Oops, this is the Expedition forum, my blown plug was on a V10 Excursion. We also have a 2003 Expedition and 2 1st gen Explorers, so I'm on all 3 forums plus engines. Our V10 is a 2002 with the PI heads. We bought it used with 103k and drove it to 108k when the plug blew out. I was going to change the plugs soon, too. It still had the original plugs. I think mine blew out because it had worked loose from the 108k miles. Before pulling the plugs I tried torquing them to 14 ft/lbs. The plugs on the driver's side all clicked right away. On the passenger side all the plugs turned about 10 deg before clicking. Well, except for #3 which I had repaired. I've replaced them all and will retorque at 10k.

 

I'm so glad you posted that video, just happened to me about an hour ago on my 1999 Expedition. I thought maybe my engine was toast, which would have me up a creek. I got 6 little girls and its our kid hauler with only 78k miles.

Any idea what it might cost to fix? I've done basic maint/alternator/brakes/ ect but this would be new for me to try and tackle.

Thanks folks.

Jon

 

Ouch, sorry to hear that. Let me guess, original plugs, passenger side.
The '99 and '00 Tritons have only 3 or 4 threads in the spark plug holes.
The V10 heads were updated in 2000 or 2001 (???) to 7 or 8 threads, but I don't know about the 4.8/5.4 heads. My heads are the newer PI - Performance Improved head.

A Time-Sert kit (#5553) can be found for around $300, new on Amazon for $400. The inserts are around $12, but the kits usually come with 5 or 8.
I had never done the insert install before and it was fairly straight forward. There is lots of info on the install, several good videos, too. I've read about people that have found shops to do the install for $150 to $250. Ford is going to want to change the head for a lot more. I did the install in a campground without most of my tools. I went very slow and took 4 hours. With my tools, an air compressor and a shop vac I could probably do it in an hour, longer if it's one in the rear. Checkout the 4.8L/5.4L engine forum and the 6.8L V10 forum, there are many posts. The kit reams the plug hole larger and leaves a new seat for the insert. The hole is tapped for the insert. The insert is torqued into the hole at 20 ft/lbs. Before installing the insert the threads are coated with hi-temp thread locker. After the insert is installed there is a small button in the threads of the insert that are cold-formed into the new threads cut into the head by a tool that looks like a tap, but doesn't cut - it pushes the button outward. Thus, there are 3 things holding the insert in the head. The insert has a new seat for the plug. It's hard to tell it's even there and it's not aluminum. Some people just do them all. To me it seems from what I've been reading on the forums if the plugs are changed at 50k and retorqued at 10k there aren't any more problems. If the threads have been stressed by over torquing who knows. I'm leaving the rest alone, using platinum plugs and doing the 50k/10k thing.

 

Absolutely it is a blown plug in that video. I also find it highly unlikely that you received a blown plug and a rod bearing issue at the exact same time.

 

Hey guys, thank you all so much. Y'all have probably saved me from panicking and selling the truck as scrap. I would buy each of you a cup of coffee and a piece of pie if you want to come to Texas for it.

I had her towed to a local shop just a bit ago. I haven't had to use a shop here before, but this one was recommended by several people. When I called, the woman who answered the phone asked me what was wrong and when I said I have a Triton engine that started making a bad noise she said "you most likely blew a plug, hold on and I will put you through to the Triton guy". The mechanic says he does probably 3 or 4 of those per month and said "could you tell if it was coming from the passenger side?" I said yes and he said "they always do - probably one of the back ones." which just echoed everything that y'all had said.

For anyone who might be looking at this same situation, I was quoted a price of less than $400 (assuming that there are no complications) and the tow was $60 of it. I know y'all said I could probably drive her but it was worth the $60 to be sure that she wasn't further damaged and I would have had to go down a pretty busy highway with her - I was afraid that she wouldn't be up to that. I might could have found someone to do it cheaper, but I didn't even make another call knowing that this is a locally owned shop that has been in business here for years.

I am just waiting on the phone call to confirm that I (errr, y'all) are great diagnosticians. I will come back and update so that if anyone else runs into this they will be able to find a full set of info here. Again, I really can't say "thank you" enough.

 

We are dealers worst nightmare, we keep what you have on the road a lot long than they want.

