The spark plug pop out is a common problem on the 4.6 & 5.4 engines, so I hear. I have an 99 expy with the 5.4, I haven't had this problem nor do I want to. Any advice on what I can do to avoid such a horrific ordeal , or should I wait to be saved by the engine fairies?

 

I also have a 99 Expy with the 5.4. I bought new plugs but have been reluctant to install them. I thought I would wait until I noticed the need for new plugs. I only have 58k on it and do not want to create a problem by changing. Just going to wait and hope mine do not pop out. Sorry no help but in the same boat.

 

18fan, with only 58k you should be good for a while on the spark plug change. My mechanic told me these engines are good for a 100k without tune-up , unless there is a noticable problem.

 

I think everyone with some mechanical knowledge should change their plugs. If just for piece of mind. A couple of things to remember. Never seize on the plug and coil bolt, Ford plugs, Make sure you torque each to specs. I did mine at 80k and glad I did..Watch the back of your legs..

 

I see something that needs correction which is, do not and by all means do not use anti-sieze or never-sieze on the sparkplug threads, it affects the resistance to ground and can make a difficult time figuring out a power problem, especially on aluminium heads. 100,000 miles is right on for these engines, they have platinium plugs installed from the factory, Something I noticed on my 4.6 Expedition when I changed them at 100,000 miles that the threads of the plugs where coated with RTV silicone, I noticed it when I took out the plugs and saw the rubber substance around the tapered flange, I used RTV to reinstall the plugs with, I coated at the flange not the whole thread, Just my .02

 

Most guys have found that this works well also the Haynes manual says to use antiseize. Rtv is an insulator nickel is not..
People have been using it for years with no problems. I would rather be able to get the plug out and leave the threads...The disimilar metals thing..As far as a change B4 100k Its just for piece of mind. I did mine at 80k now I know I don't have one half out of the hole ready to fly out..

 

The electronic tech. teachers that I know have noted that antisieze should not be used on plug threads, they teach this in the classroom. As I stated do not put rtv on the threads but the flange, I do not know if rtv is an insulator or not, I have not studied that point, Ford did it on my engine from factory, they placed rtv on the right bank plugs and no rtv on the left bank plugs, what I noted was that none of the plugs at 105,000 miles was hard to get out, none pulled the threads, and the right bank plugs had no flame burn marks up the porclain of the plugs where as the left side had flame marks up the porclain of the plugs, so what is the lesson here. I don't coat the threads with anything, period. Antisieze product may have nickel, so what, the product has other ingredients in it that you are to use less torque to get the threads to stretch and get tight under load, so if Joe overthere does not use his torque wrench and he has no clue what the torque should be and follows someones advice about a product to install on threads of plugs and pulls the thread out in the process of installing his own sparkplugs, well I guess another lesson has been learned here also, and really what you added was a grit of metal into the threads beside the head or plug, and the dissimilar metal thing, well I guess if you change your plugs at 80,000 miles and didn't pull out metal at that point, do you think really you have designed something better than o.e.m. has done for the past 100 years? It is not usual for threads to stay put in heads with or without antisieze, most of the time threads are pulled because of a leaking head gasket pushes water into the threads, therefore giving the head a reason to come off anyways, that has been what I have seen in the 29 years pulling wrenches, maybe you have seen different, I have not. there is a pile of difference of opinions on this subject, but the Pros. do not use the product on sparkplugs, if they know there stuff.

 

Obviously you don't get around much. Aluminum heads and antisieze. Gm does it and ford does it. Just do a search of spark plugs and antisieze.....I was using it back in 1973 on air cooled VW engines and outboards. As was most mechanics that worked on alum heads. Also many plug manufacturers have put antisieze on there plugs at manufacture.....No electrical problems It actually increases the ground and gives a better spark. Do the search you'll be shocked

Dick

 

And Obviously you can't read or understand what I wrote 99, GM and Ford have not used antiseize in the past 20 years or better, in fact the past 29 I have never seen it on an O.E.M. installed plug, Period...If you want to talk VW or outboards go find those boards, this board is for Fords. Technology has changed since 1973, alot. They didn't even have computers on vehicles in 1973, and VW they didn't even know what the word technology ment back then, and 99, I am not a do it yourselfer like most people on this board, you do the research, you will find you are wrong on the ground and the use of antiseize on today's plugs. I have answered the question with technical knowledge from the teachers of today, not from 1973. I am only trying to share information that the teachers of today are teaching. If you want to learn of today's technology, you must learn to listen today, yesterday's technology is old news, If you stay with yesterday's tech.. you will fall behind. Can I ask you one thing, can you work on today's cars with only the tools and information of 1973?

 

http://www.autolite.com/tech/SparkPlugInstallation.pdf
Just for your reading 99.
I don't see Autolite telling there users to use antiseize or any other product on there plugs ,and they make the plugs, go figure.
this is one search for your information 99.

 

http://www.boschusa.com/AutoParts/FAQs/SparkPlugs/
still don't see the word antiseize

 

I once experienced the plug wires in my 92 Vicky's 4.6 popping out on me. I torqued them to 7 lbs/ft like my Chilton book says, and I couldn't go more than about 20% throttle without them popping out on me. I torqued them to 10 ft./lbs, and I never had a problem with them again.:

As for the plugs popping out, I've never even heard of such a thing happening in any vehicle, Ford or otherwise. Got lawyers?

 

BW I'm not going to argue the point anymore. I 've been working with engines for 30 plus years. I am an expert in electronics and fuel injection. I started with fuel inj way back. I have programable computers on project cars and trucks that I have built. I know what you are saying and in rare cases antiseize may cause a problem. Not on the ford trucks though.. and not on most engines. Even the new corvette engines some people use it with no prob's. And my truck runs great and always has..

Dick

 

99, your right, no need for an aurgument here, just a need for understanding, BTW.. I have several Haynes manuals along with Mitchell, Motor and Chilton Professional manuals and none of them state to use antiseize anywhere except for bolts and oxygen sensors. In this field we always are looking for the challenge, here is the challenge for you, I have two different theories on the antiseize product on why it should not be used on plugs and the possible unknown effects and driveability problems it can cause with ignition systems, I challenge your mind to find the reason for this electrical phenomenom problem also and report it to the main board here. I am going to call Antiseize and specifically ask them if the grease product they use is a dielectric product or has a thermal separation, this will be the key factor as far as I am concerned on the problem. The two theories is, one is if the product is a dielectric, the sparkplug does not get it's proper ground and ends up acting as a capacitor causing the ignition to take place randomly, the second is if the product can cause thermal separation, the sparkplug is separated by the antiseize from the cylinder head from pulling away heat, causing the sparkplug to change its heatrange, causing a hotspot in the cylinder and inturn detonation, either way if it is used on sparkplugs you can get a missfire at any speed of the engine and not understand where it is at, it's not worth the agrivation by applying it as far as I am concerned, just because you changed your own spark plugs. broken wire

 

My haynes manual for the super duty says to put on anti seize on the plugs.. pn 36060 page 1-28 even show a pic ..What can I say. Also you are correct I did here years ago that anti seize could cause thermal problems as u stated. I was under the impression that they changed the formula. And I understand that graphite AS isn't good for aluminum. Also I've never had a misfire in any engine caused by AS.