The ideal torque spec for plug tightening plugs in my experience is 10 - 11 (max) ft.-lbs. All of the newer AGSF Motorcraft plugs are of the "long reach" variety.

PI stands for Power Improved and signifies 2V Modular heads found on 1999 and later 5.4Ls, some 1999-up 4.6Ls, and all 2001+ 4.6Ls. They have square intake ports as opposed to the round NPI intake ports.

The solution to plug problem is pretty simple IMO. Change the plugs in 50,000 - 70,000 mile intervals, change the plugs only when the engine is completely cold, torque the new plugs with a torque wrench to 10 lb.-ft.

 

Your solution to the plug problem is interesting, but irrelevant. I have one plug hole with no threads, and seven plug holes with questionable threads. The issue at hand is the Fact that (apparently), pre-2003 heads have only about 4 threads. Design Flaw. The solution needs to address the problem. Steel inserts sound like the best solution overall. Anyone suggesting that it be a common practice to inspect the torque values on all eight plugs has never worked on this engine or is Much Smaller than I.

 

I recently fixed #7 on my 98. Wasn't too bad, better than doing a rear and worse than any in the front. Am keeping fingers crossed on the remaining. about 10k so far and no issues.

My gripe would be that technology for plugs in aluminum is not new. Ford could have looked at many examples to know how to do it right. (any motorcycle since 1970) They used the correct long reach plug, then decided to machine the head as if using iron threads.

As for proper torquing of the plugs, It will help, but some luck is onvoled as many have changed properly and still failed. Most say to not change plugs until it is mandatory. And some report that putting anti-seize (required for steel on alum) has assisted the failures.

I would suggest to repair this one and if any fail again to consider pulling the heads to do all.

 

I appreciate your point, but I've got this irrational thing about actually being able to get to where I'm going. I have no intention of attempting to drive this beast until all eight holes have been addressed. Winter's coming and a dead vehicle is a good way to die in the Rocky Mountains.......

 

Still with the drama. If you ever did pop another plug just disable the fuel injector on that cylinder and go on your way, a dead cylinder doesn't mean a dead truck or a death in the Rockies.

Still, PI heads are a dime a dozen now. You can buy these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4-6L-PI-CYLINDER-HEADS-part-M6049-50-P46_W0QQitemZ130130255238QQihZ003QQcategoryZ33617Q QrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem
Or if you really get a wild hair up your *** buy a set of these (Stage 1s would be perfect for you): http://www.foxlakeracing.com/index.php?submenu=Cylinder_Heads&src=gendocs&link= Modular%202%20valve%20heads&category=Cylinder%20He ads

There's no reason to spend $1,500 (per side?!?!?!?!) on a set OEM PI heads from Ford, they're too damn plentiful for that. Not to mention those ported PI heads from Fox Lake are assembled with way more attention to detail and with much better quality parts than OEM PI heads. OEM (Ford or otherwise) valve guides aren't the greatest.

 

i cannot believe all of the 5.4L bashing that this thread has to offer. i'll just say that i have heard of problems with the #7 or 8 plugs, but i haven't seen anything. if you do a tune up correctly, s*** like this usually doesn't happen. my 2000 5.4L has 113k on it with its last tune up at roughly 65K. and it runs like a CHAMP!!! I LOVE IT! and sometimes the problem isn't the engine. if you beat on it and don't keep up with the maintnace it needs, it will bite you in the a**. i'm not saying you beat on it, but maybe the plugs were installed incorrectly. i strongly believe that the 5.4 is the best thing out there. i suggest either rebuilding it or swaping in a new 5.4

 

I'm coming up on 100,000 (99,775 to be close) and it's been 8,000 miles and one year since my dad and I repaired the #3 spark plug hole. Our emotions at the time were the same, frustration, disbelief (I almost seen him cry). He was also considering removing the heads himself and installing new ones, nothing he hadn't done before on some other older engines. We stumbled across the TimeSert website I'd like to say from this website or maybe from google. Got a shop-vac, some 3/8 hose and duct taped it to the shop-vac and used that to clean shavings from the spark plug hole. Followed the instructions and it worked like a dream. My dad was a die hard Ford fan and drove his first Ford stick shift on a farm where he grew up. He was outraged at how they overlooked such a simple problem. It's a shame Ford can't acknowledge their inferior aluminum heads. Just wish he was still on this earth to be able to see it still running. BTW the inserts from TimeSert are aluminum not steel, they said to dissipate heat easier. I love my truck. If I'm not mistaken there are 2 kits from TimeSert that bear the name Big-Sert, the kit in the link shown earlier (the one about the 5.4 being a lemon) is the one to get w/ 5 inserts. I say don't do all that crazy stuff and give this a try.

