98 5.4 84,000 miles

#4 cop bad 12 months ago, paid a local mechanic to replace it , and do all 8 plugs. Problem fixed. 4 weeks ago, #4 misfire again, and after long thought, decided to pay again, to save on nerves. Original shop now out of business.

Just got the call. #4 cop bolt is crossthreaded, and the guy says it won't come out. He assures me he can get it out, but it will probably twist off. He assumes the entire top of the engine will have to come off to be able to get at it to drill and retap.

Horror story?? Or not too bad? Has this happened to anyone else? What was the result in dollars and time? I have the money to pay a guy to replace 4, but pulling everything, and retapping, probably not.

'If you want it done right, do it yourself!' or at least have someone you can sue do it!!!!!

 

Fthat, tell him to twist of the top and put a tac weld in place to hold the new COP...problem resolved for 50 cents.

 

Problem solved!!!!! The mechanic called back and said he wasn't comfortable breaking them loose, so I said I would be right up. It wasn't cross threaded, just seized up in the hole, and it finally broke loose. While I was up there, we broke the rest of them loose.

I had paid the original shop to replace #4 cop, and all 8 plugs.

So at this point, I stayed up on the engine and he handed me the necessary sockets and extensions and compressed air and everything else, and I did the job.

Results? #7 and #8 had Motorcraft plugs, rest were Autolites. #4 cop spring and contact appeared to be stretched out, and #4 plug, which had been changed, looked to have never been firing. The original Motorcraft plugs, which the mechanic guessed to be original, looked great, nice and white, very little wear. Not a spot of grease appeared to have been put on any of the plugs or boots the original guy had actually done.

All of the COP's wiggled around, because the bolts were not tight. And again, no anti-seize on anything the last mechanic had touched.

But three hours later, all new plugs, new coil on #4, I put on new boots on all 8 because it seemed like a good idea, hooked everything back up, fired right up, and what do you know, no more shaking from #4 misfire.

Does this mean I am a member of 'I changed my own plugs on the dreaded 5.4' club or not??

With a couple of hints I took off of this site, it really wasn't bad. 8 was the worst. Pulled the battery fuse box/harness off and out of the way and #4 opened right up. It helped having the guy there to hand me requested extensions, with silicone loaded up in the end of the socket to get the bolts up and out of the compartment.

Next time will be a breeze.