Jbrew

There's nothing wrong with 4 thread heads IMO. Just bump up the torque to 28' lbs dry and be done with it. They WILL NOT blowout when torqued correctly and what ever you do, don't use the Ford specs in the manual, - unless you enjoy having them pop.

Tractive55LS

My 98' 5.4 has the lower thread count and has tight fitting plugs @ 203,500 miles +. I put never seize on the new AP plugs (sparingly) at 170,000 and they are all nice and tight, no slop at all when removing. After reading about the problem I hand tightened (feel) them with a ratchet with my own discretion. My arm could calibrate a torque wrench.

Jbrew

This is a first..your defying all odds right there. First 98 non pi 5four I ever heard of that could run AP 103/104's very long.

Well if it's running on all 8, - and you think it's running good, think again. AP's don't have a plug with the correct heat range, they don't have to really. The same company makes AP's makes Motorcraft with the correct heat range per Ford spec. Keep doin it, -if it gives you a tickle. Grease up 8 thread plugs for 4 thread heads, - go right ahead lol.

Stick around, learn how to be good to your truck, -if that even matters. Iduno, almost sounds like you enjoy bragging about that abuse to much IMO.

Poor Truck

Tractive55LS

You don't understand or didn't read thoroughly. I'm talking about the past, several years ago when I changed the plugs on the 98' NPI 5.4L, not the new 03' that's going in soon. Didn't you see where I said 170,000 miles. Today it has 203,000 +. At the time (years ago) everyone on all the Ford forums I've read and researched said AL plugs were just fine and a light coat of never-seize too was recommended. That's why I put them in, at the time, not now, get it? lol.

Carcrazygts2

After working at Ford I never put antisieze on the plugs. Always dry and always torque. Glad my 2 current truck have 8 threads heads. One about to get boosted.

Jbrew

Ah crap, -just blew a spark-plug in the weed eater. Yep, no threads left, you can turn the plug for days and it won't grab. Not that I've actually attempted it for as long lol.

Green '01

When did Ford start building weed eaters?

Jbrew

Not sure, never heard of a Ford weed eater. Got a pic or perhaps a point?

Green '01

Just that Fords are known for spitting out plugs like sunflower seeds - and is the topic of this thread, so when you said your weed eater just blew out a plug...
Just taking a jab at Ford.

Jbrew

Never blew a plug in a Ford before, lucky I guess. What started that is Ford not torquing them right at the factory with only 11-14' lbs. They were shooting out at 40,000 miles. They never changed the spec on that, - that would be admitting they were wrong and forward a recall. Since then the spec was changed unofficially @ blownsparkplug.com. If you don't want them to come out on yuh, then they need to be torqued to 28' lbs. That's the Correct number.