5.4 plug issues
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 808
Likes: 0
From: P.G. VA
Originally Posted by KevinAH
Impact tool didn't work. The plugs were not able to be extracted. The plugs that are stuck are, of course on both sides of the engine, so I am being told that they need to remove the heads to be able to get them out now. Not good news--$2100.00 and 3 days. This is probably pushing to be about 1/2 the cost of a new long block? Any other suggestions or thoughts before I pull the trigger on the head removal?
New User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
yea ....i have 19000 miles on my (new to me) 05 5.4 excab stepside fx4 . i am tortured with the thought of now or later. are there new plugs to install that will not separate ? otherwise it seems stupid to remove the stockers just to put anitsieze on the threads. it is the carbon buildup that causes the removal problem. my mechanic friend lives 3 doors down and works at a ford dealership ...he owns an 04 5.4 150 and hasnt done his plugs. he has 48some thousand on her and is torn. he says the problems are REAL . i asked him about somehow trying alcohol/water injection to clear the carbon before trying the removal. it seems it would help the odds if you could get rid of most of the junk before trying
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 8,542
Likes: 5
From: Louisiana
The kroil is suposed to eat the carbon away, minimizing the seperation of the plug.
The only people I've heard that had problems are the ones that didn't use it, only PB blaster of somthing like that.
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR! use the cheap oil and chance it, or use the kroil and don't worry to much.
The only people I've heard that had problems are the ones that didn't use it, only PB blaster of somthing like that.
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR! use the cheap oil and chance it, or use the kroil and don't worry to much.
Thread Starter
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Junior User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Thats up to you its your truck, waiting on a know problem that is only going to raise the chance of having a plug problem the longer you wait doesnt sound stupid to me. also the carbon that builds up next to the side of the plug shell and bore if you remove them and apply a small amount of never sieze the carbon won,t be able to get packed into it. A little proactive maintenece now will keep the reactive paying out the *ss to get it fixed later from hapining at all.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
Kroil was used on mine. I checked today to see what material was used. I know there are many different theories and thoughts as to when to change and what to do in the mean time if you're not going to change them and all that, but, I have had this truck since it was nearly new with 17k- I had purchased the extended warranty when I bought it. I started reading about the complications about plug removal early on. I thought I would get them changed at 40k ( still under warranty) and the dealership said not to do it I could be responsible for a lot of cost. Same conversation at 60k, and again the same at 72k. At that point, I purchased another extended warranty to take me to 100k and I was advised at about 85k to wait. This tells me that the problem should be expected and that no responsibility will be taken on their part. So, do whatever seems right along the way and hope its going to help prevent this real thing. Wa Wa Wa- poor me 
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
We're all in a waiting game until some actual numbers start to show up. I hope many people on here will chime in once they bite the bullet and take it in for a changeout. We shall know the true incidence of occurence shortly as more and more 04' and up trucks come in for the 100k recommended change. I'm ready to see more numbers from folks who wait until 100k to change. I'm waiting to 100k as Ford says, or until the numbers prove Ford is FOS. Then I might consider changing early, or just selling the darn thing and buying another GM or ricer.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 447
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
I think all the dealers are saying different things. Omeara Ford in Denver, CO is telling me that Ford recommends changing them before 70k. They also told me that about a week ago they received an email from Corporate stating that they want them to drop their price for plug extraction down to $25.99 a plug. I still think it is crap that I have to pay for something they might break but at least $25.99 a plug is better than the $50 a plu they first told me it would cost. I have 62k on my '04 now so I plan on getting them changed out at the end of the month...I'll let you guys know how it goes.
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Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 25
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I sent an e-mail on the Ford website expressing my concern, and expressed the convern was being echoed on message boards all over the country, that I had just bought a brand new truck that will depretiate drastically as it approaches the 100,000 mile mark due to the known plug issue and was wondering what Ford was doing about rectifying the issue before all these engines approached their recommended 100,000 mile plug replacement and they had thousands of trucks snapping off plugs. I also asked if they were working on a new plug design so that as owners replaced these plugs at the recommended interval they weren't replacing them with plugs having the same issue.
Their response was that the informaiton I was requesting was proprietary and would not be disclosed but that they had documented my question.
