iFord

Well Otto, I'm still reading ye thread! Just read all the posts again! I'm going to change mine out - FINALLY - this week! Went to Ford dealer to get plugs Friday, but they were out. Oreileys didn't have them either. Motorcrafts, right? I just read that somebody had problems with the new Motocrafts, made in Mehico, quality not same, blah, blah, blah. I don't know. Anyway, I've just GOT to get'er done!

Oh, can y'all lay out the tools needed and post a pic of them? Man, that would be a big help! Especially those squiggly universal jointed thingamajig wrenches. Thanks!

iFord

Well, next week turned into next month, which is now this month. I finally found plugs at an out of state Advance Auto. Bought the plug socket with swivel and magnet on it, but forgot to get the swivel 7mm socket. Today I finished the left side! Man, that right side has me intimidated! I'm going back out now to see about removing power steering bracket and all that other mess so I can see the COPs on right side. Think I'll tackle #7 & 8 first. I like to get hardest out of the way. I thought left side would be hardest, that's why I did it first, only to look more closely at right side! Oh me. If I can get that #7 COP bolt out, I think I'll be good... I'll let y'all know how it goes...

iFord

I got #8 changed. Driver side by firewall one. No magnet to get bolt, socket that I dropped into that abyss two times! Clothes hanger and bubble gum got them, dropped socket again, bubble gum got it further out but deeper down. Small loop on hanger luckily went through and nabbed me socket. I polished a bunch of mess understand there by wiping up me sweat. Power schmower, give me an easy to work on six any day! I now KNOW my next truck will be that plain 3.7, 3.5 six. IF, if, that is, things like plug changes are easier! Honestly, I'm ready to buy an old restored inline six!

F 2sexy

I have2009 f150 5.4l 2wd lariet
i just hit 108,000 and was driving down road and engined dies. I go to restart and cranks strong but no start ( brand new battery was put in a week prior) So i figured out it was my spark plugs change them with motorcraft platinum s and used delectric grease on plugs not boot on coil packs and didnt gap left manufacturers gap and no start what could it be is there something i need to reset or do i just start over with new coil packs??

Big_Bird

I just jointed this forum so I could say thanks to Otto457 for putting this thread up. I successfully completed the job yesterday and found this guide very useful to have handy during the job.

I'm the original owner of a '99 Expedition with 114,000 miles on it. I was stunned at how much local shops wanted to change the plugs. The lowest deal I could find was $600 plus a $60 (or was it $80?) per broken plug contingency, and I could tell by the twinkling in their eye they were going to break some. No one would quote a flat job rate. All of them cited notorious broken plug issues.

After a bit of internet research, I became convinced I'd be fine since I do not have the later model 3 valve with the bigger broken plug problems, plus all my clean living had to pay off somewhere. I ordered the plugs plus some new coils. When it came time to do the job I looked around again for some of the how to info to have it handy in the garage, but couldn't find what I saw earlier. This thread came up, new to me, and it was great.

My experience:
- 5 1/2 hours from hood open to hood close. Took my time. Gained confidence with #1 and #5.
- Sticky bolt on steering pump bracket, wouldn't come off with 12pt socket or vice grips despite WD40 and penetrating oil. I finally remembered I had a 6pt socket and that did the trick.
- The toughest plug for me was #7, and I had to take the fuel rail off to get to it. That helped on #8, too. I didn't bother with the rail on the passenger side.
- The tip I saw here to use a wrench for the #8 COP bolt rather than a socket was helpful. I probably would have screwed around for longer with a socket fail if I hadn't seen that.
- I used a little penetrating oil on each plug and a ~10 minute soak. I'm not sure if it mattered but I'm glad I didn't find out the opposite. It was 8 pleasant surprises seeing the socket come up each time with the whole plug on the end, all the way down to its little worn out electrode.

I easily convinced myself on a test drive that it's much peppier. We'll see how the mileage goes, but I don't see how new plugs, coils, and a clean MAF sensor can hurt.

Big_Bird

P.S. here's my stubby little plugs after 114K miles and almost 16 years.

ccriley

Tagged....got a 2003 4.6 with 166k, im sure they are factory plugs.I've been dreading to change them.

kdcntn

I just recently blew one of the coils on my 97 5.4L engine and luckily was able to get the plug out on the side of the road. I drove home about 5 miles with the plug out and the injector unplugged. It was sluggish since there was a lack of compression, but it started and ran.
Man, you have something else going on that isn't giving you power to the coils at all.
Before I changed my plugs (3 or 4 years ago?), I was having misfire because 1 or 2 of the coils was bad, but it still started and ran.

alballard

How did you get the #7 coil bolt re-installed, as it is under the fuel rail and pressure regulation? Did you use a 7 mm, 1/4" socket swivel or any special tools. My hands are too big and fingers too short to reach bolt.
Thanks,

Cmanjr

a lot of scraped and cut fingers and hands along with a variety of 1/4" extensions and swivels combined to whatever works best. just keep trying different combos until you find what works easiest. I don't recall what combo I used back when I did it, but you'll figure it out after trying a couple different ones.