Well, I know it has been an issue, but...
Wife now has almost 120 thousand miles on our 2004 Expedition.
She calls me at work, "truck is violently shaking"
Says she thought it was a flat tire but no TPMS light on the dash.
Drives a little more and shaking so bad she gets out and looks at tires.
Well she gets too scared to drive further and takes it to a Goodyear Hi-Tech Service Center.
They must have scanned it and diagnosed as #1 coil.
Also tell her battery is nearly dead. (? Been fine and a year or two old is all and not an issue at all previously)
And
The K and N filter is dirty, for $15 they can clean it.
She then says they offered to do all the coils and plugs if she wants.
I told her just the one coil ($75 installed) and be on her way. Hopefully that gets her to work today anyhow.

BUT.... who has had the best luck with what coils and what plugs???
Guessing I will be needing to do this dreaded job.
I see a WIDE range of coils. Some sets online as low as 10 bucks each, set for $80-$90.
Guessing NGK, Motor Craft, or Auto lite plugs as being preferred, correct? Or something else...????
I have read soak plugs with PB blaster or WD40 a couple times prior to trying to get them out, but also have heard suggestions of doing it with motor warmed, HOT, and or cold....???
Would appreciate any advice on who has done best with which coils, plugs, and techniques, IF I should be screwing with it any more at all. Been running GREAT up until hearing this from her today. She even drove 16-17 miles of her 20 mile drive with no issue until all of a sudden, the shakes.
Appreciate it ! ! !


Just got another call, she is back on the road. Truck is running good now.
Mechanics told her that the rest of the coils tested good.
Says that they often can spot weak ones after one fails, but the rest are testing good and seem like they are OK.
But truck needs struts, a rear hub seal, and a couple other things that will probably just stay that way for a little while anyhow.

Again, THANKS !!!!!!

 

Are those the original plugs with 120K? If so, replace them. Don't bother with a set of COP's unless you have more failures, and the E-Bay sets at $80-$90 are fine. You mention the K&N filter, the oil on a K&N will coat your MAF sensor causing running issues as well and should be cleaned with MAF cleaner.

 

plugs were done once at about 70k.
Since I have had the truck, I have only taken the K and N out and taken an air blast to it from inside and out. REAL good.
I have not oiled it since I have owned it.


THANKS

 

Well it ran fine for 4-5 days.
Wife calls me at work again this morning.
#7 coil this morning, last week was the #1.
I ordered a set of coils and a set of plugs for it.
I am REALLY hoping for some advice from someone who has successfully changed plugs in a few of these w/o any extra damage, work, or additional repairs being needed.
Or what NOT to do too...
My parts should be here by the weekend.
50/50 acetone and trans fluid on each plug a few times between now and then??
Warm up the motor before trying to remove them? or cold?
I keep reading that I should have the "Lisle" tool on hand.
IS that a heli-coil type installation repair set up?

I been reading everything I can on here and get PLENTY of opinions, some match, some seem like they conflict with each other.

HELP !!!
Really, appreciate whatever I can get, especially from someone who has been there. THANKS !!!


Someplace I read about running a can of some type of cleaner of just water through the intake to "wash" the carbon off the plug ends before removal....???
Anyone know specifics of that???

 

I haven't done them myself. I'd guess the cleaner you might be talking about is Seafoam which goes in through the brake booster line and in the gas tank and breaks up carbon deposits. The Lisle tool is an extractor, not a heli coil kit. BTW I've been meaning to go back to our conversation on oil leaks. I've done the basic Bars Leak treatment twice. Hasn't helped that much, I'm going to try the rear main version next oil change.

 

Thanks for the info on the Seafoam and tool. I ran the rear main seal stop leak for a couple weeks, about 500 miles then changed the oil. When I did this oil change I have the basic in with the oil. It was a pretty minor drip to begin with but it is still there. The 2 treatments may have lessened it slightly too, but not completely. I will probably get underneath clean things up and inspect it closer again this weekend when I do the coils/plugs.
Thanks again

 

It sounds like you are way overthinking things when it comes to the plugs and coils R&R. Unless your motor has the 3 piece spark plugs but I didn't think those were in place in 2004. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

Assuming you have a regular old 5.4 you don't need PB Blaster, Sea Foam, or anything else. The only "goop" you should use is anti sieze on the threads of the new plugs. You might hear an argument against the use of anti sieze but I was tought and always have used this stuff with steel plugs in aluminum heads.

The best way I found to do this job is to physically lay across the top of the engine while you work. Doing this job on a cold motor is fine. Just lay a thick blanket on top of the motor for you to lay on. You might consider removing any decorative plastic covers off the intake if your motor has them.

