Hello! I started changing the spark plugs on my '04 Expedition this weekend.

Everything went fairly smoothly on the driver's side, especially after removing the bracket for the power steering reservoir. The bolt holding the coil on cylinder 7 was a little challenge, as was both the coil bolt and the spark plug on cylinder 8. You definitely need flex sockets &/or flex extensions to do those two.

Cylinders 1, 2, and 3 on the passenger side were fairly straight forward too. Again, the flex sockets and extensions help. I should note that my spark plug socket is magnetized which made it very easy to pull the plug our once it was loose.

Now here's the problem. I can't get to cylinder 4 no matter what I try. I've pulled the PCM and its bracket. That gave me a little more room to work but I can't even get the coil wire clip off the coil, much less get any sockets back to that plug. I can get my fingers on the clip, I just can't tell if I'm depressing the tab and I'm unable to pull it off. Does anyone have any suggestions other than finding a smaller pair of hands (I tried - my wife wasn't interested)? And once the clip's off, are there any suggestions for navigating the collection of wires and hoses back there to get sockets where they need to be?

I should also note that I'm trying to be very careful of all the wiring and hoses. As I mentioned, it's a 2004 that spent most of its life (200,000 miles worth) in the Phoenix area so a lot of the plastic and rubber under the hood is quite dry and fragile. Both nipples on the EGR on the driver's side broke off with very little pressure on the hoses connected to them.

Thanks!

 

"Usually", taking the computer & bracket off is enough to be able to get in there.
I feel your pain with recruiting smaller hands.
Wives are usually not interested in getting dirty under the hood.
I can only get mine to do the basic "hold this light", "just push here & keep pressure on it" & "hop in & press the pedal when I tell you to".
Anything else & you may as well not even bother asking.

I have more time working on the 3v than the 2v, but the access is similar.
If you can't unplug the connector easily, I usually take the comp & bracket off & use a 1/4" short ratchet with no extensions or ratcheting box end to get the COP bolt out.
They "shouldn't" be that tight, but I get the brittle dryness you mentioned.
After the coil is free you should be able to get it closer to you to be able to unplug it easier.

 

Thanks for responding. I took your advice and loosened the coil first. I hadn’t thought that there was enough play in the wire for me to do so. After that, I was able to remove the coil (by going in from the top of the engine rather than the side) but the darn boot stayed on the plug. Hopefully I’m able to get it out. I can’t find my long needle nose those so it’ll have to wait until I pick up another pair. Btw, broke another dried out and hardened


hose.

 

Glad I could get you 1 step closer.
As for your boot issue, yes the needle nose are kind of important, but you can try a few things to possibly make it easier on you.
Of course you don't want the boot to break on you so some silicone could come in handy to loosen up the rubber.
If you can, you want to get some silicone on the inside & outside of the boot.
Inside is easy.
Outside though.... if you can get a pick or small flat blade screwdriver around the top lip & bend the rubber a little towards the center this will break part of the seal & should give you enough room to get the spray nozzle of silicone in there.
As you get some silicone between the gap & on the inside it should lube & loosen the grip it has.

 

If you think the 5.4 is difficult, give a v10 a shot .
cylinder 5 on the passenger side is just a ton of fun NOT.
I apply dielectric grease to the fat part of the boot , where it connects to the coil, to prevent water off the cowl from entering , and give it some lube for the next plug change .

 

Thanks for the additional advice. The Expedition has been on the back burner for a few days as I was out of town but I've been concerned about the boot breaking and was wondering what best to use. I figured that I'd spray something on the inside of the boot but using something on the outside is a great idea.

Doug

 

Thanks for the additional advice. The Expedition has been on the back burner for a few days as I was out of town but I've been concerned about the boot breaking and was wondering what best to use. I figured that I'd spray something on the inside of the boot but using something on the outside is a great idea.

Doug