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I picked up this '01 F350 SD 2wd, 5.4 yesterday. It was one of our company trucks and was rustproofed since new, while not perfect a decent truck for up here in NE Ohio. Drove it home and noticed a misfire. Scanner came up #4 and #6. I pulled the plug in 6 just to see what was going on and found Iridiums and the electrode burned to nothing. Ok, No problem, I'll throw 8 Motorcrafts in there and see what happens. Do the drivers side as that's where I started with #6, went to pass side, go to #4 and the socket wouldn't go on the plug, Hmmmm, go my phone and took a pic the best I could and found this. Its 30* out and I have a trusted mechanic down the street so I took it there and am waiting for a call.
Looks like the misfire heated up the coil and it melted down the boot and when it hits the plug is melts around the hex. If possible try to get a long screw driver or a piece of 1/8" metal rod and knock off the plastic around the spark plug hex. If not get the metric socket and tap it tight onto the plug with a mallet and try to remove it
ALSO spray some PB blaster or equivalent penetrating oil down the plug bore before removing them so it seeps into the threads. If that wont work get a deep socket easy out to remove the plug
Looks like the misfire heated up the coil and it melted down the boot and when it hits the plug is melts around the hex. If possible try to get a long screw driver or a piece of 1/8" metal rod and knock off the plastic around the spark plug hex. If not get the metric socket and tap it tight onto the plug with a mallet and try to remove it
ALSO spray some PB blaster or equivalent penetrating oil down the plug bore before removing them so it seeps into the threads. If that wont work get a deep socket easy out to remove the plug
Maybe because the body has to lift of the frame to get access?
Anyways I brought it home, pulled that coil started the truck so the engine got warm, sprayed that hole down with PB blaster, will set over night. Went and got a set of Easy out sockets and will get one down on whats left sticking out of the head and hope for the best. I think there is enough sticking up that with a little luck I can get it out.
Perhaps a hole saw on an extension that will fit inside the well but over the spark plug (remove the drill bit from center of hole saw). Use it to tear up the trash around the plug then compressed air to blow the trash out.
Perhaps a hole saw on an extension that will fit inside the well but over the spark plug (remove the drill bit from center of hole saw). Use it to tear up the trash around the plug then compressed air to blow the trash out.
According to the mechanic who put a borescope down there the plug is broken right at the top of the threads and broke off the hex, so I need to grab it below where the hex would be, there isn't anything caked up down there or the boot covering the hex of the plug, its apparently broke.
This picture clearly shows the hex and plenty left to grab. If the hex is broken off, the shop broke it off. As others have said, all it would take is to clean out the sediment packed around the spark plug hex then put a socket on it. If you don't have an ice pick type tool long enough, sacrifice an old junky screwdriver and grind it to a point long enough to fit down to where you need it. I had one from Oklahoma that had red clay packed in there as hard as concrete and couldn't even see as far down the plug as your picture. Just had to chip it out a little at a time and use compressed air to lift out the pieces, then twist it out like normal with a spark plug socket.
I would advise against using an extractor socket on it. That will likely twist the center out of the plug and may be what the shop tried and broke it. If that is the case there is a Lisle tool for a 3 valve Triton designed to extract that type of mess.
I have found a long blow gun absolutely mandatory for cleaning out the spark plug wells.
well guys, after a lot of swearing, freezing cold and scraped knuckles I got it out. As was suggested I picked away at the bore with a coat hanger and blew it out, got the socket down there and I could "just" feel it grab a bit, picked away some more, put the socket back down there and pushed down and it grabbed. I want to go back top that "trusted shop" and show him after he said he looked at it with a borescope, it was broke and the heads needed to come off-grrr
I had to pull the purge solenoid to get it out of the way and wasn't very careful and being 30* I broke the wiring to the plug. I looked up and they are available and even from Dorman they are $30- lol, are you kidding me? for a 2 prong plug? A Deutsch connector would be cheaper-lol
Outside of driving 25 miles to my local pull a part any other ideas??
12-05-2018, 03:00 PM
