Just another price here, I had #2 pop and it was $250, they said it would be $500 or more if it was one of the back ones since they remove the head to get to them. That quote from the dealer for a head and an engine is ridiculous. You can get a set of patriot heads for around $1200 and could have a good mechanic put them on for another $1K or less, Ford needs to get their heads out of their rears on their shop rates. I'd gladly have Ford do repairs if they were anywhere near reasonable on their prices.

 

Ford dealer shop rates are high because they have all the necessary tools and ecm readers to service any car or truck that ford makes, plus pretty much any other brand of vehicle. I had the #4 cylinder plug blow this past summer and i put an insert in myself. I used a self tapping insert. I made a sleeve to fit the spark plug bore so i could drill the old threads out nice and straight. I also turned down a length of i believe it is 3/4 hex stock with the threads of a stock spark plug to use as a driver for the self-tapping insert. I used a 90 degree air drill to get in under the wiper cowl. Disconnecting some vacuum lines and the chassis ground strap and removing the hoses to the heater core let me get back in there without having to remove the head.

 

Amazing......