 

I wanted to give you guys a final update. I picked up my truck last night and she is all better! A little more info in case anyone else finds this and is as panicked as I was:

My coil did not actually blow off - I think that is kind of unusual. I could kind of slide it around but it didn't actually look damaged on the outside at all. In fact, the mechanic tried putting it back on to see if it would work since it looked OK. It didn't work. Mine was #2. The mechanic I used does this far too regularly and had the truck for about 3.5 hours from the time it was towed in until he called to say it was done. Apparently if you know what you are doing it is a quick enough fix. I was cautioned that any tuneups would involve being very careful so as not to damage the work that was done.

Now, to the part that I was most panicked about - the cost - as I said, I went ahead and payed for the tow. My bill with tow and the fix was $310 (about $50 was the tow). I was so happy that I actually went and bought a tray of cookies to take up to the shop with my money.

And an admission. This was probably somewhat my fault. I have, in the past, had issues with the oxygen sensors with this truck when it gets cool and humid. For years she has been grumpy about that kind of weather. She has run rough during that time but has been fine as soon as the sun comes back out. It was cold and humid and wet the day this happened. I went out and started her and she was grumpy. I dropped off kids at school and went to buy groceries thinking that I was going to have to see about getting the sensors changed at some point or at least clean the one that I could reach. I totally misread her riding rough that morning for a sensor problem.

I just wanted to say one more time how very much I appreciate your help with this. I have a 16 year old daughter who is working on her drivers license and she asked me this morning if I buy another truck for me in a few months, would I keep this one so that she could drive it. Her father had promised her a pickup but she says she thinks she would rather start with this truck because it is like an old friend. Y'all made two women happy with your help on this.

 

Glad to hear it worked out for you! Might be a good idea to replace all the plugs at some point, if it hasn't been done recently.

 

Did the mechanic tell you what product, process, or technique he used to make the repair on #2?

 

When it is humid or raining and there is a misfire it is usually not an O2 sensor issue.
I haven't had any problem with my O2 sensors, but several issues with moisture and misfires.
The 1st was water dripping on the engine from a leak in the panels at the base of the windshield.
Other times it was soft spots in the boots, rusty springs in the boots and a cracked coil.
Fixed the leak and change the plugs/boots/springs at 50k and have had no issues since.
There are different codes for misfires and O2 sensors - what code are you getting?

 

I did not ask him which kit he used to do it and I just looked at my receipt and it does not specify. I know he said that he would use one with an insert (which I assume all do) and it was the way he had been fixing them for a number of years. He wrote on my paperwork "Don't forget cyl #2 has a tap out so do not let mechanic work on it without informing." The shop came highly recommended and until 2 days ago I didn't even know this was a thing, so I didn't question him like I might have if I had even rudimentary knowledge on what was happening. Plus, since he is local if it doesn't work I can go sit at his shop until it does.

And yes, if I decide that I am holding on to the truck (since my daughter wants to drive her), there are some updates that she needs - including new plugs!

 

I honestly don't know what the code was on it and it isn't throwing now. I purchased the truck when I lived in a very wet part of Ohio and when the misty cool days would set in (not necessarily rain, just very humid misty wet) she would run rough. As soon as the weather cleared up, so did she. The mechanic up there changed out oxygen sensors and she was fine for a couple of years. After I moved back to Texas she started to act the same way on the rare misty cool days. I took her to the parts store and they ran the code and their best advice was that it was the oxygen sensor. I bought cleaner and cleaned the one that was up front and easy to reach and that (combined with the very short misty wet season here) seemed to be all it would take to set things right. I hadn't really worried about it because it is rare that we have misty wet weather here and the rest of the time she has run just fine. I will make a point to watch the next time she does it and get help on it while the problem is happening.

I made the assumption that it was the same problem (and was on my own to work through it with just the advice of the parts store folks) so I didn't question it too much. I will watch for it this time and will try to be more proactive than "hmmmm, tomorrow the sun will be out so it will be fine."

 

You're correct, usually it's related to the MAP sensor due to the change in atmospheric pressure.

 

All except for the minor problem that a 2000 Expy with a 5.4 doesn't have a MAP sensor...

 

I was speaking generically since most of us here already know that the expeditions use the MAF sensor barometric pressure reading in place of an actual MAP sensor atmospheric pressure reading.