I keep hearing sometime in 03 also. My truck was built in i believe may of 05, im thinking about replacing plugs as i just rolled 60 recently. I really want to just make sure they are torqued properly. I may pull one and try to see if i can tell how many threads i have. Any tips on an easy way to see how many threads i have?

 

Listen to Big Orn and Art...Andrew is not even sure of what he is talking--- he has not used 30 foot pounds yet---read each of his posts...

3 years max, 0r 30-50K max plug change interval is highly recommended...use 168 inch pounds in two stages the first tourque being 100~120 Inch pounds and you will not have any problems


The alloy used in that sized bore with those threads will not take 30 foot pounds with out galling, stretching, and cracking... pure physics

Big Orns post is the best on this subject in a long time....

 

To everyone talking plug issues, You need to identify whether You have a 2 valve or 3 valve engine, 2004 and up came with both engines and they each have a different set of plug issues.

 

Model year 2005 is the first year for the 3-valve V10 engine in the F-series. To my knowledge, the 2-valve was no longer available for model-year 2005 F-series.

But you are correct in saying we need to keep in mind the difference between the 2-valve and the 3-valve engines.

Matter of fact, the 3-valve engines, there's a TSB out for how NOT to take the threads out of the head when you REMOVE the plug - they stay in there so good now, it's amazing

In fact, the TSB for the 3-valver says to warm up the motor before attempting to remove them - crud builds up on the tip of the plug and takes out the threads as you back them out. And yes, there is an insert available to fix the 3-valve heads ...

Fun fun fun.

 

I had a mechanic (not from Ford dealer) say of the Ford 100,000 miles: "The platinum plugs will last that long BUT they should be pulled and inspected every 20-30,000 miles". He also recommended using anti seize on the thread. For what it is worth.

 

If you have an '05 then it has the V10 3v engine. That engine has a totally different design than the previous 2v models. The spark plugs look more like a diesel glow plug.

You should be fine...and not need to worry about thread counting.


biz

 

Ok im an idiot and for some reason hit a 5 instead of a 3. I have an 03 excursion built in may of 03. Just wondering when in 03 they switched heads to the ones with more threads. Also any easy way to tell how many threads i have when i pull a plug? Im guessing i cant just look down the hole and see it cause its so deep???

Also, while were talking build date, what month do they switch to the new model year tucks? May seems like it may be a late 03 build date? What month did they start building the 04s?

 

What month did they start building the 04s?

Usually the last of the 03s would have gone down the line in late April early May 2003. Then the plant shuts for 2 ~ 3 weeks re-tooling for the 04 MY run(s)

Job #1 (first run of a MY) is late normally June to mid July

So an 2004 truck could have been built as early as June of 2003.

Your 2003 Excursion could have been built between June/July 2002 and April/ May of 03

Your Ex definitely has the modified 2v V10 heads as they were phased in during the 2001 and 2002 MY runs

 

Actually...you can look down the hole with a little light and an auto angle mirror. You can see right down...and figure the thread count. I recommend looking in cylinders #1 or #6 up in the front.


biz

 

Long thread heads were introduced for the V10 in late calendar-year 2002, so "1", you're V10 should have the long thread heads.

However, you COULD check for us

 

Fredvon4 you didn't read my posts properly, I have put 30lbs of torque on the plugs in my 2 valve V10. It had no problems taking that torque and it had a loose plug for some time and even that plug didn't mind doing the 30lbs. I have had a lot of experience with these triton engines just for your information and time will tell whether 30 is better. But I know that 14 doesn't work for any extended period, at 50,000 miles on 14lbs I had a loose one and it had been loose for a while by the amount of combustion stain in the plug boot hole. Remember these engine have blown plugs as early as 30,000 from the factory with no one touching them.

Andrew.

 

Andrew,
There are many Triton engines out there today with over 250K miles with the plugs torqued to specs. That's not to say that there's not a flaw in a hole or two, or even in the the threads of the plug.

The main idea here is - do we want to condone torquing plugs well over twice the specified amount without an Engineering Order telling us to do so? That would be, at the very least, irresponsible on our behalf.

Personally, I would jump up and down like a one-eyed shortstop if somebody could present the results of a bonafide test stating that 30 ft/lb of torque will resolve the problem. That's what we're after and what I'm still looking for.

All I have found is this from TSB 06-5-9 for an ’04 F-150, 3 valve Triton. Common sense tells me that it will work on the V10, 3 valve...but common sense with a TSB would be better.

ONCE THE SPARK PLUGS HAVE ALL BEEN REMOVED, NEW PLUGS SHOULD BE INSTALLED USING A FILM COATING OF NICKEL ANTI-SEIZE ON THE GROUND ELECTRODE SHIELD OF THE NEW SPARK PLUG. DO NOT COAT THE ELECTRODE STRAP OR THE PLUG WILL MISFIRE. THE NEW PLUGS SHOULD BE INSTALLED WITH NO LUBRICANT ON THE THREADS AND TORQUED TO SPECIFICATION, 25 LB-FT (34 N-m)

https://www.ford-trucks.com/tsb/full...php?tsb=06-5-9

 

I'd go a step further and venture to say "99% of ..."

Exactly.

Exactly

That's for the three-valve which uses a different style of spark plug - it has the seat BELOW the threads, unlike our "regular" 2-valvers. There's another TSB out there for the 3-valvers which says that the plugs should be removed from a WARM motor - because the tips of them get gunked up with crud, and when removing them, they'll take the threads with them.

 

I was just letting you know that I have done 30 and there was no complaint from the threads. I definately would think 20 or 25 would be an improvement. But thinking that even 30 will let the spark plugs be left alone for 100,000 would be naive. They would probably be impossible to get out, or would take the threads out with them. My point being that every 30,000 they should be checked and replaced at 60,000 or 90,000 if you are brave, but torqued every 30k for sure.
The plugs are good, I don't see the need to throw them away every 30k.
I also wonder very seriously about the never seize goop on the plugs because that will reduce the friction and at ford specs would create an even more rapid demise of the plug and threads.
Andrew.

 

I saw something on the 3 valve motors that they are dropping the porcelain end of the plug into the combustion chamber when they are removed, why Ford couldn't just go with what has worked for everyone forever baffles me. These plug design experiments could really hurt business before its all said and done. One blows out, the other won't come out at all, or in one piece. I was hoping that they would put the 3 valve V10 in the Econoline, but am glad they didn't do it now.
Andrew.