2005 Expedition Eddie Bauer 140,000 miles

The truck is still new to me so i wasn't sure of the service history at all. It has been sputtering and choking out lightly while highway driving only and MPG's has been horrible (9.6 - 10.8). The symptoms were pointing towards the plugs from what i can tell so i figured its best to change out the coil on plugs and spark plugs (especially since i wasnt sure if they were done). Im guessing from the looks of the plugs, they were never done but some may feel differently. I did massive amounts of research on this before tackling the job and followed fords instructions accurately. I still wound up breaking 5 out of 8 plugs (i even cracked them a touch, sprayed and let them soak over night). These plugs were in such bad shape, im surprised the truck even started let alone run.

After the replacement i drove it 75 miles in total. MPG's went from 9.8 to 13.5 city and highway it went from 10.8 to 15.5. The truck now purrs and doesn't skip a beat. Major difference and runs like new.
These are what our plugs look like with 140,000 miles on them (or at least mine did).
Update: i just realized from looking at the pics, one of the plugs on the passenger side is 'autolite'. So apparently someone has messed with it at one time or another. Strange on how just one was changed. Might that have been from the original batch (mixed in with the motorcrafts)?

DRIVER SIDE

PASSENGER SIDE

 

Looks like one has been replaced before. You have an autolite in with all those motorcrafts.

 

funny because i didn't notice it until i looked at the pics.. I was probably too busy cussing...

 

Where I work it is common procedure to replace a plug if the coil is bad . So a coil may have gone and been replaced , with a new plug also . That may explain the one odd plug .

 

good point!

 

The factory plugs should have a dot of white or green paint on the end. I use a 3/8 impact to remove those plugs with the engine warm. Some just break no matter what though.

 

I'm sure you're right on that. I used to do the same until this plug design came along. Didn't want to risk breaking the plug and spending an hour removing it for free.

 

Ah... But if it breaks , we charge. Sorry , poor design . Ain't my fault if I follow all the steps and a plug breaks . I do not work for free .

 

You mean to tell me you charge people for work and the technician gets paid? Is there any way you could explain this concept to the jack root service advisors I work with?

 

Mickey doesn't indicate if the plugs came out in the order that they lie. If so, then #3, but if the #4 plug, I could see the original owner just giving up on that cylinder and changing only 7.
Something I'd never do myself, however, it's not to say it didn't cross my mind!

 

They are grouped by driver and pass sides but not sorted in order of removal. Cylinders, 1,2 and 7 came out intact. All in all, I don't think the replacement was that difficult (provided you have the right tools). I'm a general contractor (shade tree mechanic) so my mechanic tools only consist of craftsman. I managed just fine. It's more time consuming than anything.. Took me 5 hours...

Firewall
4 8
3 7
2 6
1 5
Radiator