First the story. I sold my 2001 F250 V10 a few months ago. I can't recall the mileage but I'll guess it had 60,000 miles on it m/l. Great truck but I no longer needed a big truck and the gas mileage was more than I could bear.

I only had two real problems with the truck, once a right side manifold bolt broke and there had been a transmission problem found to be two corroded wires. Both problems were fixed. Other than that I loved the truck and sold it as is, but in very nuce shape.

I ran into the woman I sold it to yesterday, asker her how the truck was doing and she said the thing almost lives in the shop due to spark plugs cracking. I have never heard of that happening nor has a friend who also owns a 2001 F250 V10.

This woman mentioned this mechanic neighbor of hers when she bought the truck and also yesterdfay. Said it is he who works on it for her.

Does this sound remotely possible and if so, what is making these plugs crack? Opinions?

I feel bad for her but I don't sell things in a dishonest manner. She (and I think her mechanic) feels I sold her something defective.

Thanks.

P.S. After researchng on this site I realized her mechanic may be cracking them when he tried to remove them. I emailed her to clarify whether this was upon removal or while driving and warn her.

 

The neighbor is a putz.

Ask her if he's using Motorcraft plugs. I've heard of Bosch and some others like NGK causing misfires, and maybe that's just his answer to it - hairline cracks that he (of course) can't see.

Matter of fact, I remember someone using brand X plugs, and the insulator cracking at the tip.

Definitely a heat-range issue - I've had personal experience with brand X not crossing-over to other manufacturers correctly regarding heat-ranges.

The plugs cracking or breaking is in regards to the 3-valve plugs, not pre-'05

 

Or the boots are bad.

 

I emailed her with the information you wrote and here is what she wrote back. Can you shed some light on this?

Thanks

Unfortunately, I never had the mechanic check the spark plugs before it blew so there was a problem before. Also, it's just one that keeps blowing. They told me this morning I have to replace the head to correct the problem now because they have done the repair kit thng when it happened before. I trust these guys as they have been my mechanics for years and everything they have done in the past I have never had any problems with after. I did some research too and it is a problem Ford has known about with the V-8 and V-10.

 

OK, "CRACKING" plugs, or "SPITTING" plugs?

Which is it?

 

Good question. She first used the term "cracking" so I assume she got that from her mechanic. Now she uses the term "blowing".

Ever hear of this? As you can see she claims this is a "known" problem.

 

She searched online for "Ford spark plugs" ???

Maybe a talk to the mechanic directly, IF YOU EVEN CARE at this point.

 

Don't want to talk to him, just trying to determine if the problem exists or was caused. I feel bad I sold her a great truck and for her it's a shop dweller.

I did the google search on those words and see lots of people are blowing plugs on Ford trucks. Ford should repair them at theri expense. Guess I'll never buy another. Thanks for your help.

 

Someone changed the plugs, pulled the threads with it, and didn't care enough to bother to check.

Case closed.

I think...

 

You know kayak99 if the plugs are changed and done correctly there is never a problem with them spitting out. If they are done by someone who does not know the correct procedure then the result is exactly what she is having. I do not think you can be held resposible for that monetarily or moraly.

 

No, I think she is running into a problem that is just starting to show up on the web guys. Do a Google search with v-10 engine spark plugs and you will come across all kinds of forums and sites talking about how triton engines are blowing spark plugs right out of the aluminum heads which are costing people upwards of $4000 or more to have fixed. I have 225,000 miles on my V-10 so I seriously doubt I will see this happen since it hasn't already, lol, but it seems to be an ongoing problem that Ford is ignoring.

 

I'd sure be skeptical about the reported dealer statement that "they couldn't repair the threads because they'd been done previously." TimeSert I believe has some remedies for "oversized" situations, and the Blownoutsparkplug.com guys say they do also. On their website, they talk about fixing blown out helicoils (which leave a pretty big exit wound). So it seems fair to question the notion that you would have to replace the head.

At the risk of striking sparks, I gotta say I'm continually getting more suspicious about what many service outlets claim. On another forum, I host a thing called "The AutoPark Library." The auto apply parking brake on many GM/Workhorse products could easily draw some of the flies from the Ford spark plug issues. On just about a daily basis, we encounter evidence that many (certainly not all) service outlets (including dealerships) don't know one cavity from another. They're pretty handy with the cash register though.

So I'd be inclined to question whether 4000 bucks for a head replacement is the only alternative. Maybe it's the wrong head being examined. Just my grouchy 3 cents worth.