Unbolt a coil, pull it out after disconnecting it from the wiring harness, and then go after the plug like you would any other plug on any other motor. I have read some who said they had to unbolt the fuel rail when doing this job on a 5.4 but I didn't not have to on my 4.6. I guess you will find out on that one. You will need an assortment of different length extensions, universal joints, etc to deal with the various angles and tight spaces you will encounter.

The big thing I read time and time again on here is the suggestion to use a torque wrench when putting the new plugs in. Torque it to the exact specs specified by Ford. The problem and reason for caution is the fact the cylinder heads only have a few threads in the aluminum which hold the plugs in. Stressing these threads by tightening the plugs too much is believed to lead to a higher possibility of a spark plug blow out when the threads in the cylinder head fail.

 

I sure like the sound of it
I hope that is the case that it can go simple like any others.
That would be great!
Appreciate that vote of confidence
Couple more days we will find out !

 

The two piece plugs came with the new 3 valves engines starting in 2005. No real need to worry about breaking these.
Use anti seize. Your fuel rail only has to be loosened on the driver's side and not completely removed.
Plan on 3-4 hours the first time. Tie all your heater hoses to the side with some rope and use duct tape to hold your extensions and plug sockets together. They will pull apart if not done and frustrate you. Also duct tape the coil pak bolt onto the socket when putting back on as its hard to use two hands to reinstall. Remove you vacuum lines on the pass side for easier access also.
Buy the best plugs to avoid doing this again soon and you might think about buying a new C/P for the #4 (back passenger side) to assure you won't have to get back in there again.
These Ford engineers never had to change plugs.

 

Thanks also.
The reassurance is sounding good!
I have 8 platinum Motorcraft plugs and a whole new set of coils coming.
Going to do them all.
Sucks that I just replaced 2 coils already.
But figure I will have spares.
With nearly 130,000 miles on it, guessing the plugs will last until I am ready to get a newer one...someday.

Appreciate it !!!

 

Changing the plugs really just takes time and patience.

Just finished 2nd round of plug replacement, turned 187k on her and she purrs like a kitten.

This truck has been AMAZING, there's something to say about keeping up with maintenance.

 

Just got done.
It took a while.
Started with #7 or whichever the "rear most" passenger side was.
What a treat.
The rest seemed better after that.
I had prepared like this was a notorious 3valve motor with 2 place plugs I guess.
I put PB blaster down each boot a few days earlier.
Still had #7 boot tear 3-4 lil' pieces before I got it all out.
I was dreading it by the time I got that one done.
But...
blew each hole out with compressed air.
Shot another squirt of PB blaster in
wrenched the old ones out
I checked replacement motorcraft plugs and they were pre-gapped at .055"
Torqued those in at 25 ft. lbs.
I did not use never seize, read too much about baking out.
There was a good coat of the PB Blaster on the threads.
I really don't think I will be doing these again myself, so that kept me from being nice and prepping them for next time.
Put dielectric grease around the electrical connection and sprayed silicone on the inside and outside of the plug boots.
Did the passenger side first, rehooked the battery and trail started it to make sure no missing cylinders. Seemed good.
Did same stuff on driver's side and put stuff together.
Started the truck and could tell it was missing on one
Popped the intake cover off and #8 (rear most drivers) had the electrical plug barely on...OOPS
Glad it was easy.
Seems nice and smooth now.
Old plugs were WASTED and crusty
I gotta wonder about these coils.
Ebay $100 for 8 coils and 8 Motorcraft plugs.
Figure I will hang on to the old stuff for a while and see what happens.
I have 6 factory and 2 that the garage just put on when the wife just could not drive any farther...
Hopefully they hang in there, ESPECIALLY #7 !!

 

Tell me that's a typo and you meant to say 13 ft. lbs.?

 

I had read a lot both ways; 12-15 ft. lbs and 22-26...
It seemed as most of the 15 stuff also used the never seize.
Many later replies seemed to talk about the plugs backing out like that.
The tighter, 25 school seemed to state install dry and concern was stripping the head.
I put the torque wrench on #1 initially and just "snugging" the plug against the seat was already over the 15 lbs dry.
I was afraid of them finding a way out being that lightly installed and hope the dry and 25 keeps them in w/o any issues.
After everything I read and feeling how little the lighter torque actually was, I did them a bit tighter w/o the never seize.
Seemed like a 50/50 debate almost with most recent posts and info going a little tighter.

I hope, I hope...

Thanks for keeping an eye on me
I need all the help I can get.