fix your blown plug! i did

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Jun 15, 2006 | 10:03 AM

#16

Big Orn

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Joined: Jun 2003

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From: NE Texas

And don't worry about the steel vs aluminum insert - the steel will work just fine on aluminum alloy, which these heads are made of. It's not the same as aluminum parent metals and the like.

Jun 15, 2006 | 03:46 PM

#17

captchas

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Joined: Nov 2004

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From: north west new jersey

http://fulltorque.com is the one with the anidized alloy ones that work just as well as timesert which has been around a long time. full torque also makes kits to repair and stich cracked blocks and heads.

Jun 15, 2006 | 07:16 PM

#18

crazyrwe

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Joined: Mar 2006

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From: Pennsylvania

What year did the blown plugs seem to stop or slow down ? Is it the V10's or also the 8 cyl's?

Jun 15, 2006 | 09:56 PM

#19

krewat

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Joined: Jul 2002

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From: Long Island USA

It's definitely the earlier motors, but where it stops has never been nailed down. If it stops at all.

I know for the V10, it was supposed to be that when they went with the PI heads in 2000, the threads were increased holding the plug in the head. I know my 2001 has 7-8 threads, while I have seen pictures of 1999 heads with only 3-4 threads.

However, there are 2001, 2002, 2003, and maybe a 2004 V10 that has popped a plug.

Honestly? IMO, it's a combination of factory error and the fact that iron and aluminum don't like each other. They corrode and push the plug around and it eventually works loose.

The plugs you would get now from Motorcraft for the V10 are zinc-plated (galvanized). This limits the corrosion. Anti-sieze does too...

On the other hand, I wonder if we're just seeing the effects of age and that the plugs HAVE to be maintained, as in cleaned and re-torqued once in a while.

Jun 16, 2006 | 05:14 PM

#20

Snowplow1

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Joined: Jun 2006

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From: Sebago Lake , Maine

Ok, I did the Timesert. You definitely need an air rachet to get to the 3rd and 4th cylinder back. My 01' F-350 5.4L has the enlongated threads on the plug. It still blew the plug. So maintenance, maintenance, maintenance retorque the plugs!!! Anyways the kit would only take an hour with the air rachet. After pulling my fuel bar and dropping an o-ring from the injector down into the frame of the truck...as my first accomplishment of my project, I knew how the rest would go. 4 skinned fingers and a blister in my palm I decided to go get an air rachet to finish the reaming. Like the staples button the air rachet said to me... " That was easy! ". So the fix is in and done. Only 2.5 hours and that was after my shortcomings of tools and dropping the o-ring I had to fish from a wedge in the framework. I would recommend this to anyone before spending $2,500 on a new head at the dealer. Oh, just keep the kids away when you attempt this project...It tends to draw some cussing from you.

Jun 16, 2006 | 05:20 PM

#21

Snowplow1

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Joined: Jun 2006

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From: Sebago Lake , Maine

dual overhead cams

Quote:

Originally Posted by krewat

This is a VERY interesting statement from a Ford Dealer: "Nothing, we only re-tourque the plugs every maintenance.". I wonder if they anti-sieze them like Motorcraft recommends on their website?

greg, ATTABOY! Thanks for the write up!

Snowplow1, whoever told you you have a "dual cam head" in a 2001 5.4L F350 is a dirty stinkin' lier or a know-nothing. The head on that 5.4L is the same physically as a 4.6L head of the same year. BS flag is up!

Krewat,
The person that told me I had dual overhead cams was from the Full Torque company. Then he upped the price from $380 to $525. I got the Time Sert kit Which did work fine in the end. I knew I had a single cam over each head which is what pushed me towards the Time-sert kit.

Snowplow1
Mike

Jun 23, 2006 | 03:26 PM

#22

96ozarker

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Joined: Dec 2001

Posts: 66

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From: Ozark, MO

Greghawke, how is your insert doing after 3 months? Still holding up. I have been looking into this process today as I have a current problem but local repair shops say it is short term at best. Are they leading me on?