truck problems(spark plug)

[Jimmy Joe]

A friend of fixed some by putting the piston at top dead center, pumping it full of grease ,installing the helicoil and vacuuming out the grease and installing the plug. Not sure if it was the V-8 or V-10. The filings would come out with the grease.

 

[automech]

ford cyl thread kits are available from Snap on, mac tools etc. I have repaired them with the Helicoil steel insert kits also. If using the Helicoil spark plug insert kit, the cutting tap must be modified to use in the deep, limited accesss plug hole. I welded a socket to the tap so I could use a locking extension on it. Move the piston on the affected hole so both valves close. Grease the tap flutes heavily to catch chips as the tap cuts the hole bigger and rethreads it. Use a long air nozzle inside the cylinder to blow chips out the hole. Install your threaded solid insert and off you go. There are Youtube demos of the official tool kit install too. It is basically the same except the kit is much more high tech and more likely to have a successful outcome if used properly. The inside out taps are for cleaning damaged or cross threaded holes, not installing inserts.

 

[Cat_Driver]

This convinces me when I need plugs to have the dealer take care of it. If they screw up - then they will remedy the problem.

Thanks for the heads up. It' worth the $100.00 spark plug charge at the dealer, cheap insurance.

 

[some zilch]

we broke one in a 3v 5.4 at work while changing the spark plugs at 30kmi (my boss is a dope, and knows nothing about running a maintenance shop). the ford dealer charged $50 to remove it, and install a new plug. they have one tech who does only spark plugs. i said that i refuse to do anymore ford spark plugs.

 

[Ford tractor]

This convinces me when I need plugs to have the dealer take care of it. If they screw up - then they will remedy the problem.

Thanks for the heads up. It' worth the $100.00 spark plug charge at the dealer, cheap insurance.

Not true. If the head strips, they will charge you to fix it. The dealers know that it's going to happen and they won't suck up the expense. When that happens, you can't drive off and are stuck with both the expensive dealer plug swap AND the expensive dealer repair.

 

[brain55]

Not true. If the head strips, they will charge you to fix it. The dealers know that it's going to happen and they won't suck up the expense. When that happens, you can't drive off and are stuck with both the expensive dealer plug swap AND the expensive dealer repair.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

Brian

 

[firefighter9208]

My wife had a Pontiac Grand Prix (GM product) with the 3800 V6 and aluminum heads. I changed the plugs myself and used anti-seize and a torque wrench. It would still "spit out" plugs on a pretty regular basis. I would just use one of the helicore kits and rethread. Let the shavings blow out the exhaust. We sold it with 180,000 miles for $1500.00 and the last I heard it was still running.

I don't think this is a Ford only problem. It's an aluminum head problem.

Chris

 

[glennsjr]

A common problem with some of the 5.4 n.a.p.a. sells a kit for the problem. Worked at a ford garage last winter saw about 4 or 5 of these although I wasn't the guy that worked on them.

 

[Kubota 2350]

I never had a GM last long enough to need spark plugs.:laughing:

Chris

Beat me to it, only I was going to say the ford dosen't last long enough.

 

[kebo]

I don't think this is a Ford only problem. It's an aluminum head problem.

Chris

True, but it's moreso a Ford problem because these heads only have about 3-4 rounds of threads for the plugs to screw into. Not much to grab onto, and when the sparkplug metal is stronger than the aluminum head..... lookout.