still it's not the old head it's poor and improper service that causes it .over torqued they pull the threads. any brand. to light the turn thems selfs out.
IMPROPER SERVICE thats the problem. and it took ford only 2 years to change the head design in year 2k and changed again in 05 . the problem was fixed end!
problem around this country is we have to dame many lawyers sticking thier heads in where they should not be to make a buck any way they can. and people reading something thinking it's gosple when it's a big load of cow dirt.

 

OK - here's the LAST WORD ON THIS - EVERYONE READ THIS! LAST WORD!

We DO acknowledge this is a design issue - no one EVER said it wasn't! We're all just a little too trigger happy because if we hear this crap from diesel and Chevy people or anyone else one more time, we're going to go POSTAL.

Root causes:

1) The absurd assertion that Ford made about 100K or 60K tuneups.
2) The stock factory plugs were not galvanized (zinc plated) so they do the typical aluminum vs. iron corrosion, causing pressure on the plug and the repeated heat cycles eventually cause it to come loose.
3) NO MECHANIC in his/her right mind would leave those plugs in there for more than 25-30K miles or 2 years. I wouldn't and I'm a DIY. Seen it WAY too many times on other engines.
4) Early heads seem to have less threads holding the plug in. Mix that with #1 and #2 and you have a serious problem. HOWEVER, the problem still exists even with later motors, but usually after 60K miles (see #1).
5) Ford dealers not wanting to even THINK about putting in inserts. MUCH cheaper, and it cures the problem. Can be done with or without the head on, the labor for the head removal is expensive, but at least that's without the $1000+ brand-new head they want to sell you at LIST price.

Solutions? Get rid of that 100K or 60K mile tuneup nonsense, or at least put in the maintenance schedule that at 20-25K miles they be removed, checked, cleaned, regapped and put back with anti-sieze. Better QC at the factory - we've heard (and I personally have seen) modulars that the plugs were either very tight or very loose BRAND NEW. My '96 t-bird w/4.6L, the plugs were all either too loose or too tight at 12K miles and they had started corroding. Put in the zinc-plated ones, no more corrosion around the threads.

Now, zinc-plating is not the end-all/be-all of ending this problem. It helps a LOT. But it doesn't completely cure it, because as we all know, galvanization is good only to a certain point and then allow corrosion anyway.

Cracked plastic intakes are another matter - got bitten with both 4.6L's. The '96 t-bird was covered by an invisible recall that you would only find out about if the dealer told you. My '97 cougar, same thing. $300 in parts, about 3 hours in labor for a "regular" mechanic, I don't see $600 as a big bill for a 9-year-old car.

Wanna start a class-action? Fine.

Don't want to take the word of two first-class mechanics, one a life-long dealer mech, the other a military mechanic? Fine. If you don't take their word for it, you won't listen to me either. I'm not, never was, a pro. However, I've wrenched all my life on all my vehicles. I had tires installed a few times. that's it, except for warranty work on my '96 t-bird.

If you take a comprehensive look at everyone who has popped a plug, it's either been way past 60K miles or even after the 30K we suggest you replace/anti-sieze the plugs. And the ones who had it happen before 60K are the ones that had water in the plug holes accelerating the problem.

Yes, it's a Ford problem. But approach it with the right attitude and it will NOT happen to you.

NEXT...

 

OH, and you CAN drive it like that - if you don't want a gas smell in the cab, disconnect the injector. It will be noisy, but will NOT hurt the motor or anything else but your ego.

 

Damn Art

You put on a much better rant then I do... now I just have to lurk here for the next hapless soul who would dare besmirch our beloved BSEG machine so I can practice some more!

Double BIG SS Eating Grin here!

 

OK. Uncle... I yeild

 

you sure can drive then like that. if i can drive a flat 4 vw bettle from fl. home to nj with a blown out plug and a shorted out plug wire any sure can drive a v10 on 9 holes by pulling a injector plug and cp wire plug

double grin to you art,

 

Nice post art,That was more of the kind of info I was looking for when I started this mess.
My GM bud isnt a jerk he is a very good Mechanic giving me a heads up.
Belive me I gave him crap when the first duro crap diesel came out.
He installs the inserts when he does the repair.
I feel better jumping into the Mod motor now.
The time to buy is now I cant belive the prices of these trucks.
25k will buy a fully loaded 1 year old truck with under 25k on the clock.

Art Maybe you should make that post a sticky before some other uninformed push rod groupie like me comes around.

 

Here's my experience with the V10, I have two 2000 V10s, my work truck has 98K on it and I have never touched the plugs or anything else on the motor and it still gets the same mileage as it did when new. My other truck has 53K on it and its the same deal. Both trucks I bought new so I now the trucks, my last work truck 1994 F350 351W went 105K before changed the plugs, plugs looked great just a big gap. Truck still ran bad because it had bad wires, so the plugs will have no problem going 100K and above before being changed. I believe that with aluminum hears the more you screw around with the plugs the more chance of having a problem with the plugs coming out.

Denny

 

Uncle who? I'm not old enough to be your uncle

 

Well, guys, I certainly didn't intend for this to get to a flame throwing session so my apologies to everyone out there on both sides of the fence. I'm just happy that I was able to find an alternative to the expensive Ford fix and that, in the long run, I may have found one of the best local mechanics, at least so far. He hasn't had a single BAR complaint in over 12 years apparently so that alone says a lot.

Colm
~if y'all want to see some serious bashing, go ask about Harleys on a BMW forum or vice versa!!!

 

Actually, we've all been WELL BEHAVED, right guys? At least, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

MinnManBroncoFan, Colm, no harm no foul. We DO welcome the discussion.

And guys, sometimes this becomes a way for Cap, Fred, and the other many knowledgable people here to think out loud. As well as our new friends.

Never a bad discussion here.

Sorry if I yelled, someone's gotta stomp on that fire

 

dame we had some clean fun again down here , darn guy thats the i am , i don't back ford up 100% had a sick-o smoker. and my v10 can do the same work as a smoker .i love the fact we have a good strong gas motor .
so what the real early ones had a problem ford fixed it. so did the 4.6 and 5.4 and a few ford inline 4's . but we know how fix them with out draining more then a weeks pay to do it. and do it forever .
sorry if i came across like a d--k , but if you need help i will always spend time to help any one out. i spent 42 years of my life in a dealer fixing and racing i don't want to take that knowage to my grave if youall know what i mean.

no any one one want to talk flat head v12 . like packard ,lincoln or alloy v16 in a morman. front wheel drive in a auborn

 

With all this talk about over and under tightning what would be the correct torque setting? Also what are the best plugs to use in my '01.

 

I bought 10 Ford plugs today for $60 Canadian. That is a lot of money for plugs but I wanted the plated plugs and my local jobber had none.
Now about this torque thing. I may torque these to spec after reading all these posts about the plugs spitting out and it makes sense.
I believe its about 11-14 ft/lbs but I am buying a manual tomorrow to eliminate the guesswork.
And I like to add to my collection of shop manuals! Must have 30-40 by now.

 

I used 14 ft/lbs for my plugs. I believe my shop manual says 11-14.

I don't have it near me, so that's a guess. I'll check later today.