Post up your successful methods for removing the 5.4 two-piece sparkplugs.
Hot, Cold, Impact, or by Hand. I've read up on a lot of the threads buy haven't seen a comprehensive poll regarding the most popular or successful way to do it.

 

The way I've done them before is hot and using a 3/8 air ratchet, never broke one plug yet. Can't speak for everybody though.

 

When I had my 2005 F-150 5.4 I did the plugs on a warm (but not hot) engine. Used a socket and one of those tiny hammers they use for testing reflexes at the doctor's office, and tapped lightly on the edge of the ratchet while holding the base of the ratchet for support, and all but two of them eventually came out clean. I probably wouldn't use this method again as it was extremely time consuming and probably not very good for the plugs.

However, I have reason to believe that there was method to my madness as I think that using the hammer exerted small forces of energy to get the plug out rather than reaming on it with just arm torque. I'm surprised not all of them broke. So for the rest of them I threw it on a flatbed and hauled it to the guy I bring all non-warranty stuff to, he got it all straightened away.

Funny thing is that the plugs were done before, but they were replaced with the same damn 2-piece hunks of crap.

 

I voted hot/warm and with an impact. When I did mine, the engine was out of the truck, so I obviously wasn't able to warm it up. A 1/2" impact backed them all out without breaking any. Engine had 97k miles on it at the time.

 

Warm engine with impact on LOW

 

Thanks guys. I'm prepping myself to do this and am leaning towards the impact method

 

I did my 05 cold with hand tools. Didn't break a single one. Looks like I am the minority though haha.

 

On my 06 (97,xxx) and wifes 04 (129,xxx) I gave each plug a squirt of PB Blaster the day before, drove each one around like normal then would roll it in the garage and start the disassembly on the up-to-temp engine using hand tools. When using a 3/8" hand ratchet, don't allow excessive side forces to happen by not supporting the head of the ratchet with opposing force with the palm of your other hand. The torque has to stay centralized/parallel on the plug just the same as any threaded fastener. 7 of 8 came out no problem on mine. All original, the only plug that wouldn't come out, I had to break because the threaded body spun off the ceramic. Hers had already been hacked by a "qualified mechanic" in its past life because people are bone heads that insist on putting band-aids on mechanical issues. 4, yes 4 different brand and heat range plugs were found on hers. 2 original, 4 incorrect Autolites, 1 HT-1 Autolite and a Champion. Some were over-torqued, some required no effort. Didn't break any in hers either. Just gotta be patient and hit one at a time. Saw some debate in some of the plug threads on here about the application of anti-seize or oil on the threads when installing the new ones, I personally put a thin film on the body of the plug below the threads. That is where there problem comes from them seizing in the head.

 

Cold engine... By Hand... Broke all 8 hahahaha. I got Champions in there right now with about 60K on them. Already got my Motorcrafts and plan on replacing them in the near future. I never had a misfire with the Champions (like some have) but I am hoping the Motorcrafts smooth the idle out a bit.

 

I ran a couple of tanks of fuel through my engine with techron added to the fuel . Then by hand, PB blaster & with a warm engine i removed the plugs working them out slowly maybe a 1/8 turn and then backed off a 1/16th of a turn and let it sit with more PB blaster. Then i would move onto another plug and do the same and continued to every plug until i was back to where i started and until all plugs were out . Broke 2 plugs but had the tool to remove them . The plugs were original with 100k on the engine ..

Only advice is dont force the plugs of they wont turn , use small turns and back off when the plug gets tight and be patient and let the Penetrating oil or carb cleaner do its work ..



Next time i want to try the impact approach .