marlowzach

I have a 2006 F150 5.4, and couldn't pull all the spark plugs out. Dealership quoted me 4800 to pull motor, heads, and get spark plugs out. Is this worth even doing on a 11 Year old truck with 105k miles? I need some different opinions on this?

corey_lax

Why can't you or they pull the spark plugs out? Seems like everyone has been able to get the plugs out when they break. I definitely wouldn't pay $4800

toostroked

Go to a different dealer or an independent shop, and never go back to that place again. This is a common problem for the engines, and there is no reason to pull the motor.

marlowzach

I was able to extract 3 on my own with the Lisle tool. I was feeling confident at this point, and continued on, and ended up breaking 4 more. The next one I tried, the tool would grab, but wasn't able to pull the broken section up, basically stripping the threads it had made. It was at this time I decided to bring it to the local Ford dealer, and they were unsuccessful at pulling that same plug, saying they couldn't get a bite on it. Next step according to them was to pull heads, which required motor to be pulled. Then send heads out to machine shop to get plugs out. Then reinstall everything. Quoted 28 Hours labor, plus parts and what not. I am waiting on a quote from one independent shop, the rest of the shops around here wouldn't attempt, mostly due to them being one man shops.

tareed94

Unfortunately, if you can't get the plug out through the top they are correct, you'd have to pull the head. I'd talk to the independent shops and get a quote for removing the heads.

Try spraying penetrating oil in the holes with stuck plugs, then try the lisle tool again. I did a 1/4 turn on all of mine then filled all the holes with penetrating oil. Left it overnight then the next morning got after them with an impact. Get them spinning and don't stop. Only broke one with this method that I had seen others doing. Lisle tool got it out quickly. I'd try the Lisle tool again after soaking the broken piece in penetrating oil and letting it sit for a bit. It's not like you can make it worse.

marlowzach

I did almost the same as you. Cracked them 1/4 turn, and soaked with Carb and choke cleaner( for the carbon). I didn't have an impact handy, so i just tried working them back an forth, which apparently didn't work. I had good luck on the first 3 plugs I did as far as removing them. It was the forth I quit on, because even though the tool bit the plug shell, it stripped out the threads it made when i started extracting. I tried twice, and after that point I knew there was no sense going on, because even one broke plug that won't come out the top means heads being pulled off.

BadFish523

I dont think I've ever seen anyone on here that couldn't get their plugs out. Some have had to work at it real hard, and I'm sure there have been a few cases through out time but I haven't seen it on here anyways.

marlowzach

I wish that was the case, I tried and tried on that one plug, the first 3 came out in no time. I don't know what to try differently. I spent nearly 4 hours on that one plug trying different ways. I had the first 3 extracted within a couple hours. 3 different techs at the dealership tried on that one also, and couldn't get the tool to grab.Once it stripped, there was no way to grab it with the lisle tool. Thats when they quoted me 4800.

tareed94

Is there still ceramic in the plug tip? If so, try removing that completely. That will allow it to fit down in there farther and cut more threads.

06'5.4

I had the same problem....i ended up welding a tap on a long extension..and i re-tapped some threads in the metal part of the plug, then the Lisle tool was able to bite in the new threads i made..and it worked...this was on #4 also..