Bought a 04 f150 5.4...spark plug problems!?
 

Ok, so I have been reading a lot on this issue with spark plugs breaking off on these. My 04 has 85k miles. I had no idea before I bought mine, go figure, probably why I got it so cheap from dealership. They said, "if anything needed to be done when it went through inspection in service, it would have been replaced." I wonder if that includes them pulling out the spark plugs and seeing if they are corroded or not. I was planning on changing my own spark plugs until I read the horror stories, even with a rotunda spark plugs removal tool, parts of the spark plug still may stick or break off requiring more tools or a head removal?!?! I read the TSB, but I do not fully understand it. Im a little worried even if I pay to have mine done at my dealer, that if they break the plugs off, I will get charged for that labor. What to do?

I doubt they even looked at the plugs. it's a 100,000 mile interval. so by their reasoning, the plugs have another 15,000 miles before service is due.

I suggest you find the Lisle or Rotunda removal tool locally. run about $100-125

then do the plug change. if/when you break a plug, go buy the tool. the tool is specifically built so that it removes the parts that break off and stick inside the head.

unless you get a weird breakage that hasn't been seen before, you should be fine. just annoyed. Since the removal tool has come out, the days of head removals are gone.





alternatively, talk to your Dealership. Ask them if they know of the TSB for the plugs, and ask about their abilities with this. Many Dealerships charge a flat rate nowadays for broken plugs. I've seen a normal plug change go for $250-350...then a $50-100 charge for each plug broken.

if the dealer does it and the break off you WILL get charged for the labor. I promise you the dealer you bought it from did nothing about the plugs because the interval in 100,000 miles. I had mine done at the dealer, mine was an extreme case because they had four that had seized in the head and they kept working an working at them, and they had to replace a coil, but it was 1000 bucks. About $750 was labor. he said most run about $500 though. don't have a "cheap" shop do it though, you want someone who has done a lot of these spark plug changes. Good luck.

I wouldn't do anything as long as it runs good. How do you know they haven't been replaced already? Many have been replaced long before the miles you have.

Give the dealership a call. They'll tell you if they already changed them.

Is this spark plug issue with breakage and high cost still the case in the later model and even 2010 F150 or has Ford come up with a different plug setup. I have heard horror stories of $1000 tune-ups due to the plugs. Seems rather extreem. Thanks..jim

I had that 1000 dollar tune up. (see my post above). But the way I understand it the problem was fixed in november of 07 and is not an issue with anything newer than that.

Thanks. Thats good to hear. Do you know if the fix was a change of plug type, or a change to how they were mounted in the head? Someone had told me that the plug causing the problems was actually an extremely long plug type that promoted the breakage.

not sure what the change was. Other guys know I'm sure. But the problem was an extra long 2- peice plug that was crimped together and the bottom part actually contacted the inside of the head. This caused the two metals to seize together and the bottom part of the plug generally breaks off inside the head. You then have to use a special tool (lisle makes one of the most common ones) that will remove all the porcelin that is left, then you can use the tool (its a two part tool) to put left handed threads in the metal peice(bottom) of the plug to grab it, then the tool pulls it out.

The new heads use the standard type of plug with which we are all familiar. I have an '08 but the engine was built before the new heads came out, therefore I had the old style two piece plugs. I say HAD, because I changed them out to the one piece Champions at 24,000 mi.

HYPO

I just pulled my plugs out, broke 4/8 plugs bought the lisle tool. it pushes the porcelin down to the bottom, the the left handed extractor pulls the probe out. if you do the ford tsb, you'll have better success. its key to FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS on both the tsb and the lisle tool and you wont have any troubles, other then crapping your pants each time the plug comes up broken.

also using the heat gun on the plug holes works better then running the engine to temp

Thanks guys. I think I will try to do it sometime. I would rather do it sooner than later!

And what # are the one piece Champions? (I'm guessing that they don't break so easy)

Thanks!

That won't tell you much. Most people I know don't use the dealership to service their vehicles. They use the much better and much cheaper independent shops who knows their customers and care. They get their customers by doing good work that gives them a good reputation. Dealerships get their work simply by being a dealer. I never darken the door of a dealership unless it is a recall or warranty issue.