Ryan50hrl: Good point, and I agree, however the TSB doesn't really apply (much) if you have the Lisle tool. The Lisle instros differ because the tool differs and they are pretty thorough, except in the area of chemicals. There, perhaps, the Ford TSB has the useful info.

FWIW: I did an experiment on some carbonized 3V spark plugs I was given. PB Blaster and AeroKroil seen to do as well as the Motorcraft and O'Reilly's carb cleaner in softening the carbon.

Ted928: Good catch on the typo!

 

What’s funny to me about all of Ford spark plug issues relates to a job interview I had with Ford out of college. If you're interested keep reading...

Somehow Ford got a hold of my resume, but I never actually sent it to them which always perplexed me. Anyway I was flown out to Detroit and took part in these marathon interview sessions. There were several candidates and the interviews included role playing scenarios and group exercises. Another technique they used was a sort of essay writing exercise, like the SAT's. The one essay I remember was related to an engineering change to switch to a common spark plug across multiple engine platforms. The scenario was basically that two engine lines used different spark plugs and they gave you some data for a couple of different options. You were supposed to decide which plug was best and make a recommendation.

Anyway I didn't get the job and I always wonder if the idiot they hired instead of me is in charge of Fords spark plug design. Every time I work on my truck I think of that day. Whoever the people they do hire are, they don't freaking turn wrenches.

 

Great read! The guy who designed the plug worked for Allied Signal. I got hold of the patent a while back and the fella even lived near me here in NW Ohio. From what I understand, when this debacle got heated he had to go looking for a job. It's hard to tell for sure if the plug was designed around the engine, or the engine designed around the plug. The info I have kinda hints at the latter, but I don't really know. Anyway, the Ford "Better Idea" lightbulb dimmed on this deal!

 

In all probability Ford wrote a product spec sheet for the plug. It would have had an interface drawing for envelope dimensions and threads sizes etc. It would have also had performance specs impedance, spark energy, whatever I'm not an EE. My guess is the envelope was so difficult to meet the designer came up with a novel way to do it. Either because other methods were already patented or to save money. Regardless, nobody was paying attention at Ford, either that or the people who were had no experience.

Over the years I've worked with at least 4 different engineers from Ford. Two of them were useless and didn't know the first thing about cars. The other two were competent engineers.

Can you PM me the patent info, I'd like to look at it and that would save me some time searching.

 

http://www.brokensparkplug.com/TSB_08-7-6_Pg1.pdf

I consider room temperature warm. Maybe since i'm in SoCal 49 deg F is considered freezing here. What about northern US or Canadians when it's snowing? Even dealers only have covered stalls, so room temperature would be about the same as outside.

 

Seems like the caution is more related to damaging the threads than ease of removal. Which makes sense I guess, I think the threads in the head are aluminum. Maybe they are concerned about friction or yield strength at elevated temps. Al has a higher rate of thermal expansion than steel. So theoretically the gaps would open up with temperature, assuming everything is the same temp. However, I think you could end up with a condition where the plug is much hotter than the aluminum head, which could increase the fits, tightening everything up.

For what its worth when I did mine it was very very cold out. I did the first plug after warming the engine up for a few minutes only. It came out very easy. The next three I did after a long drive. I waited one hour to get started and by the time I finished it had been sitting 2 - 3 hours. The easiest plug I did was the very last one. None of them broke but they were the "up-graded" motocraft plugs. I have 4 more to do and I plan on letting it warm up slightly, because its so cold out.

 

Yeah it was about 25 degrees when I did mine, so I had it slightly warm at the start. The engine had cooled right off by the time I got the last one out, but I didn't notice any difference in the effort required to remove them.

 

Hello guys, this is my first post here. You seem to be a very knowledgeable group, and was looking for some expertise.
I too, have fallen victom to the broken plug syndrome. The bottom piece is stuck in there pretty good. The porcelin is broken, but the electrode came out, leaving a small hole in the center. What is this Lisle tool, and will it help a dummy like me fix my beloved truck? I googled "Listle tool" but I don't know what I'm looking for.
Thanks in advance.

 

I found the answer. I'll get one of these...
Lisle Ford Triton Spark Plug Extractor

Should do the trick.

 

Best price I found on the Lisle tool was Amazon.com. I believe it was $65. Just follow the directions, Its pretty easy to use. Good Luck.

 

I have a brand new kit that I never used if you are interseted in buying it. I was going to put it on ebay.

 

Rm temp is the best temp when removing dissimilar materials since this is the temp when the threads where machined. At higher temp, the aluminum heads will expand more than the steel plug threads which sounds good but it is not since the mismatch will put stress on the thread pitch.

 

thanks guys.

 

As the owner of an 07 with ~27K I read these with interest. I have changed many plugs over the years and can relate to most of this discussion, although I have not fought this monster yet! I have some miles to go, apparently, before I am faced with it.

A coupla observations about the anti-seize---
I use it (the aluminum based goo) on most everything, particularly plug threads into aluminum and also even plugs in iron heads. Yes it gets a little gummy, and is a birch to get off your hands with just a towel, but I have never experienced locking anywhere remotely close to threadlocker (not that anyone said it did).

10-4 on possible problems on the sleeve below the heads. Antiseize on the threads has no effect (.02) on breaking that I can see. The breakage is from the sleeve locking onto the lower head due to carbon etc. Slightly more effort to loosen the threads shouldnt be a problem below the threads. Unless you dont have a good swivel socket which puts ***** slightly and puts pressure on the upper porcelain causing it to break. Still that does not prohibit locking onto the plug hex to remove it afterward.

To me, whatever resolution I do for the plugs has nothing to do with the threads and without better info, I will keep using antiseeze on all plug threads---including the 5.4 somewhere down the road.

 

Champion spark plugs have a long history of high failure rates in the past. There are two types they market, one for racing and one for the consumer. I don't know anything about their racing plugs, but from the problems that I have experienced with their consumer level (even with brand new plugs), I would never use them again, or recommend them. I haven't tried the 5.4L plugs though, and I never will.

Picture this. Someone takes their vehicle into the shop because their engine is not running right. The shop changes the plugs, wires, and replaces a few other old parts, and gives the vehicle back in good working order. But within a few miles the vehicle starts acting up again 'slowly but surely', and the customer is convinced the shop ripped them off. So the customer takes it to another shop. Then one of the first things they ask (if they know the plugs got changed) 'what spark plugs did the other shop use as a replacement?'. So the new shop changes the spark plugs again (with anything other then champion plugs) and the car runs right again, until the plugs get old and foul out. I can't tell you how many times I see that situation.

The way I see it. You can buy 8 champion spark plugs. And 1 of those 8 plugs will probally be bad. IMHO, there is a 50/50 chance that is going to be true. Believe it or not, it is your choice, and it could be your headache.