Over a barrel, advice please
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New User
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4
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From: Northwest PA
Over a barrel, advice please
Truck: 2006 F150 4x4 with 5.4L, ~64k miles. CEL came on, scanner showed misfire cylinder 3. Also, battery (maybe 1 year old) going dead while truck sits. Took truck to a shop requesting plugs be changed (original, as far as I know), look into misfire, check alternator. I know plug removal can be an issue with this truck. Shop has Ford's plug removal tool. Learned yesterday that all of the plugs broke on removal, one cylinder has a piece of plug in it that the mechanic is having trouble removing, might have to remove heads if he can't get it.
I am not looking forward to seeing the bill.
Is all plugs breaking common?
I am not looking forward to seeing the bill.
Is all plugs breaking common?
Last edited by OCBill3; Jun 12, 2020 at 02:03 AM. Reason: Typo
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 230
Likes: 11
I have the same truck.
My plugs were changed at 112,000 and only 1 broke.
The battery: if my truck sits for over a week the battery will die. It has always been that way. If I am going to be gone that long I disconnect the ground cable from the battery.
My plugs were changed at 112,000 and only 1 broke.
The battery: if my truck sits for over a week the battery will die. It has always been that way. If I am going to be gone that long I disconnect the ground cable from the battery.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,653
Likes: 193
Eight broken plugs can happen but the common is 2 to 4 .Done is done . soaking with carb cleaner as per ford tsb is a good thing . I let mine sit overnight after trying the one eighth turn still broke 2 ,had the lisile extractor first ,worked well . Saved myself 600 - 1500 bucks .
Pulling heads is the nightmare ,big bucks . I would not trust someone else to put me in that fail mode . I used champion plugs after that and still coated tips with nickel anti-seize . Still use it to this day . This engine requires hands on ,you have the time to waste on labor a mechanic does not . You can see all the advice and take your time and treat this like a baby .
Batterys only last 3-4 years -heat kills them . Otherwise you may have a parasitic drain that could be running battery down . You must learn to chase it if so . Otherwise big bucks .
You have come to the right place if you want to learn and do. It will help you on all vehicles if you get into it. But you have to get your hands dirty and your mind deeply involved . But if you make big bucks that will work also .
Pulling heads is the nightmare ,big bucks . I would not trust someone else to put me in that fail mode . I used champion plugs after that and still coated tips with nickel anti-seize . Still use it to this day . This engine requires hands on ,you have the time to waste on labor a mechanic does not . You can see all the advice and take your time and treat this like a baby .
Batterys only last 3-4 years -heat kills them . Otherwise you may have a parasitic drain that could be running battery down . You must learn to chase it if so . Otherwise big bucks .
You have come to the right place if you want to learn and do. It will help you on all vehicles if you get into it. But you have to get your hands dirty and your mind deeply involved . But if you make big bucks that will work also .
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,913
Likes: 509
How much plug is in there, do they know?
Eric O at S Main Auto fires it up sans plug and basically hopes it gets blown out (I don't blame him, he's right that it's not worth pulling the heads, at least in 99% of cases). NOW, if there's reason to think a BIG portion of plug is in there, that's maybe more risky.
You might wanna watch this, it's fun if you're a gearhead:
Eric O at S Main Auto fires it up sans plug and basically hopes it gets blown out (I don't blame him, he's right that it's not worth pulling the heads, at least in 99% of cases). NOW, if there's reason to think a BIG portion of plug is in there, that's maybe more risky.
You might wanna watch this, it's fun if you're a gearhead:
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,653
Likes: 193
I had to make a rubber tube to go down in there and vacuum out as much as possible . Some Small porcelain went in there but i think it went out the valves . what i didn't get on vacuum . sometimes you have to be tough and hope for the best .
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