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Champion has just recently came out with a solid body plug that supposedly will not break off in the head. They are expensive, but may be worth the cost if you can avoid all the above mentioned problems
well men, I am eyeball deep in this issue right now. I've been reading all these posts about the spark plugs for months and decided to take mine in well before the 100k Ford recomended plug change (I have 82k on it). The Service Writer at my dealership and I spoke about this issue and the TSB several times and I was sure to ask him to follow the TSB to the letter. Now, my truck is still there 30 hours later with 7 of the 8 plugs breaking upon extraction. Instead of the $338 tune-up (I have a coupon) my estimate is $2400 to pull the heads and work on them from the bottom. But my Service Writer said there is the possibility that they won't be able to get them out even then and I may have to buy a new head or two. That would double my bill.
I called 1-800-392-FORD and spoke to a CSR there and they refuse to do anything for me. My next call was to the Service Mgr and he refuses to do anything other than reduce my labor costs a little (oh yeah, and they loaned me a Focus to drive for free). So I asked for the Zone Mgr's tel # or a Regional Service Mgr and he refused to give them to me!
Here's my question.... Has anyone had any luck with getting Ford to accept responsibility for this major design flaw and fix their probblem? And secondly, have they redesigned the head and or the spark plug so this doesn't continue to happen? My Tech showed me the new plugs he's putting in and they look identical to the ones coming out! Ford designed a tool to remove broken plugs; I would think they would redesign the plug to keep them from freezing in the first place...
I used a shaved down 1/4 rod glued in the porcalin hole with REAR VIEW MIRROR ADHEASIVE. worked pefect. you can email me for a pic. yesterdayssleds@yahoo.ca
My truck was missing badly. Got ahold of my buddy who is pretty mechanically inclined. He told told me to pull in into his garage and we will change the plugs right out. Broke the first two after spraying them with Blaster penetrating oil. We tried removing those by hand with an extension and spark plug socket. The last 6 I said the heck with it just impact them and if they break, they break. Funny enough all of those came out in one piece. We rented the extraction tool from AutoZone. The drivers side plug was a cinch. Now the passenger side we can't get the remainder porcelain out. The glue on the needle just breaks. We've tried it about 6 times now. I'm about out of answers. Sucks that we are down to the last plug and can't seem to get anywhere. Any suggestions?? Thanks
What I did was take one of the spark plugs that I already removed successfully ,took it to a work bench , then broke it apart and took the electrode out from porcelain. Then I filed down a thin metal rod ( say 8 inches long by 1/4 diameter) and made sure it was an exact fit for the now empty electrode hole. I took this rod and went back to the truck where I test fitted it into the piece of porcelain stuck in my engine. Then I mixed the two part rear view mirror adhesive and applied it to the bottom of the rod and stuck it down the hole of the porcelain piece in my engine. After drying for 25 minutes or so I sprayed some PB blaster down there. Then after a few minutes I gave it a tug and it popped out. Hope this helps, if you want a pic you can email me at yesterdayssleds@yahoo.ca and I'll head into the garage and snap a photo of it. Hope this helps.
Thats the one I used and many others on here .The porcelain is to be chipped away and vacuumed out ,the tool instructions cover that . You just press the rest down with the tool and use extractor on remaining tip that is in the tool set . Just get a good bite to prevent stripping out . I paid like 65 for the tool set . I did vac out cly with a tube I made up . Some just leave hole open and use piston to force bits out .
I know, old thread, but y'all updated it, so I'll add my $0.02 worth. I just went through this same deal in July 2019. Here is a post I put up to help a guy here, it's #3 in this thread: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...n-2007-3v.html
Originally Posted by tbear853
First update with Motorcraft plus was from OEM SP-507 to SP-515. In last couple years, they came out with a newer design, some say it's one piece SP-546. I just did my '07 in July at 67,555 miles, removing SP-507s and putting in SP-546s. I had a Lisle 65600 tool set and because #8 broke leaving the porcelain and conductor in the head, I ordered Lisle 65710 porcelain puller to go with my set, which is what (#s 65600 + 65710) it takes to make the Lisle 65700 kit … which, if I was buying now is how I would do it. We also have a Mustang GT with the same type of plugs (it's a 4.6 3V) so I'll feel more better changing it's plugs, as if any break, this kit will handle it with ease. Once you use the kit, if you use the kit, you'll see it's not near as bad as we all dreaded.
That #8 … the porcelain puller clips on top of the electrode and you use the puller tube and nut (and after putting the tube on, it can't let go) … then pulls the porcelain and electrode out from places you can't see, then you can use the pusher on what is left, and extractor to pull barrel out. Ford book said use pliars, but #8 is way back under the firewall, and way down a hole.
My #2 also broke, but it broke the whole top off the normal way.
Wish I knew what to tell you … … some say the SP-515s break sometimes too. (I guess it depends on if they used the nickle anti seize on the barrel below threads) … … but then others say it only happens with the original plugs?
Notice that the way they are made, the newest SP-546s will compress the coil spring above it a little more for better contact I guess.
I had bought the SP-515s when they were the latest upgrade in 2016 or 2017 planning a change, but then saw someplace mention of newer SP-546, so I researched and … obtained a set of them. I guess I'll just maybe sell the SP-515s on CL?
I broke the porcelain off my number 1 spark plug and did everything I could thing of from drilling to tapping and nothing worked. I took my truck to a automotive shop who specializes in removing spark plugs like this and they told me that there was nothing they could do because someone who had the truck before decided to use JB Weld on the spark plug threads. My question is is there anyway minus replacing the heads to remove this spark plug or am I completely out of luck
I broke the porcelain off my number 1 spark plug and did everything I could thing of from drilling to tapping and nothing worked. I took my truck to a automotive shop who specializes in removing spark plugs like this and they told me that there was nothing they could do because someone who had the truck before decided to use JB Weld on the spark plug threads. My question is is there anyway minus replacing the heads to remove this spark plug or am I completely out of luck
WOW!
They may be right. J B Weld is some mighty tough stuff. Heat might help if the PO used a fast setting version.
Motorcycle I had had steel inserts in all cylinders (aluminum head), but one insert would always come out with the plug when changing plugs, and I'd usually put another insert on the next new plug, and install it. Head had threads for the insert. Never "blew" out.
Last time, I coated insert threads with original slow setting J B Weld, let it sit overnight, put socket on plug next day, insert stayed in head from then on.
Original slow set J B Weld is rated for like 600 degrees, but faster setting version is rated for only about 300.
04-19-2008, 02:02 PM
