Last month I bought a new to me 2006 Navigator 4X2 with a 5.4 3v and 108k on the clock. (It has 112K on it now)

This weekend I wanted to replace the spark plugs. First one came out after a lot of effort with lots of noise. Then I am pretty sure I broke the next one. I unthreaded it cracking and popping and it didn't come out after it unthreaded. It did thread back in so I was relieved the threads were intact. So I stopped my maintence project and went to the WWW.

I now have a misfire and the CEL is on.

I am pretty sure the second plug parted ways with the top and bottom section. I ordered a Lisle spark plug extractor after watching a you tube vid. That should come in next week.

My questions are:
From some one who has done the spark plug extraction.... How long did it take and how easy was it for the first spark plug tip that you extracted?

The old spark plugs are stamped Motorcraft PZT 1F followed by 6D.
The replacement I bought were a Motorcraft SP-515 stamped with PZH 14F followed by 5C.
The 2006 EXP/NAV shop manual specifies a Motorcraft PZT 2F.
Do I have the correct replacement plug? PZH 14F (or SP-515)

A high temp anti-seize was specified for reinstallation of the new plugs. Won't that just burn off after time?

Last question, if I drive it in this condition for a short period will I cause any further damage to the head? Is it possible for the spark plug tip to loosen up with driving it?

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Driving with a misfire will destroy the catalytic converter in a very short time, don't ask how I know this.... Because I have been there.

 

Good to know, thanks for your input.

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I drove a couple miles last night and the misfire was felt I drove longer and at higher speeds this morning and concluded the Navi will be parked until the extractor comes later this week. I could disconnect the injector and the coil to eliminate the above mentioned un-burned fuel dump however I am not comfortable about the ride at speed.

Just hope I am up for the extraction.

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Good luck. Let us know how it goes. I would soak all your other plug holes with Deep Creep or Carb Cleaner type product while you are waiting.

 

I will. Besides the extractor I need to get a better nozzle for my air hose to blow out the spark plug cavity area. What I have now doesn't work so well. I have also picked up some MC nickel anti-seize. It was < $10 on EBay. It is my understanding the SP 515 plugs are a better design and the anti-seize may not be totally needed. However the $10 is cheap if it helps me when I take these plugs out down the road.

Based on the lack of replies on this site I may make my first vid. To start the documentation process I have already shot pics of the old and new plug side by side.

I am learning a lot on this new to me big SUV. I am used to much older vehicles. And I have gone back to driving one of them.

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My personal opinion about nickel-based anti-seize on steel plugs in aluminum heads---use it! I know there's a ton of conversation saying its not necessary blah blah blah but there's no real downside to its use either. I use it with MC plugs in all my 2v 5.4's however I do torque them to 22-23 ft/lbs using a good quality dedicated torque wrench.

Even when checking torque 10-15K miles after new plugs they're still holding tight.

Also---another "huge controversy" is plug change interval----50K miles max. Yeah that too is open for debate but again no real downside there. For the most part troubles with plug removal seem to come when they're left in for 100K or more miles.

Just my $0.02 worth..........................

 

My extractor came in yesterday. I am waiting for the nickel Anti-Sieze. I have al Anti-Sieze for some other jobs I have done. I used to work for Ford and if Ford specifies something that I have zero experience I follow that until or if I find a better solution.

I didn't have a lot of choice in spark plug replacement interval. I bought the Navi at 108,000 and I suspect the plugs are original. That I am not sure about. (See my original post)

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Last Saturday I did extract the broken spark plug out of the #6 hole. Watched again several vids before I used the Lisle extractor tool.
$58 for the extractor on Amazon
$10 for the nickel anti-seize from E-bay


It took 2 hours to do that spark plug as I repeatedly went back to youtube. Pushed the porcelain through the end of the plug. And threaded the tool into the end of the spark plug and pulled it out. No broken porcelain at the tip of the plug. After I installed the new plug with AS and cleared the codes the Navi ran great! Took it on a 200 mile trip on Sunday.


Greatest difficulty -
Extracting the broken top half of the plug out of the bottom half of the spark plug. The center electrode was kind of stuck in the porcelain and would not come out until I did a lot of turning. The other difficulty was getting the tool to bite into the bottom shell after I pushed the porcelain down. Once the tool started to bite into the shell it worked like a charm.

I will post some pics.


And I have 6 more plugs to remove as #5 came out and #6 was extracted out. I will used some caution in removing the remaining spark plugs on a cold engine.


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This YouTube video might be useful to first time 3V spark plug changes:
HTH

 

I viewed that vid and a couple of others. ^^^^ That one posted I viewed at least 4 times.

There are a few others on ways to remove with out breaking. For me, not knowing and scared of pulling out threads on a hot engine, I pulled the 2 plugs on a stone cold 5.4. It sat over night on purpose. I would say a warm engine would be a better start as the carbon and other deposits would be a litte softer.

BTW my spark plugs were OE and the engine has 112k on the clock. Didn't really run bad and I didn't know if they had ever been changed. High mile plugs on a 5.4 3v is a place that get you into some excitement. (Not necessarily the good kind!)

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The first attachment is pics of the spark plug from the #5 hole. On top left is the original plug. Notice the porcelin reach inside of the hoop and the air gap from the center electrode to the hoop.

On left bottom is a new spark plug that was in the engine for about a week. It has less than 100 miles on it. I removed it because I did not install with anti-seize. I had installed it before I knew about anti-seize and before I had purchase the nickel anti-seize.

On the right is a new un-installed SP-515 Motorcraft spark plug. Notice the different reach and the air gap is much less because it isn't worn out. Physically both plugs are the same over all length. Just the porcelin is different lengths. (Hopefully the construction is different as well) The old plugs removed were PZT 1F Platinum. The new plugs installed are marked PZH 14F. The last set of numbers has to do with heat range.

The second attachment is both #6 and #5 spark plugs. #6 went through the divorce. Showing the majority of the center electrode with (plat tip) and the other half of the shell engaged to the end of the extractor.

The old spark plugs have 112,000+ miles on them. I didn't have a lot of choice on that as I purchase the Navigator with 108,000 on the opposite side of the country.

Hope you enjoyed my little excitement.

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