Their response was that the informaiton I was requesting was proprietary and would not be disclosed but that they had documented my question.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 611
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by ZRXKUMA
I sent an e-mail on the Ford website expressing my concern, and expressed the convern was being echoed on message boards all over the country, that I had just bought a brand new truck that will depretiate drastically as it approaches the 100,000 mile mark due to the known plug issue and was wondering what Ford was doing about rectifying the issue before all these engines approached their recommended 100,000 mile plug replacement and they had thousands of trucks snapping off plugs. I also asked if they were working on a new plug design so that as owners replaced these plugs at the recommended interval they weren't replacing them with plugs having the same issue.
Their response was that the informaiton I was requesting was proprietary and would not be disclosed but that they had documented my question.
Their response was that the informaiton I was requesting was proprietary and would not be disclosed but that they had documented my question.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
I ordered the extraction tool from Ford as the one from Snap On didn't do the job. They're probably the same tool but I wanted to at least try it. I am considering a long block purchase instead of removing the heads to get the plugs out. That's pretty pathetic considering it's just a routine maintenance item, or at least it used to be. My thought process is that---what am I getting for my dollar? $2200 for a plug removal and new plugs installed or $3900.00 and a new engine with a warranty. Hmmmmmm.
5th Wheeling
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: Spanish Springs, Nevada
Splug removal and blow-out is a real issue!
After reading many horror stories about changing plugs and plugs blowing out of heads, it appears that this spark plug problem is a real issue. If you go to www.etoolcart.com/06152.pdf you can read the TSB on this issue.
I also read many spark plug horror stories at the following site:
www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/ford_spark.html
Sounds to me like a class action lawsuit should be in order to force Ford to do what is right. They should have to pay anybody and averybody that has had this issue for inconvenience and then reimburse them for the losses.
Keep in mind these represent a very small percentage of all the 5.4's sold. We can only hope that this issue gets resolved before it becomes a problem for all of us. Ford definitely needs to be working on this issue or they are going to loose a large portion of their customer base!
I also read many spark plug horror stories at the following site:
www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/ford_spark.html
Sounds to me like a class action lawsuit should be in order to force Ford to do what is right. They should have to pay anybody and averybody that has had this issue for inconvenience and then reimburse them for the losses.
Keep in mind these represent a very small percentage of all the 5.4's sold. We can only hope that this issue gets resolved before it becomes a problem for all of us. Ford definitely needs to be working on this issue or they are going to loose a large portion of their customer base!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,713
Likes: 2
From: In my House
That link to the consumer affairs website is for the 5.4 2 valve motor, 97-04 heritage models. Now its just the opposite on the 04-08 newer models, you can't get the plugs out. In the 2 valve motors they just wouldn't stay in 
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
On that site with all the user quotes and problems, I noticed that they are all pre-2004. Has there been any resolve that anyone knows about from Ford to those those or any of those owners. I would imagine that since a considerable amount of time has passed this probably has been overlooked. I'm wondering because the problems with the newer trucks appears to be just as serious. I would like to dig into a little deeper as I am in the middle of this problem right now. It's a good thing I've got my '02 Ranger 4x4.
5th Wheeling
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: Spanish Springs, Nevada
Yes, the older vehicles had problems with the plugs staying in and it appears that the newer ones have the opposite problem. I too would like to know if any of those earlier problems were taken care of by Ford or if they just left the customer holding the bag. There are also other possibilities that we cannot know about, with many of those situations, like maybe they had already had the plugs changed and the mechanic or owner stripped the threads, allowing the plugs to blow out. I know from past experience that there are a lot of guys out there that have a tendancy to over tighten plugs or bolts. I've seen guys tighten head cover bolts until they broke, I've seen guys break of spark plugs by over tightening. This could be the case with many of the reports on the older models; if this were the case, then Ford has no liability or responsibility to take care of the problem. As I said before, there are only a hundred or so reports on that one web site...
I went to Ford's web site to see if there was a way to contact them; the only way is through a dealership. It would be nice to know the whole story and to find out if there really is a problem, that's for sure.
I went to Ford's web site to see if there was a way to contact them; the only way is through a dealership. It would be nice to know the whole story and to find out if there really is a problem, that's for sure.