5.4L 3V Spark Plugs Engine Build Dates before 10/09/07
06-08-2012, 09:26 AM
#481
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06-08-2012, 10:50 AM
#482
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Originally Posted by i.hunt
Thanks I looked at the door sticker for truck build date and it's 8/07 so I guess I'm crap in luck
06-09-2012, 09:37 AM
#483
Sorry i did not take the time to read all the post but ill give my 2cent as a ford tech. The absolute best way to remove these plus is on a cold motor, Use the correct socket on a 3inch extension a 3/8 impact wobble socket and another 3in extension with a 3/8 air impact (preferably the matco 7 vein or newer IR titanium or the snapon mg325) CHANGE YOUR PLUGS AT 60K. Knock on wood i only break about 1 plug for every 24-32 i do on average . So to say i break very few doing it this way. Also if you have to use the extractor make sure you use it properly and grease everything as you do it. make sure the extractor is threaded deep enough, if not theres a good chance your heads going to be coming off, you only get 1 or 2 tries per plug. And i cant believe yall are paying for broken plugs, i cannot tell you the last time i charged additional labor time for pulling a broken plug, my buddy uses a 1/2 impact when he does his, he broke all 8 plugs the other morning, total time for tune up and pulling all broken plugs with me pulling 5-8 after he broke them less than an hour. so we still killed book time.
Sorry for quoting myself, but there is some stuff i left out when writing this. THIS PART SHOULD BE READ MORE THAN ANYTHING, in the event you have access to the setup i have listed and can use air impacts MAKE SURER YOU CHECK THE TIP OF EACH PLUG AFTER YOU PULL IT OUT TO MAKE SURE NO PORCELAIN HAS BROKEN OFF IF THERE IS BE SURE TO REMOVE IF FROM THE CYLINDER. (ILL COVER HOW TO DO SO IN A MINUTE. IF YOU ENCOUNTER A BROKEN PLUG GREASE IS YOUR FRIEND. (APPLY TO THE TIP OF ALL THE EXTRACTOR TOOLS AND THREADS) THIS WILL HELP TO CATCH PORCELAIN AND PREVENT IT FROM FALLLING IN THE CYLINDER. AFTER EVERY BROKEN PLUG THATS REMOVED THE CYLINDER NEEDS TO BE CLEARED OF ALL DEBRIS AND PORCELAIN. . the best way to remove debris and porcelain from the cylinder is to blow it out with a blower and compressed air, after that with out that plug in the cylinder start the truck and let it run for about 15-30 seconds slightly revving if desired. these trucks will crank and run with as little as 4 plus in them.. Failure to do this could result in major engine damage. messing up valve and valve seats. dinging up the cylinder walls beating the crap out of the piston and head it self.
And for the sake of god dont do what i saw one guy do and try to drill it out unless you truley know what your doing and you know where the piston is sitting. had one guy come on for a tune up we quoted hin 449. he said it was to much so hed take it to his mechanic. ok W/E. a week later the truck is sitting in my stall with low compression on cyl 6, so i sold him removing the head and inspecting the valve thinking it had a broken plug the porcelain wasnt removed and messed up a valve.. well once i go the head off i could see something had been bouncing around in there. then i went to check the piston and discovered a perfectly drilled hole in the piston.. what would have only cost the guy 449 turned into w/e he paid for the tune up plus a hefty bill for me having to put a piston in it... which i then discovered almost every other plug in the motor was loose.. Thank god for mechanics that are no so brilliant= job security
06-09-2012, 10:29 AM
#484
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Followup to post #470
All 8 plugs came out without breakage.
I used Seafoam (2 pints) every fillup for the last two weeks.
Plenty of PB Blaster.
Removed the computer to access 3&4
Now, to reassemble.
The info on this forum is invaluable, thanks
Ken
All 8 plugs came out without breakage.
I used Seafoam (2 pints) every fillup for the last two weeks.
Plenty of PB Blaster.
Removed the computer to access 3&4
Now, to reassemble.
The info on this forum is invaluable, thanks
Ken
06-09-2012, 11:17 AM
#485
Plugs, plugs, plugs
Great info here, looking at doing my 07 at 50k as well. Today's project is oil change (Castrol, TG Filter and Lucas) and a coolant flush....48k and she's running great, want to keep it that way. I found the Champions on Ebay for $10/unit as opposed to the standard 20 a piece. Thanks all for the info...
Steve
Steve
06-09-2012, 01:27 PM
#486
Great info here, looking at doing my 07 at 50k as well. Today's project is oil change (Castrol, TG Filter and Lucas) and a coolant flush....48k and she's running great, want to keep it that way. I found the Champions on Ebay for $10/unit as opposed to the standard 20 a piece. Thanks all for the info...
Steve
Steve
for the sake of god. the only other plug i would run in those motors is an autolite, and tats only if its been supercharged. The auto lites burn cooler so they go bettter with the setup
06-09-2012, 08:26 PM
#488
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Thanks for all the great info here. Pulled my plugs today at 71k miles on my 2005 XLT after letting them soak all night. Broke the first 2 so I thought this is gonna be a really long day. Lisle tool worked great in removing those two. Went extra slow on the rest using more back and forth motion than I did on the first 2 and some extra soak time to boot. All 6 came out with no more breakage.
I did use a couple of cans of Seafoam the last 2 weeks and used Aerokroil as my penetrating fluid which really seems to soften up the carbon. Hell if it's good enough to use on our airplanes it should be good enough for my truck.
I'll be reinstalling first thing tomorrow morning with plenty of jet engine nickel anti seize. That should do the trick.
So thanks again to everyone who contributed information to this thread. I'm really glad you guys are here and I didn't learn about this problem the hard way.
I did use a couple of cans of Seafoam the last 2 weeks and used Aerokroil as my penetrating fluid which really seems to soften up the carbon. Hell if it's good enough to use on our airplanes it should be good enough for my truck.
I'll be reinstalling first thing tomorrow morning with plenty of jet engine nickel anti seize. That should do the trick.
So thanks again to everyone who contributed information to this thread. I'm really glad you guys are here and I didn't learn about this problem the hard way.
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