Mitsumotors

I was thinking of warming up my engine, cracking all eight plugs 1/8 turn, filling each plug well with a shot of sea foam, then let them sit for a couple hours until all the sea foam has soaked through the threads down into the cylinder. The I would tighten all of the plugs and drive it for a day. Then crack all the plugs again and put more sea foam, let it sit for an hour and then attempt to remove them slowly.

Has anyone tried this? Is there any reason this would be a bad idea?

kevhead75

Follow the TSB and you should be fine. Some Ford engineers have already figured out the best way to get these plugs out.

Mitsumotors

I realize there is already a procedure but it seems alot of people follow this procedure and still run into problems.

picaflor

you can try this way. if the plug is going to break, most likely will do that in your first time turning them 1/8. the ceramic part isnt flexible.
follow the TSB.

if you want to go your way, i will leave deep creek for a night in the spark plug wells, before doing that initial 1/8" turn. it worked better for me (i did in that way for the passenger side with only 1 broke), versus 3 in the initial side, the driver side.

JohnD

I know everyone wants to be doityourselfers but when one of those breaks its going to cost you a lot of money. The best way to do it is drive it to the dealership. Like picaflor said, if its going to break its going to be on the initial turn probably not later.

Mitsumotors

I've been doing a lot of research, not only on this site but talking to ford mechanics too and really believe that if they are going to break it doesn't matter what procedure you follow they will still break. I live a block away from a dealer so I plan on just not even cracking them, putting some deep creep in overnight(it may wick through the threads or it may not) then just hitting em hard with a cordless impact. I've talked to a lot of people(including ford mechanics) that believe the initial shock of the impact and keeping them turning without stopping seems to help break them free. And if I break any I can easily take it to the dealer and they said they would charge me $50 for each one they have to extract.

JimFX4

Is it actually a problem with the thread or is it a problem with all the carbon buildup on the electrode. I have read that his is the real problem.

picaflor

carbon build up in the "electrode"... well, in the long extended area between the electrode and the thread, as you can see in this pic... for that reason using deep creek before, and sea foam or others carbom removers in the gasoline before starting this procedure is suggested. you are trying to break the carbon.... and as you can see clear in this pictures, the carbon build up is closer to the combustion chamber rather than the ceramic part of the spark plug where you put the deep creak solvent.
The thread is good.

hcbph

Had mine done by a trusted mechanic at 42K. He follows the TSB and had none break. Having said that, I've been running mostly Shell gas since I bought it 2 years ago. The barrel end of the plugs looked to be mostly carbon free and he said they came out without any issues. I've wondered if certain fuels do better on preventing carbon buildup on the plugs.

One thought I've had for a while is if it happens to be a flex fuel truck if running a few tanks of E-85 might help disolve off carbon deposits before doing a plug change? I know back when Ethenol blended gas first came out, alot of people had rust from the gas tanks come loose and plugged alot of fuel filters, might it help in the combustion chambers (running 85% vs 15%)? I've heard using Seafoam or other fuel cleaners is supposed to help but I can't speak from experience on any of those.

stackz

depending on how much you put in each plug hole and how much actually makes it into the cylinder...you could possibly hydrolock the engine and bend a rod or two. just something to think about.