Gas vs PSD
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Long Island USA
I never said mechanics can't screw up. I just wonder why they only screw up on changing the plugs on the triton. How many threads are in the 5.0 section about blown plugs? They have been around longer than the triton and had the plugs changed many more times and it's not an issue on them. Go to the big block section and see how many 50 year old engines there have blown plugs.
Commonality? Aluminum heads, and not enough maintenance.
The problem is not only in Fords. It's in any aluminum-head engine with iron plugs that are not maintained properly.
The shear number of modulars versus other engines in the market makes them show up a LOT more. Maybe there is a statistically higher number of modulars doing it, but it's not as big as many make it seem.
--
For the rest of the "long thread" comments, I guess no one read my blurb about what Ford has done over the years.
Senior User
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Yes, my truck is underpowered. Yes, it leaks oil. Yes, it's heavy and burns through tires. Yes, I spend a lot of time (and beer 
) working on my truck. Yes it's old and always seems to need a new part (according to my wife). And it's all wrapped up in 15mpg. Some look at me and think I'm crazy, other's think I'm trying to compensate for my lack of "manhood". To me, it's exactly what I want. As is a 6.0, 6.4, 5.4 or 6.8 (2V and 3V) to others. I am on stock programming with the original exhaust and still love my truck. Yes, it's slow, but I didn't buy it for speed. I bought it to tow, haul, camp, off-road and still take to work every day. It's everything I wanted, and it's a Ford. It doesn't get any better than that.
) working on my truck. Yes it's old and always seems to need a new part (according to my wife). And it's all wrapped up in 15mpg. Some look at me and think I'm crazy, other's think I'm trying to compensate for my lack of "manhood". To me, it's exactly what I want. As is a 6.0, 6.4, 5.4 or 6.8 (2V and 3V) to others. I am on stock programming with the original exhaust and still love my truck. Yes, it's slow, but I didn't buy it for speed. I bought it to tow, haul, camp, off-road and still take to work every day. It's everything I wanted, and it's a Ford. It doesn't get any better than that.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Rogersville, TN
On a side note, my 1969 ltd still has the original plugs in it and its yet to blow one out.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Vacaville, Ca
It seems to me that no other quality motor with aluminum heads had these problems. Ford 5.0, Chevy, Toyota, Honda, Nissan. Maybe Ford hired an old Volkswagen engineer to design the heads for the 2v V-10. LOL
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: SE Texas
1966 was the highest production number year of the mustang with 607,568 units being built.
2000-2003 exceed that amount with 666,794 units being produced.
And BTW-Remy has NEVER produced an OEM alternator or starter for a modular. Visteon is the supplier of all of those.
JL
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Vacaville, Ca
That is pretty impressive for the Mustang though.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,171
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From: SE Texas
I agree, it is impressive. Especially considering it was a warmed over Falcon anyway.
JL
JL
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Rogersville, TN
I am also factoring in how many came with v8's, not just total production. Either way, they sold a ton more back in the 60's than they do now. They averaged 400k per year back then and 125k per year now. That's a pretty sizeable difference by itself. You also have to take into account that probably 90% of the current mustangs and super duty trucks come with something other than the triton(v6 in the mustangs and psd in the super duty). Simple fact is more vehicles were sold back then and a much higher percentage came with v8's than come with modulars today.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: SE Texas
I am also factoring in how many came with v8's, not just total production. Either way, they sold a ton more back in the 60's than they do now. They averaged 400k per year back then and 125k per year now. That's a pretty sizeable difference by itself. You also have to take into account that probably 90% of the current mustangs and super duty trucks come with something other than the triton(v6 in the mustangs and psd in the super duty). Simple fact is more vehicles were sold back then and a much higher percentage came with v8's than come with modulars today.
Ford's Romeo Engine Plant Builds 10 Millionth Engine - Mustang Blog
A quote from the article...
Engines roll off the 4,000 foot production line at a staggering pace of 140 per hour.
JL
Postmaster
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From: Rogersville, TN
I dont doubt there have been a lot of them made. But I still say the numbers for the old windsors are higher. Count up all the ltd's, trucks, vans, broncos, falcons, fairlanes, torinos, thunderbirds,mustangs, mercurys, lincolns, mavericks, etc that came with a small block v8. They were in production for 20 years longer than the modular has been and a higher percentage of cars came with v8s back then than they do now.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: SE Texas
I dont doubt there have been a lot of them made. But I still say the numbers for the old windsors are higher. Count up all the ltd's, trucks, vans, broncos, falcons, fairlanes, torinos, thunderbirds,mustangs, mercurys, lincolns, mavericks, etc that came with a small block v8. They were in production for 20 years longer than the modular has been and a higher percentage of cars came with v8s back then than they do now.
EVERY modular built has had aluminum cylinder heads.
JL
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Long Island USA
Maybe I should have been more specific, but I was comparing the modulars to other aluminum-head motors. Not iron-head production slugs
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Rogersville, TN
What I am disputing are the statements that the plug shooting is no more common on the triton than it was on previous engines and that it's only magnified due to the high volume of tritons on the market. I don't care what kind of material the heads are made of. The simple fact is there were more v8's produced back then on a year to year basis, they were produced for over 20 years longer than the triton and none of them were prone to shooting plugs. Whether it's the aluminum heads, the thread design, the plug material, operator error, or whatever, tritons shoot more plugs than any other ford engine made.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,171
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From: SE Texas
What I am disputing are the statements that the plug shooting is no more common on the triton than it was on previous engines and that it's only magnified due to the high volume of tritons on the market. I don't care what kind of material the heads are made of. The simple fact is there were more v8's produced back then on a year to year basis, they were produced for over 20 years longer than the triton and none of them were prone to shooting plugs. Whether it's the aluminum heads, the thread design, the plug material, operator error, or whatever, tritons shoot more plugs than any other ford engine made.
"Stubborn old mechanic meets new engine."
JL