Definitive Long Thread Question
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Posting Guru
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From: California Desert
Definitive Long Thread Question
From everything I've researched, 2002 and earlier Triton engines had the 4 thread spark plug heads and 2003 and after had the 8 thread heads. I haven't been able to find any definitive information on when exactly this change took place. Was it model year 2003 or build date 2003? What month? My engine label says October 2002 at the Windsor plant, truck is a model year 2003.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,812
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From: Thousand Oaks, CA
The plugs can still loosen and blow out with 8 thread heads.
I saw the following from another thread:
December 1996 - 4.6L 4V alignment feature added
February 1997 - 4.6L 2V head alignment feature added
September 2000 - WEP (Windsor Engine Plant) 2V head alignment feature modified (4.6/5.4/6.8)
November 2002 - WEP introduced long thread heads on 2V (all 4.6/5.4/6.8)
May 2003 - REP (Romeo Engine Plant) introduced long-thread heads on 4V 4.6 and 5.4
November 2003 - REP introduced long-thread heads on 2V and modified alignment feature
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2012
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The best we’ve been able to nail down so far is that the job 2 03’s have the 8 threads. Form your engine tag date I’m guessing the truck was also built either in October or November of 02. So still pretty early in the 03 model year. You can enter your vin into etis https://www.etis.ford.com/vehicleReg...r3.eccvas1900f if you want it won’t tell you how many threads are in the head but it will tell you if it’s a job 1 or 2 or how many ever jobs the were for your model year. Dealer would have no idea. The best way to confirm would be the the borescope like Sam mentioned if I was betting on it though I’m putting my money on 4. Edit I didn’t see the list before I posted- If the list posted above is true then you mixed the 4 extra threads by a month.
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Posting Guru
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From: California Desert
Thank you everyone for the info so far.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,812
Likes: 88
From: Thousand Oaks, CA
I change plugs/boots at 50k, use nickel antiseize, torque to 25ft-lbs and check torque one more time at 10k.
No problems on our 2003 at 170k.
Bought our 2002 2 years ago and it blew an OEM plug at 108k just before I was going to change them.
All the bank 1 plugs were a tad loose.
The Denso boots – 671-0001 ($30/10 ebay) work great.
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