Mitchissippi

Read thru all this several times before getting the nerve to dive in. Bought the Lisle kit, followed the recipe, and took the plunge. Rushed the soaking a little. Broke 5 out of 8, but the Lisle tool brought them out without a hitch.

Truck has 130,000 mostly highway miles. Was getting a hard miss when she would lug a little in overdrive. The new plugs has her running like new!

Thanks for the help!
Mitch

lgriffin

How did you get the stripped plug out?

ak_cowboy

You use the Lisle Tool.

lgriffin

The Lisle tool has pulled the threads out of the remaining spark plug tip twice. I am scared to try it again because there want be any threads left to pull out the plugs if this happens again.

cervy

Great write up and pictures!
Currently in the process of changing my plugs right now. They seem to be coming out alright since I've been letting them sit with the pb blaster for about an hour, turn them some, then let them sit for another hour.
I was curious if any of you guys had some tips for the the rear most plugs? I have several extensions and my swivel u-joint but I'm just worried about breaking something. Those rear most plugs are a pain to get at.

bsiegel

I did mine today. Broke all 8 plugs. Lisle tool was a life saver. Took about 6 hours working solo. 2007 with 130,000. All of the plugs were wasted, most were missing the metal at the tip. Took a test drive after and all the hesitation was gone. Thanks for the great write up.

jrp76

I'm debating about starting tonight, and letting the plugs soak overnight, then continuing tomorrow. However, with doing it that way, the engine won't be hot/warm when I pull the plugs. Is it better to let the plugs soak longer or to have the motor warm which doesn't let the plugs soak as long?

jdp530

It took me eight hours to change the plugs on my '07 5.4 and I didn't break one plug. Truck had about 60K miles. I ran a can of bg 44k the week before thinking that additive would help remove carbon from plugs before I attempted to remove them.

So I used PB Blaster and soaked plugs before I put a socket on them. After a hour or so I started loosening plugs very slightly, a 1/4 turn first then I sprayed more PB on them.

Came back an hour or so later and turned all of them in then back out a 1/2 turn each. Soaked again and continued this process of screwing them in gently and out slightly before they loosened up enough to unscrew completely.

I also used some anti-seize on new plugs so they would come out easily the next time.

ak_cowboy

I would get it to temp tonight, crack the plugs 1/4 turn and spray some penetrating oil in.

Tomorrow I would tighten it all up, drive it around to get it hot again, soak the plugs and use an impact to rattle them out.

fordfxr1

Did the plug change on my '08 Expedition (5.4) at 110K. Read all the horror stories so I went in cautiously and expecting the worse. I don't recall having to remove the PCM (25+ year in Ford tune-up helped with shortcuts) but other than that I did pretty much what the original poster did and had no broken plug issues. One thing I've always found helpful in installing plugs is using a piece of 7/32 vac hose (sometimes at the end of a #1 Phillips) to get them started in a place where fingers just won't go. It was one of the more challenging plug R&Rs but then again so was the Mustang 428 Cobra Jets with smog plumbing just above them - remember those nasty things?