 

From http://www.timesert.com/html/faq.html#2
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td>2.</td> <td>What materials are TIME-SERTs made of?</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td>TIME-SERT inserts are made from 12L14 carbon steel and 303 stainless steel.

Click link for for material specifications in PDF format.

12L14 Carbon Steel


303 Stainless Steel

</td></tr></tbody></table>

If they were made of aluminum, I wouldn't even consider this a good solution. I'd just fix #7 and sell it. Since I'll be using carbon steel, and since I plan on doing all eight holes, I think I'll have a dependable vehicle. I agree with your overall opinion of the truck. I'll try to drive this one into the dirt, but I'll probably never buy another Ford product. They've proven themselves to be incompetent, and thick. (Anyone have their cruise control fixed yet??)

 

I don't see how you can make that statement since all of these issues stem from Nasser-era FoMoCo. The people that ran Ford in the mid-late 90s aren't the same people running it now, there's a reason why Ford's new products are beating Toyota quality.

While you're driving your new Tundra, I'll be enjoying my new 2009 F150 with a 4.4L turbodiesel getting 25 mpg with 550 lb.-ft.

 

I practically wrote a book and realized we had digressed from the topic of fixing this particular truck.

telrock
I felt the same as you with reliability. It really bothered me that a plug could exit the engine out of the blue. I was going to pull the heads and fit all of them, but my situation at the time did not allow it. If fact I had a trip planned, so did just the one. No signs of trouble yet. But of course these don’t give any signs. One day I will pull the plugs and repair all. Most of us try to share so we all know we are not alone in our frustrations. lol

Mine took about 1/2 a day. I did not care for the kit from Autozone. Did not have a way to set the insert depth. I needed an 18mm bolt to install it properly. Also used grease to catch the shavings. did a little at a time, cleaned and re-greased. Required a coil, and of course a new plug. By chance the schrader valve in the fuel rail broke as well. was a suprise (scare) to see fuel guzzling up like an oil well.
which ever way you chose will obviously be best for you. Let us know how it goes.
Best wishes and good luck with the repair.

 

Oops yeah they're magnetic sorry. Sure do look and feel aluminum.

 

This is a little late but i'm guessing that you're not talking about the 4v 5.4 in the less horsepower department, the navigator engines had 300 horsepower starting in 1999, and had 355 lb/ft of torque which is more than the 5.4 had until 2004 only in the f150.

 

I personally have not had one blow out but I know people that have. They all had them fixed by Blownoutsparkplug.com. They have their own style of inserts that I have not seen anywhere else. They came out and did everything right here including changing all of the other plugs and checking the treads. They even guaranty their repair. I would contact them. Their site is http://www.blownoutsparkplug.com

 

"Our Mission Statement

To supply a cost effective option to replacing cylinder heads on Ford vehicles that have experienced a blown out spark plug due to the failure of the spark plug threads while keeping a 100% customer satisfaction rating.

Specializing in Ford Triton aluminum cylinder head repair for both the V8 and V10 engines in any F150 thru F350 pickups, Expeditions, and Motor Homes."

You know that, when a business springs up over YOUR vehicle, you've been screwed again by an American auto manufacturer.

Anyway, I'm old enough that I've heard the fan-boyz over three decades now, and it never changes... they ALWAYS claim the NEW product out, by Ford, Chevy, or Dodge, is SO MUCH BETTER than anything before it. And you know what? They're always wrong. Always.

Fan Boyz - just not needed in any serious conversation about the state of American auto manufacturers.

 

GammaDriver, You have a new fan. Very well stated