I had a 1979 Silverado diesel that blew 4 headgaskets within 50k and a 1986 2.6 v-6 that ate 4 crankshafts that I know about in 100k. I sold it to my Uncle he put in a new crate motor and yep, crankshaft.

 

The 4L60E

Intake gaskets

 

Yesterday my truck (1999 F250 SD 5.4) blew out the third plug back on the passenger side. I just bought the truck a week ago with 157,000 miles / 244,000 kms.

Fortunately I'm very mechanically inclined and my best friend has a four bay shop so I managed to fix it myself for around $150 including new iridium plugs and one coil. I used the dorman kit (pt #42025) to fix the blowout hole as the plug had buggered up the top few threads of the hole when it was bouncing up and down. I discovered that the 4th plug back on the drivers side had already been fixed with a dorman kit before. Whatever moron had worked on it installed six ordinary / non iridium plugs and two iridiums. Lovely

She runs great now but I'll have to check my plugs again soon to be sure.

The third coil back on the drivers side is a real bitch. That is all

 

Was the electrode gap on the plug closed?

 

Yes it was. Is this of note?

 

Yes. What were you doing when the plug blew?

 

I was just pulling into a parking lot doing about 10 mph. After the plug blew I ran it at very low rpm for less than a minute just long enough to get it into my buddy's shop. The coil ear was broken but the coil / boot / plug assembly was intact and still in the hole.

 

I have had the plug puking problem on 5.4l and my V10. Just puked out #3 plug with the Insert in place w/red thread locker. Now what do I do. New Heads? This engine has three inserts in place.

 

How tight do you make them?

 

144 inch pounds. And used thread lock. I have inserts in #5, #4, #3, #8 cyl.

 

Not sure why you would use threadlock on a spark plug - the heat will destroy it.

Even "red" threadlock which is supposed to never come loose no matter what - how do you free the parts? Heating them. Threadlock on a spark plug is akin to doing almost nothing.

For me, 14 year old V10, two plug changes, each time with Anti-Seize, torqued to 14 ft/lbs or so, maybe a little more, no issues.

 

I used the red thread lock on the insert not the plug. This insert that blew I did not install. Bought truck used. The thread lock keeps the insert in place when changing plugs. I discovered this on my 5.4l. As you take the insert out with the plug the threads deteriorate. The insert being steel will stick to the plug more than the head.

 

The best insert is the TimeSert. Very expensive.

 

After a garage put an insert in the back right passenger cylinder several years ago a hole was finally burnt through the head just outside of the threaded insert. I assumed it blew another plug but the plug was still there. I'm not sure if this caused it but it looked like fuel or something must have melted down the catalytic converter. $2100 dollars and a new head later it's running again. People can argue back and forth about this but the design of Ford trucks seem rushed with the issues I encounter. Removing engines to take out oil pans is common and unnecessarily designed that way or the designs are not corrected before release. Rusted dipstick tubes that require engine removals are not acceptable designs either. The service cost for changing plugs has also gotten ridiculous. This also seems due in part to design. Getting to that rear right plug in my truck is ridiculous. What are the benefits to having a coil on each cylinder and are the benefits really worth the costs and service times associated with these designs?

 

I had put cheap Dorman inserts in when the first 2 plugs blew out. One of the inserts had the head eat out around it so a buddy used a kit that had bigger inserts. The other one came out also so I spent the $450 for a Snap-On kit. The inserts have a lip to stop when it is threaded in unlike the dormans. The kit says to use JB Weld on the inserts threads. 60k and no issues. Have done 2 other engines and no problems with them either. The inserts are $40 to buy from a dealer.