlessly.
It took a bit of self-control from getting overly confident to remove the others after the first one came out.
At 68K, the tip of the old plugs looked worn, and the gap looks like it's grown from wear on the ground as well. 2 of the plugs had some carbon crud built up on the shank. That must the the stuff that welds the 2nd half of the plug in the hole and causing plugs to break. It's not clear to me how these plugs would have lasted until 100K
In all, I think I spent a better of 5hrs on-and-off, including a lunch break.
Will take the truck for a spin later tonight to try things out...
My ego is a bit inflated at the moment and I'm busily patting myself on the back
In hindsight, I've always used top-tier gas, so I don't know if that helped. Didn't see too much carbon buildup on 6 of the 8 plugs otherwise.
68K on the truck, all 8 plugs came out with no issues.
As with beechkid, I got a set of SP515's for $8/pc from O'Reillys and ran 2 20oz bottles of Techron for about 40gal of fuel earlier this week it to hopefully clean out everything as much as possible.
Got some AeroKroil from Kano directly. 2 cans for $12 shipped--Best deal around.
Offer code - LATE
Kroil works... I stopped twisting the plugs as soon as I started feeling more resistance than " wrist tight" and let it soak more and tried again 15-20min later. Repeat. 5 of 8 gave a bone chilling creak all the way out, but they weren't more than "wrist tight" so I kept going until they came out. The 2 rear plugs closest to the firewall were tighter than others; when I first cracked them open with 1/8 turn, I let those soak longer. After taking a 2hr lunch break with the wife, the last 2 came out fairly painlessly.
It took a bit of self-control from getting overly confident to remove the others after the first one came out.
At 68K, the tip of the old plugs looked worn, and the gap looks like it's grown from wear on the ground as well. 2 of the plugs had some carbon crud built up on the shank. That must the the stuff that welds the 2nd half of the plug in the hole and causing plugs to break. It's not clear to me how these plugs would have lasted until 100K
In all, I think I spent a better of 5hrs on-and-off, including a lunch break.
Will take the truck for a spin later tonight to try things out...
My ego is a bit inflated at the moment and I'm busily patting myself on the back
In hindsight, I've always used top-tier gas, so I don't know if that helped. Didn't see too much carbon buildup on 6 of the 8 plugs otherwise.
#25
I finally bit the bullet and changed out my plugs this afternoon. Truck has been idling like crap recently, and my mpg's seems to have dropped over the past 10K or so
68K on the truck, all 8 plugs came out with no issues.
As with beechkid, I got a set of SP515's for $8/pc from O'Reillys and ran 2 20oz bottles of Techron for about 40gal of fuel earlier this week it to hopefully clean out everything as much as possible.
Got some AeroKroil from Kano directly. 2 cans for $12 shipped--Best deal around.
Offer code - LATE
Kroil works... I stopped twisting the plugs as soon as I started feeling more resistance than " wrist tight" and let it soak more and tried again 15-20min later. Repeat. 5 of 8 gave a bone chilling creak all the way out, but they weren't more than "wrist tight" so I kept going until they came out. The 2 rear plugs closest to the firewall were tighter than others; when I first cracked them open with 1/8 turn, I let those soak longer. After taking a 2hr lunch break with the wife, the last 2 came out fairly painlessly.
It took a bit of self-control from getting overly confident to remove the others after the first one came out.
At 68K, the tip of the old plugs looked worn, and the gap looks like it's grown from wear on the ground as well. 2 of the plugs had some carbon crud built up on the shank. That must the the stuff that welds the 2nd half of the plug in the hole and causing plugs to break. It's not clear to me how these plugs would have lasted until 100K
In all, I think I spent a better of 5hrs on-and-off, including a lunch break.
Will take the truck for a spin later tonight to try things out...
My ego is a bit inflated at the moment and I'm busily patting myself on the back
In hindsight, I've always used top-tier gas, so I don't know if that helped. Didn't see too much carbon buildup on 6 of the 8 plugs otherwise.
68K on the truck, all 8 plugs came out with no issues.
As with beechkid, I got a set of SP515's for $8/pc from O'Reillys and ran 2 20oz bottles of Techron for about 40gal of fuel earlier this week it to hopefully clean out everything as much as possible.
Got some AeroKroil from Kano directly. 2 cans for $12 shipped--Best deal around.
Offer code - LATE
Kroil works... I stopped twisting the plugs as soon as I started feeling more resistance than " wrist tight" and let it soak more and tried again 15-20min later. Repeat. 5 of 8 gave a bone chilling creak all the way out, but they weren't more than "wrist tight" so I kept going until they came out. The 2 rear plugs closest to the firewall were tighter than others; when I first cracked them open with 1/8 turn, I let those soak longer. After taking a 2hr lunch break with the wife, the last 2 came out fairly painlessly.
It took a bit of self-control from getting overly confident to remove the others after the first one came out.
At 68K, the tip of the old plugs looked worn, and the gap looks like it's grown from wear on the ground as well. 2 of the plugs had some carbon crud built up on the shank. That must the the stuff that welds the 2nd half of the plug in the hole and causing plugs to break. It's not clear to me how these plugs would have lasted until 100K
In all, I think I spent a better of 5hrs on-and-off, including a lunch break.
Will take the truck for a spin later tonight to try things out...
My ego is a bit inflated at the moment and I'm busily patting myself on the back
In hindsight, I've always used top-tier gas, so I don't know if that helped. Didn't see too much carbon buildup on 6 of the 8 plugs otherwise.
Congrats!!
#27
I used my air blow gun to blow out the sparkplug recess so there wasn't any dirt that would fall in, but I didn't think of blowing out all of the oil before the plug came out until afterwards. Whatever dripped in all came out as a huge cloud of smoke after starting the engine for the first time after I put everything back together. I guess it should be ok.
600miles on the new plugs and the truck's still running great!!
600miles on the new plugs and the truck's still running great!!
#29
There are a couple of options if you use a combustible product....after all the plugs are removed, spin the engine over with the starter to clear the cylinders out.
Either way, I would highly recommend an oil change after initial startup just to ensure there is no residual contamination in the oil pan.