5.4L 3V spark plug change question
#166
03-05-2008, 10:15 AM
Originally Posted by exiled
What do you mean? Are you talking about if you break the sparkplug yourself? I can see Ford trying to wiggle out of a warranty claim if you break the plug yourself, but thats just not the rule. I know a guy that has kept extended warranty on his 04. I told him when I pulled the plugs on my 05 back in 05 and found what I found to pull his and clean them up. Of course he waited untell last month and 87K on the clock to change plugs. He broke 3. He still has extended warranty and it covered it. It only cost him $100. Another guy that comes and buys grain from us has always let Ford do his maintance on his cars and trucks. At 100K he let them change his plugs. They broke 5. Gave him a loaner and sent him home. He got his plugs changed for $50 and 2 days w/ out his truck. There is a problem. It is very easy to solve. #1 I dont think Ford is doing its part in solving it. All they have to do is go back to 30K plug changes. That should solve most of it. I looked in what is suppose to be an 07 maintance book. I say suppose cause the cover was tore off. The lady has an 07 owner's manual so I assumed it was the right book. It still has 100K plug changes.#2 the mustangs came out with the 3v heads. Last year I bought my wife one. I have found out if it is the same plug design. I'm just going to assume it is and every 15K I'm going to pull 'em and clean 'em.
I know it will alot of money, but if you did'nt get on the early train on this subject then I would take my truck to a dealer for the plug changes. I dont care what someone says. If you let a company work on your truck and they break something they have to fix it. They have to return to you your car in as good shape or better than you brought it in. They have several options they can take. Issurance is one road open for them. Theres a dealer here that if the truck has high miles on it they just pull the heads 1st. I hear it saves them alot of time and money.
I know it will alot of money, but if you did'nt get on the early train on this subject then I would take my truck to a dealer for the plug changes. I dont care what someone says. If you let a company work on your truck and they break something they have to fix it. They have to return to you your car in as good shape or better than you brought it in. They have several options they can take. Issurance is one road open for them. Theres a dealer here that if the truck has high miles on it they just pull the heads 1st. I hear it saves them alot of time and money.
#167
03-05-2008, 10:21 AM
Good advice,
Originally Posted by BamaDave
I have an 04 with 72000, I don't think my plugs have ever been changed. What should I do(no warranty).
Last edited by wesFX4; 03-05-2008 at 10:23 AM. Reason: grammar
#168
03-05-2008, 10:53 AM
I have no idea what dealership you went to but you could mention the tool I posted on this thread. They can find out about it at Microprototype Co. the phone # is 989-683-8296. This tool is solving the problem of broken spark plugs. Ford has made a couple of tools to do the job, but it does not work very well and if it does it takes much longer.There are a few dealerships in Michigan that have bought Microprototypes tool and they are very pleased with it.
#169
03-05-2008, 11:22 AM
Tks
Originally Posted by wasa 4246
I have no idea what dealership you went to but you could mention the tool I posted on this thread. They can find out about it at Microprototype Co. the phone # is 989-683-8296. This tool is solving the problem of broken spark plugs. Ford has made a couple of tools to do the job, but it does not work very well and if it does it takes much longer.There are a few dealerships in Michigan that have bought Microprototypes tool and they are very pleased with it.
#170
03-05-2008, 10:56 PM
Originally Posted by F0rdzTuff
Well, your heads are probably going to have to come off when you change them due to the design. They HAVE fixed the problem now (at least on my engine which was built on 231107) and mine uses a completely normal looking sparkplug. No more of the 6" plugs. But, if yours is running good right now, I'd leave the plugs alone until you need to change them. My 2002 plugs have never been changed, and I have over 130,000 miles on it. I bought it with 110,000 miles on it, and the guy who owned it has never changed the plugs. I told myslef I'll run it until I need to change them since the heads will probably have to come off of it.
Bama I think you should take it to a dealership and let them change them. I talked to the service department today. They quoted me $328 to change the plugs. The plugs cost alittle over $100 anyway the best I remember. I think they run from $10-$15 a piece.
I dont see how a special tool can pull a siezed ground shaft with out taken off the head. You might try to thread something into it and try pulling it out. This is'nt anything special nor new. We've all threaded a broken bolt and used an extractor to remove it. I would think this move on the broken shaft would be rather dicey. You stand to get fine metal shaving down into the chamber. Not to mention breaking the shaft up into several pieces. Just kinds seems to me that if you have a broken plugs might just be safer to pull the head.
#171
03-05-2008, 11:04 PM
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Picked my truck up this eve, the dealer had no real trouble changing the plugs at 65,500. Two required extra soaking but came out with no problem. they followed the TSB and took their time. The tips still looked new and the gap was fine. The mechanic said it would have been fine to go to 100,000. I really think using a tier one fuel is an important factor. They have broken one plug on one vehicle. It had 95,000 on it and did a lot of idleing, an oil field truck.
#172
03-06-2008, 01:05 AM
#173
03-06-2008, 02:33 AM
We still have broken plugs
Originally Posted by tylus
this thread is 2 yrs old...why won't it DIE
just peacefully go the way of the DoDo and take Chicken Little and his fellows with you
just peacefully go the way of the DoDo and take Chicken Little and his fellows with you
#174
03-06-2008, 06:41 AM
Originally Posted by tylus
this thread is 2 yrs old...why won't it DIE
just peacefully go the way of the DoDo and take Chicken Little and his fellows with you
just peacefully go the way of the DoDo and take Chicken Little and his fellows with you
I'm glad this thread is still alive. I've wondered what would come of this problem. 2 yrs ago I brought this problem to the attention of the dealership I do busness with. Yesterday I was told they have it down to an art form. Pulling plugs is'nt much of a big deal to them any more.
#175
03-06-2008, 07:07 AM
#176
03-11-2008, 11:37 PM
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#177
03-12-2008, 12:59 AM
Use dealership
Originally Posted by kild1
just bought a 05 fx4 crew and was wanting to about the plug deal ... glad this thread was here !!!!!!
so the head design was changed in 07
so if i had a problem with my 05 and had to remove the heads can/will the new designed heads fit on the 05 so the problem wont happen again ?
so the head design was changed in 07
so if i had a problem with my 05 and had to remove the heads can/will the new designed heads fit on the 05 so the problem wont happen again ?
#178
03-12-2008, 01:06 AM
Originally Posted by WilZol
You'll be whining like a little baby when your 06 is getting the heads pulled. Hope someone links you back to this thread.
but yes, this thread should just DIE. I realize there is a problem, but you people just feed off of each other and scare the hell out of new people to the site. and then, on "advice" of experts, they are told to pull their perfectly functioning spark plugs...just in case. yeah, just to chance breaking them now, instead of later.
but mainly, why not start a "new" thread. the whole dead horse and stick thing you know
Originally Posted by wesFX4
if they break the plug they have to fix it
#179
03-12-2008, 01:19 AM
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Originally Posted by wesFX4
It will be better to use the dealership even thou is high priced, if they break the plug they have to fix it, I pulled 7 free, one broke the electrode inside the head, had to pull the head which came up very expensive.
#180
03-12-2008, 03:00 AM
I just changed my plugs on my '04FX4 91000 miles. had 3 plugs break the ceramic off in the ground shield. I found that you can push the ceramic down until it hits the ground strap. That gave me enough room to use a 9mmx1 bottomtapto tap the shield and pull it out of the head with the ceramic in it. I made a tool like ford uses to thread and pull the ground shield. The dealer told me that it would be $300 to change the plugs and if any broke, that was charged at $98/hour shop time.