Blew a plug…need suggestions
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Blew a plug…need suggestions
Oh great well-o knowledge…2001 Expy 5.4 XLT 4x4…driving home yesterday and a big POP followed by puffing sound under hood consistent with the dreaded blown-plug syndrome. Had AAA tow me home and found a loose COP rattling around nice and loose over a blown plug (passenger side 2<SUP>nd</SUP> from front…#3 or #4 cylinder?). I’ve read up on this and searched the forums so would like some advice on options (these are not in any particular order)
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1. Pull the head and drop if off at a shop that specializes in head repair. Is pulling the head an easy chore or a PITA? (I have not looked this up in ye-old Chilton manual yet)
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2. Spend about $500 for the over-the-fender repair kit that is mentioned in other threads? How hard is this to do and is it worth $500 for the kit?
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3. Pay for another tow to a shop and spend anywhere from $600-??? for the repair?
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Now, I am pretty handy…have done lower ball joints recently and rear axel seals, brakes, etc. so feel OK tackling #1 and #2 but would like suggestions on the best course of action from those who know.
<O
</O1. Pull the head and drop if off at a shop that specializes in head repair. Is pulling the head an easy chore or a PITA? (I have not looked this up in ye-old Chilton manual yet)
<O
</O2. Spend about $500 for the over-the-fender repair kit that is mentioned in other threads? How hard is this to do and is it worth $500 for the kit?
<O
</O3. Pay for another tow to a shop and spend anywhere from $600-??? for the repair?
<O
</ONow, I am pretty handy…have done lower ball joints recently and rear axel seals, brakes, etc. so feel OK tackling #1 and #2 but would like suggestions on the best course of action from those who know.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2008
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you don't need to find a $500 kit there are cheaper ones out there to rethread your hole just make sure that the new threads you put in the head are made of aluminum otherwise it won't expand with the head at the right pace and yes it is a ford approved repair
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-Cheers
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From: Ashtabula
Read some more threads--the heli coil fix is not the best choice. Lots of people like the timsert (sp?) I got the CalVan kit from Denlors Tools it is very well thought out and comes with a DVD that shows how to use the kit. Includes the drill bit and tap plus 5 inserts for between 200 and 300 dollars. A good air ratchet is a must when doing the insert install. Also make sure the valves are closed--you don't want to hit one with the drill bit--that will lead to head pulling for sure. Good luck--its not that bad though.
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Read some more threads--the heli coil fix is not the best choice. Lots of people like the timsert (sp?) I got the CalVan kit from Denlors Tools it is very well thought out and comes with a DVD that shows how to use the kit. Includes the drill bit and tap plus 5 inserts for between 200 and 300 dollars. A good air ratchet is a must when doing the insert install. Also make sure the valves are closed--you don't want to hit one with the drill bit--that will lead to head pulling for sure. Good luck--its not that bad though.
Cost is $260 delivered to my door. I will update the group after I have done the repair.
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Check with some of the smaller independent repair shops. I had mine (#4) done down in Rochester foe about $200. There is another place rigt down the street that would do it for about the same price. My truck was in Rochester so I had him take it there. He even picked it up with a flatbed trailer for free. (Rochester mn) Thehother shop was in Red Wiing MN.
I thought about trying it on the #6 plug when it went out but decided to let the dealer do it, $1200 later....
I thought about trying it on the #6 plug when it went out but decided to let the dealer do it, $1200 later....
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Freshman User
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Check with some of the smaller independent repair shops. I had mine (#4) done down in Rochester foe about $200. There is another place rigt down the street that would do it for about the same price. My truck was in Rochester so I had him take it there. He even picked it up with a flatbed trailer for free. (Rochester mn) Thehother shop was in Red Wiing MN.
I thought about trying it on the #6 plug when it went out but decided to let the dealer do it, $1200 later....
I thought about trying it on the #6 plug when it went out but decided to let the dealer do it, $1200 later....
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I did the plug blown plug repair last night, sorry, no pics as I was not really in the mood. Repair went smooth and the Expy is back on the road just in time for the next snow-storm blowing into Minneapolis. A few thoughts on the CalVan kit:
-The CalVan kit is excellent and the video instructions were comprehensive and easy to follow. The kit includes 6 inserts but since it cost me $260 and I will not need it again I’m going to try to sell it if anyone is interested there are 5 inserts left.
-A good-quality air ratchet is suggested and after doing the repair I can vouch for that. Anything less will make the repair difficult if not impossible to do over-the-fender.
-You will probably need to remove some items such as fuel injectors to do the repair. Make sure you cover all these open holes into the engine because you will be blowing out lots of fine aluminum particles out of the repaired cylinder and you sure don’t want this stuff getting into the engine!
Best luck to anyone else who runs into this. I was lucky, #2 cylinder was not too hard to get fix.
-The CalVan kit is excellent and the video instructions were comprehensive and easy to follow. The kit includes 6 inserts but since it cost me $260 and I will not need it again I’m going to try to sell it if anyone is interested there are 5 inserts left.
-A good-quality air ratchet is suggested and after doing the repair I can vouch for that. Anything less will make the repair difficult if not impossible to do over-the-fender.
-You will probably need to remove some items such as fuel injectors to do the repair. Make sure you cover all these open holes into the engine because you will be blowing out lots of fine aluminum particles out of the repaired cylinder and you sure don’t want this stuff getting into the engine!
Best luck to anyone else who runs into this. I was lucky, #2 cylinder was not too hard to get fix.
Fleet Owner
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From: 0,0,1
Hmm, now why wouldn't there be 8 inserts so that someone could do the whole engine?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 24,316
Likes: 5,127
From: 0,0,1
Ahh I see why, it's so they can whack you almost $30 each for the extra ones.
Calvan CAL389-100 Spark Plug Thread Insert for use with CAL 38900 | Thread Repair Tools / Inserts
Timesert only charges about $10 for extra ones. Of course they also only give you 5 inserts in the kit.
Calvan CAL389-100 Spark Plug Thread Insert for use with CAL 38900 | Thread Repair Tools / Inserts
Timesert only charges about $10 for extra ones. Of course they also only give you 5 inserts in the kit.
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Kit is in the Marketplace now if anyone is interested:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...used-once.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...used-once.html