I am the owner of a 2007 F150 lariat with the 5.4 motor and have learned a valuable lesson that the cost of a tuneup is crazy high I took my ford to a local repair shop and the mechanic tried to loosen the plugs following the Ford tsb but informed me that most of them were going to break off. Ford has known of this problem for some time and after contacting them several times I received the same reply it's not our problem. Now for the cure to their negligence is to contact your local television station which might have a consumer advocate reporter and get the word out about the problem and the fact that ford denies that it exists. Since ford doesn't recognise this and their defect in design we can only respond by warning others and hitting them in their pocketbook then perhaps they will cover their defective negligence and respond to consumers who own these vehicles.

 

the two piece spark plugs are a known problem. Some will pop apart when trying to remove. There are several tools on the market to extract the broken plugs. The "NEW" plugs are one piece and should not break next time when removed. Its a shock when you first hear about this, but most mechanics and FORD dealers know the problem and the fix.

 

I don't understand why so many people think that Ford should pay for a maintenance item. Do the spark plugs break? Yes they do. Does Ford know the problem exists? Of course. That would be why the released an update to the service intervals. The original plugs should be changed at 60k miles.

 

And the heads were redisgned to cure the problem.

 

When were the heads redesigned to cure this problem?

 

I understand it that later in 07 the new heads were used.

 

The new style motocraft plugs are still a 2 piece design & are still prone to breaking off inside the head.

The champion 7989 plugs are a 1 piece design.

Lee

 

@ disgusted,


If you decide to tackle a plug change (it's time consuming but not too bad if you have the extractor tool - I used the 'Lisle') I would respectfully pass along my experience as follows.


Cylinder number 4 is much easier to get to if you unbolt (don't unplug) the PCM and lay it over toward the battery. Then remove the PCM bracket from the firewall.


I broke 6/8 the first change - which didn't fix my random misfire under light acceleration around 55-60 mph problem. About 10k miles later, I Decided to change plug brands and changed them again - broke 3/8 removing them that time. Still NO JOY.


One day I decided "IF THE CARBON BUILDUP AROUND THE SPARK PLUG IS SUFFICIENT TO TWIST THE ENDS OFF UPON REMOVAL - HOW THEN CAN I EXPECT TO FORCE A NEW PLUG BACK IN THE SAME DAMN TIGHT HOLE WITHOUT DAMAGING THE SNOUT ON THE NEW PLUG OR "FRACTURING" THE CERAMIC INSULATION INSIDE THE SNOUT?" I had to use a ratchet with some significant torque to screw new plugs in. I had even heard horror stories from mechanics about "stripping out the threads" --- Perhaps, the carbon buildup in the spark plug hole is so restrictive as to damage new plugs on re-installation!!

I had never read a TSB or post talking about this possibility. So I bought a (third) set of new spark plugs (Motocraft SP515 this time) and spent $19.99 on a set of steel thread brushes, (similar to bottle brushes) with a "T" handle, from Harbor Freight. While replacing the plugs this time, I took the steel bottle brush (about the size my little finger) and cleaned the carbon out of the spark plug holes beyond the threaded part until a carburetor soaked rag would come back perfectly clean!! If not, I'd burnish the **** out of that hole again. When I got through, the new spark plugs screwed all the way down to the seat with my fingers just like putting them in a brand new engine head. Upon startup, INSTANTLY - BINGO - perfect startup, idle, and about 20k miles later without a single misfire. My OBD II diagnostic tool indicates ZERO misfires on all 8 cylinders in the last 10 drive cycles. At 197,000 its a perfect pleasure to drive - gradual acceleration is perfectly smooth until it shifts down and goes on like it did when it was brand new!!!!


IMHO, I believe MANY MANY people are damaging new plugs on re-install because of the same carbon that seized the old plug in the hole and broke the plug coming out - is damaging or fracturing the ceramic tip in the new plug.


I've seen mechanics install new plugs with an impact wrench. And I even 'torqued' new ones in with a ratchet the first two times - with them "screeching" like lug nuts on a rusty wheel rim. If the old plug was seized in the head with carbon when removed / the carbon would have to be binding on the new plug enough to crack the ceramic inside the plug, leaving it susceptible to arcing over inside. I'm pretty sure this is why my first TWO spark plug changes did nothing but just make the random misfire or intermittent misfire move to different cylinders.


