Delgaty

OK, this is my first post and if I end up buying an F150 it will hopefully be the first of many (though not about problems I hope).

I'm looking at getting an 04-08 F150. I've looked at Chev/GM and Dodge and they really don't interest me nearly as much as the Fords. Better looks, interior and exterior, better features, etc. My mechanic has advised me against going with the 5.4L engine because of the famous spark plug issue where it gets stuck in the head and sometimes the cab has to be lifted to get at the heads. I've done research on this already and found that it isn't an extremely common problem but according to a local dealer the repair costs for worst case scenario is around $3500, which I simply cannot afford "just like that". They also told me there is no warranty or recourse at all with this problem, it would all be on me. This is really going to affect my decision on which truck to buy, and I'm really confused because I basically had my heart set on a Ford. So here are my questions:

How common is the problem?

Is it true there is no recourse and I will have to pay for the full repair?

I've been told the problem is easy to work around by changing the plugs often, and applying threadlocker to the plugs. I know there is a special tool I can buy from Snap-On and I'm willing to buy it. Is this true?

Anything else you can tell me about this?

I've also been told the 07s and up have a re-designed head and do not have the problem. Is this true and is it worth spending extra now rather than down the road?

Thanks in advance,
Ryan

Rost

I am in the same boat as you Ryan. I just bought an 02 F150 (5.4) with 27,500. I've always heard the 5.4 was bullet proof until I started to read this forum! Geeze, I scared to even start the darn thing up!

BTW- I just traded my 1997 F150 off with 113k. It ran rock solid for 65k miles for me..

JLo

I work in a parts store with another f150 owner who has a 5.4 and he has never had the problem with the spark plugs but he also takes his truck to the dealer to have the spark plugs done so that if it does happen he can take back to the them and make them fix the problem.

Delgaty

That's a great idea!

JLo

ya then there liable for it and they fix it instead of it comin out of your pocket to fix it

YellowFX4

I got mine done a few months ago 7 out of the 8 broke off on the end but I got lucky and none fell into the head. It took the mechanic all day to do my plugs it ended up costing me $900 to do them. I thought that price was unreal just for plugs but what can you they needed to be done. Ford did think that part out to well when the designed the 5.4.

f_ast

i have heard the problem is with the plug itself. This is second hand info, but from what i have read, the plug is too long end extends past the last thread of the plug hole and these lower threads are exposed to carbon buildup. My dealer recommends that the plug tops are bathed in penetrating oil for at least a few hours, if not over night before removal.

grandy185

i'm a bodyshop manager at a dealership. The service guys have found that if they drive the 5.4 then let it cool just enough to work on it the plugs come out rather easy and the amount of breaks has decreased dramatically! I reccamend calling around to differnt dealers ask the service writer the average cost of a 5.4 plug change... A stealership the next town over charges nearly double what we charge then sticks it hard to the customer if the plugs break ($200 per broken plug). We charge $300 for the tune up, plus .5/hr (@$75/hr) per broken plug. It cost me $250 (and no breaks btw!) with my discount(dont hate)

truckguy

I am also in the same boat. . . Im looking at a 97 triton v8(5.4 obviously) lariat, 140k, He said that there's never been issues with his plugs, but that doesnt mean there wont be.

ford4wd08

i thought this issue was only with the 04 and up model 5.4's