I know you stated you don't like to buy from the internet but, in case you change your mind, here are a few Amazon links for the parts:

The plugs: http://www.amazon.com/Motorcraft-SP462-Suppressor-Spark-Plug/dp/B000IYHDL2/ref=sr_1_2/103-9960048-6139808?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1193141737&sr=1-2

The nickel anti-seize: http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-77124-Nickel-Anti-Seize-Brush-Top/dp/B0002UENJ2/ref=sr_1_4/103-9960048-6139808?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1193141903&sr=1-4

The socket: http://www.amazon.com/Ford-F-150-Spa...3141941&sr=1-2

Here's the version from Sears (still S&K): http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...9%2F16%22+plug

 

i took my 04 screw 4x4 in to get serviced about a month ago, it's got some miles on, around 85k, but i bought it used, and the guy who had it before took good care of it. but any way, it took it in, had the ford place replace the plugs, i aked them up front about the plugs breaking, they said i would have to pay the labor to remove the broken ones, if any broke off. well 2 broke, cost me an extra $75, to remove the 2 broken ones! so i think it just a matter of taken your time, and following some of the tips of alot of the guys on here, with there tested tips!

 

That's probably the least expensive extraction that I have seen charged for 2 broken plugs. The Rotunda Service tool must have worked well for them. This brings me back to 2 of my earlier points on this process. Be sure the engine is warm (not hot) before proceeding and let the penetrant (must be capable of dissolving carbon deposits) do its job. Not saying the dealer erred here. Just reminding the DIYers to reduce complications every chance you get.

DMAC

 

This is a true problem. I have contacted my Ford dealer and they stated that they will charge me if they break the plugs off while removing. Has anyone contacted Ford Motor Company itself?

 

My dealer said they would not charge extra, but they were charging nearly $400 for the plug change, so I think they had it built in. My problem, if they are going to charge you extra for removing broken ones, where is the incentive to follow the time consuming TCB?

 

That's a valid point. I've wondered the same thing. The thinking could be "Why not save a little time and hope for the best?" I would guess that most techs take pride in the job being done right but how do you know you don't have a tech having a bad day? Also, with the charge for a broken plug or two built in, what happens if the Rotunda tool fails to remove the ground shield and the head must be removed from the engine to fix the problem? This is where the $1600-2000 charges begin to mount. Will the dealer eat this cost? Probably not.

DMAC

 

I would highly doubt the cost to be eaten up. I would also highly doubt that many Ford dealerships are going to stand up and do what appears to be the right thing until they are told from someone else to do so. I've been on vacation since getting my plugs extracted and my funds extracted from my bank account to do so. Today was really the first day I have driven the truck and I can't help but not have the same trust I had in the Ford name and also in my truck. Hopefully everything in there is right.

 

sounds like they're averaging out the cost for a few more customers... get 10 people in that they get done in 3 hours each but charge em for 6 hours, get one person in that needs to have the heads removed and charge em for 6 hours because they made it up on the other 10..

quite honestly, if all dealers were like that, I think some of us would be happier.

I'm hitting close to 70k and considering trading it in when the 09's come out... it may be up to 150k miles on the original plugs, chugging along on 2 and a half cylinders, but i don't think i want the 2000 dollar bill for a truck i'm on the edge of trading in anyway...

 

I was told recently by a Ford dealership tech to have the plugs on my 07 5.4 replaced at 60k and there should be no problems...he also advised me NOT to run super or mid grade gas,only unleaded grade octane.Has anyone else heard of more carbon buildup on the plug threads from using higher octane fuel ? Seems like it would be the exact opposite....I am only at 6k so I would appreciate any advice !

 

Dr., the reason he told you to only use regular(87), is b/c the truck is designed for regular and won't burn anything higher, so if you run premium(93) your truck will only burn 87 octain and the other 6 will leave carbon deposits.

I don't know if that is true if you have a tuner set to performance mode....I think it might burnt the full 93 in that situation.


Other than that, don't waste your money on higher octain gas.... It doesn't help anything, and only cost more.

 

One comment heading back to the beginning of this thread - I picked up a used 2005 5.4 F-150 with only 7,200 miles and did the plug swap around 12-13,000 or so and was glad of it. I had 3 plugs that were tight, but came out. I would say to those with the low mileage trucks thinking about it, that it's worth doing a swap out before the deposits get bad. Follow the TSB to the letter and it'll go just fine. Remember that time is on your side - the Kroil works great and don't be afraid to let the plugs sit with the kroil working on them. That's how I got my 3 tight ones to come out - 1/4 turn and go drink some coffee then repeat. I used the kroil liberally, but not so much that I had any worries about hydrolocking. Pretty soon those tight plugs just backed right out. If you have trouble finding the nickel anti-seize, try industrial suppliers in the yellow pages. I had no luck at auto parts stores, but found the stuff immediately when I started sniffing around industrial supply places in my area.

