Ford 3500 industrial.....HELP

[RickB]

If the plug wires are popping off, its because compression is leaking past a loose spark plug, or there is dirt interfering with the crush ring on the plug that seals to the cylinder head. remove plugs, clean plug seat area, reinstall making sure crush ring is present, or better yet, replace the plugs while you are at it.

 

[skyhook]

Theres no need for "drilling",
like Paul said, it can be done with a little knowledge.

Google "spark plug heli coils".

I'm still not sure if the OP meant the plugs are blowing out of their cylinder.

 

[GManBart]

Theres no need for "drilling",
like Paul said, it can be done with a little knowledge.

Google "spark plug heli coils".

I'm still not sure if the OP meant the plugs are blowing out of their cylinder.

There are times when you still have to drill with a Heli Coil...maybe not often, but it happens. It still doesn't seem like the kind of job for someone who says they aren't very mechanically inclined, and probably doesn't have much in the way of tools, a compressor, etc. Even before you turn a wrench there can be problems with that sort of fix....what happens when the socket for the heli coil tap won't fit into the recess for the spark plug?....it happens.

A heli coil kit for that probably runs $30-50 and I'd be willing to be there's a diesel/heavy equipment mechanic in the greater San Antonio area who would do that fix for $100 total.

 

[ovrszd]

A heli coil kit for that probably runs $30-50 and I'd be willing to be there's a diesel mechanic in the greater San Antonio area who would do that fix for $100 total.

If it's a diesel it doesn't have spark plugs. And I can't see a diesel shop putting in heli coils for $100. But maybe in Michigan.

 

[GManBart]

If it's a diesel it doesn't have spark plugs. And I can't see a diesel shop putting in heli coils for $100. But maybe in Michigan.

Sorry, I should have said "heavy equipment" mechanic. I'm was thinking of the guys that work as a mechanic M-F, and do side work on the weekends. At the very least it's worth exploring.

Somebody like this who guarantees their work, has references, etc:

Farm Tractor Repair and Painting

 

[skyhook]

A heli coil kit for that probably runs $30-50 and I'd be willing to be there's a diesel/heavy equipment mechanic in the greater San Antonio area who would do that fix for $100 total.

So thats not as serious as you said earlier, is it.

When you say the spark plugs pop off, do you mean they're no longer connected to the engine? If so, there isn't an easy fix for that problem....it means the threads are ruined, and you're looking at some serious work to fix.

 

[ovrszd]

So thats not as serious as you said earlier, is it.

I guess that would depend on the individual.

 

[GManBart]

So thats not as serious as you said earlier, is it.

To a mechanic and someone who isn't "very mechanically inclined" it would pose a very different challenge.

A similar thing to this happened at work recently. A guy bought a new AR-10 pattern rifle (scaled up AR-15 that shoots .308/7.62) and wanted to upgrade a few things. He wanted to put a set of free-floating hand guards on it, add flip-up front and rear sights, and a scope. The folks at the hand guard company, YouTube, and an internet forum, convinced him it was easy as can be....everything bolts right up. Yeah, not so much. I had to bring in several of my AR tools, show him how to take the old barrel nut off, change the gas block to one that would fit under the new hand guard, get him to buy two different tools specific to the new barrel nut, hand guard and jam nut, bring in my torque wrench and torque the barrel nut properly, take his new hand guard home and use my milling machine to cut a slot in the appropriate place to access the new gas block set screws, show him how to index the gas tube through the new barrel nut, show him how to measure for scope bases, etc, etc, etc. It's an "easy" job for somebody that knows what they're doing, and has the tools, but almost impossible for somebody who isn't familiar with them, and hasn't done this sort of thing before....even after watching lots of YouTube videos

In fact, for the same cost as buying the tools (not to mention borrowing several), my buddy could have paid a gunsmith to do the work and had it done in a couple of days, rather than the month it actually took (backordered tool, and one where he ordered the wrong version of a tool).

 

[geneP]

I suppose all of this is conjecture until the original poster cares enough to come back and post more info.

 

[paulfun9]

So thats not as serious as you said earlier, is it.

No its not that serious. Any local mechanic from the backyard and small engine repair guy all the way up to the industrial mechanic could install them in no time flat. On an open engine like a tractor even the novice could do it with ease and call in the pro if they run into a problem.