This is a fairly simple and cheap thing to try - and it made logical sense to me even though it sounds so simple as to be stupid. But I believe this silly simple step is really what cured my annoying random misfire after having changed COP's, VTC Solenoids, O2 Sensors, one fuel Injector, COP Boots .....TWO sets of plugs.... and a ****load of other stuff chasing the problem.



Hope this experience helps someone else with the F150 Plug Problem

 

That actually makes perfect sense to use a wire brush to remove the carbon build up.

When I did my plug change I had trouble threading in the new plugs on a few of the cylinders so I threaded the Lysle tool in to clean the threads, then I revacuumed out the cylinders & the new plugs screwed in easy as can be.

I don't know if it was carbon build up or some sort of thread sealant on the threads of the old plugs that was giving me a hard time or what, but threading the Lysle tool in the plug threads solved it for me

 

IMHO, I believe MANY MANY people are damaging new plugs on re-install because of the same carbon that seized the old plug in the hole and broke the plug coming out - is damaging or fracturing the ceramic tip in the new plug.


I've seen mechanics install new plugs with an impact wrench. And I even 'torqued' new ones in with a ratchet the first two times - with them "screeching" like lug nuts on a rusty wheel rim. If the old plug was seized in the head with carbon when removed / the carbon would have to be binding on the new plug enough to crack the ceramic inside the plug, leaving it susceptible to arcing over inside. I'm pretty sure this is why my first TWO spark plug changes did nothing but just make the random misfire or intermittent misfire move to different cylinders.


This is a fairly simple and cheap thing to try - and it made logical sense to me even though it sounds so simple as to be stupid. But I believe this silly simple step is really what cured my annoying random misfire after having changed COP's, VTC Solenoids, O2 Sensors, one fuel Injector, COP Boots .....TWO sets of plugs.... and a ****load of other stuff chasing the problem.



Hope this experience helps someone else with the F150 Plug Problem[/QUOTE]

Hello
l would like to try this on a 2004 5.4 this weekend. It makes perfect sense to me. I have a harbor freight 5 miles away. Could you elaborate on the brush set please. Did u get it online or at a store? Do u have a part number by chance? Any help is very much appreciated. I'm not looking forwards to this repair. A little frightened by it even but can't afford mechanic. I have the same removal kit as u brand new. Thanks

 

On Fordowner.com the recommended plug change interval is still 100k. If Ford changed their recommendation they forgot to adjust it on their own site. I have heard that the SP515 revised spark plug has a different heat range to help prevent carbon build up. I don't know if that's true or not but it is double platinum compared to the single platinum SP507.

 

@ kramerpage:


I just happen to still have the Harbor Freight package (a hard plastic blister pack) in my tool box.


It is a red & white pack with "Pittsburgh Automotive, Engine Brush Kit" -- Nylon, Brass, & Stainless Steel Brushes, 20 pieces. ITEM # 69020. I also notice the Bar Code has numbers beneath of 92363 69020, that probably is a standard stock ID number.


I would recommend you remove the PCM (without unplugging) and lay it over toward the battery. Then remove the PCM bracket from the firewall. That makes # 4 about as easy to get to as any of the other plugs.


Follow the instructions on your extractor tool. My first time, I seemed a little reluctant to screw the reverse threaded part of the tool in vigorously. But just run it all the way down to the bottom - then a broken plug will come right out.
I have mixed feelings about the TSB suggesting "loosening plugs and putting carbon remover or liquids down there to set for some period or overnight." Personally, after having done it a couple of times, I have difficulty believing any chemical should make it past the spark plug threads. That damn plug snout that is seized in the head by carbon is damn nearly two inches long.

It is not really TOO bad a job. You'll do fine.
Hope to hear your results are as good as mine.

Also, I agree with @CB 13, and my plugs didn't look all that bad at 120k, except they were all broken to **** after removal. I went back in the last time with the SP515 plug also. But With the few thousandths clearance between the plug snout and the cylinder head on the 04 thru 07 models, I don't know if there would be any way to keep avoid carbon build up for that many miles. But if we clean the carbon out on plug change, perhaps it will be a long time before it builds up again.

 

When I was at the dealer we did service for a fleet that would not change the plugs until the trucks were missing. Seen a few that made it until 180k.