 

ok, I have worked in the automotive service industry for a very long time. I have seen more than my fair share of "common problems" and have had to be the one to call the customers with the bad news such as "one of your plugs broke off and we are going to have to remove the head and send it out to be repaired". So when I purchased my truck (1st Ford) the first thing I did was join this site and started to read. I have to say that this was the most frightening thread I had ever read as the possibility of removing both heads for a simple plug change scared the living s**t out of me and it seems as though this problem is fairly widespread. So, throwing all common sense to the wind I decided to brave the odds and have my plugs changed over today. I did all the necessary precautions, got sea foam deep creep as the kroil is a little tougher to come by. ordered new boots and plugs from Ford. Picked my best and most trusted technician in the shop. Printed the ford TSB and forwarded the link for the "techtalk" episode where they go over in detail how to get these nasty buggers out without breaking them in half. I made my tech read the tsb before I would give him the keys to my truck. Once I was sure he had a good idea of the concequences of breaking one of MY plugs, (have a little bit of power in the shop) and I was sure the shop foreman would be keeping a close eye on things, I reluctantly handed over my keys, watched him pull the truck in and run it for about 5 minutes, just enough to make the engine warm. Then I decided I needed to leave the shop and let him do his job. I figure it was about 15 minutes after that that my tech came out to the drive thru and my first thought was "crap, he didnt even get the first one out" Being the jokester he is, he had a very solemn look on his face and suddenly held out his hands that had 8 slightly rusty looking plugs sitting in them. Then he handed me the brand new can of deep creep, unused, and proceeded to ask me what all the hub-bub was about. He said there was a little cracking noise and out the plugs came. There was no evidence of any carbon build-up and only some brownish rust looking soot on the sleeve's of the plugs. The new plugs had already been installed and he just had to put the coils back on and take it for a drive. I was absolutely amazed and had to go talk to the shop foreman (48 years experience as a tech) and ask how this was possible given all the talk about how bad these plugs were. He recited a few things that I had totally dismissed because of the fear of my baby being hurt through this process. He advised me that the type of fuel we have here in Alberta is of the best quality around, and running a couple cans of injector cleaner through your tank before this process can greatly improve the chances of this proceedure going well instead of turning into a disaster,(which I did). Granted my truck is still shy of 50k and appears to have been maintained meticulously, I think this proved to me that even reading about 50 or so cases of a problem do not necessarily make it a "common" problem. The point I am trying to make is that this may happen to you, but in all honesty I believe the chances are very slim of it happening to even more than 5% of all the trucks out there. if you are planning on a plug change, have the tsb handy, make sure you have read it and understand it, have all the necessary equiptment on hand and if you have the slightest doubt that you cant do this, dont think about it twice, have a proffesional do it.
Sorry for being so long-winded, just wanted to let a bunch of people who have read this thread and are sitting at home in a complete panic and maybe even considering trading thier truck off because of the possibility that there may be an issue, to maybe relax a bit and dont lose faith in thier truck because of 1 out of a hundred cases type of hype. I empathise with all who have had the plugs break the same as I empathise with anyone who has ever owned a Dodge with an A604 transmission.......sucks, but vehicles cost money sometimes.............

 

stratus225,

Good post. I'm glad that the plug and boot swap went well for you as it did when I changed mine a few weeks ago at 111K miles. I think there is somewhere in the neighborhood of 20% pure luck in this procedure and perhaps 80% following directions. It sounds like your tech cut a corner by not applying the Deep Creep as you had dutifully asked him to do. Is that true? If so, I think your luck meter went up quite a bit.

Also, the brown deposits you saw were not rust but, in fact, the carbon deposits from the combustion chamber. That is the carbon that seizes the plugs and that requires a solvent to dissolve prior to removal.

Anyhow, I'm glad it worked out for you and I've been convinced that earlier plug removal and service is better than waiting so I am going to recommend to all owners that by 50K miles, the plugs be changed and the anti-seize be applied to the ground sleeve prior to reinstallation for the best chance at no future issues. I still believe that the directions must be followed carefully, even with the earlier plug change interval.

DMAC

 

Good to hear. I hope many who own the 5.4 3v engine will chime in here whether for the good or the bad concerning their plug changes, esp if any new ways of doing it come around that make it even easier.

 

THought I would chime in here with my experience.

I am no mechanic so I went ahead and took my truck to the local Ford Dealership, Omeara Ford in the Denver, CO area. They told me it was $189.00 to change the plugs with a $25.00 per plug extraction if they broke one. Anyway I had them changed yesterday since I have 65k on the truck and all went well.

They kept the truck from 8:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the evening. The tech told me they took so long because they wanted to make sure they did not break any which would have cost me more money.

To me it was worth the $189 to save me the headache and stress of learning how to do it myself. They also told me that since they have been following a certain method that they have not had one plug break on them. I am assuming that they are following the same method that alot of you have described.