Bomberfan

Hi guys, I am trying to determine if I have the courage to try and change my own plugs.
I have a 2006 FX4 crew with the 5.4L and 149000 kms on it. The truck has a bad miss when starting up a hill of any size. 2 dealers can't seem to find the problem.
Don't beat me up too bad, I just bought the truck a year ago, and thought the plug problem was corrected for 06----wrong!!
I have read alot about the plug changes, and just don't feel like giving the dealer $800 to $1200 to change them. However I am concered about breaking several plugs as mine are the originals as verified by the dealer.
I have a very good mechanical background and was thinking about buying the Lisle removal tool, and trying it myself.
What do you guys think? Am I setting myself up for misery? Is the Lisle tool the best way to go? My dealer uses the Rotunda tool I think and said you have to buy a tool for every plug that breaks as it is a one-time use tool. (What???)
Thanks for the opinions!

poptop

if you have the lisle tool i'd say go for it. so far ive heard it works great. i did mine in a couple hours myself. i was lucky none broken but if any did the lisle tool is the way i would have gone. the lisle tool is reusable.

nineinchnail1024

Go for it. No one will take more time and attention to do any job right on a vehicle than the owner of that vehicle. With that many miles on the original plugs, I'd get the Lisle tool preemptively.

Turkey Hunter

This may be a dumb question but if a truck doesnt have the original plugs do all the problems still apply? If not how can i tell if my truck has the originals because i bought it 8 months ago with 140000 miles on it and i have no idea if they have ever been changed.

05FX4-

I did mine with the lisle tool took me 4 hours but that was because two broke and I sprayed pb blaster down there to try and break up the carbon a bit. Also run the engine until it is warm to the touch NOT hot just warm that will help with the removal.

bloodvette

Bomberfan, (does that mean you live in winnipeg, MB) I have almost the exact same problem. Mine is an 05 Lariat 4x4 5.4L and there's a miss. and my mileage is around 150,000. I talked to a good friend of mine who is a very good/qualified mechanic, and he knows I am mechanically inclined, and he said buy the removal tool, allow yourself the whole day and go for it. so that's what I plan to do soon. IF by chance you are a winnipeg Blue Bomber fan and live here in winnipeg also, maybe we can share the tool.

Thanks,
john

Bomberfan

Hi, I live outside of Winnipeg, in Kenora. Too bad, it would have been nice to share the tool. I am still trying to decide, but I think I am going to get the Lisle tool coming, and if I decide not to, I can sell it.
On one of the websites for the Lisle tool, it says one of the parts (can't remember which one), takes alot of abuse, and they sell this part seperately. Just wondering if I should get one at the same time?
Anyone use the Lisle tool and have problems with it??
And yes, I am a huge Blue Bombers fan!
Cheers, Mark.

cole_ford

I used the lisle tool. Paid about $80 for it. Worth every penny. Broke 5/8 plugs. Took me about 4 hours to change all eight. Broke one, move on to the next one, and when I got all the good ones out, I went back and worked the lisle. Took the first plug a few tries to get it to thread in into the casing because of a burr on the threads, but once it was broke in, worked awesome!

DMAC66

I agree with what others here have said. Absolutely no one but you has the incentive to do the job right and to follow the instructions to the letter in attempting to avoid the breakage. That said, it is certainly possible to do everything exactly right and still have some break. I was lucky and had 0/8 break. The Lisle tool was new then and hard to get so, if you already have that in your arsenal, you should tackle the job yourself. Also, I agree with an earlier post to warm up the engine for a while. Seems to help with the expansion of the dissimilar metals between the head and the plug body. Warm it up, use liberal amounts of the penetrating fluid. Take your time. Do one bank only. Then start the engine with 4 new plugs and 4 old plugs to let it warm up again so you can tackle the second bank. Be mindful of all steps in the TSB. Good luck.

1Aauto

One of the truck shows just had an episode on this.What a pain. Can someone post a picture of what the tool looks like? just curious