Spark plug nightmare
 

I did a spark plug change on my 05/ f150 this weekend and my worst nightmare came true, i broke two plugs off. I did my research and had the Ford T.S.P. And followed it to the letter and even purchased the removal tools ahead of time. I was suprised at how easy the plugs broke, hardly any effort on the ratchett. I have 65,000 klms on my engine.I was able to retreive one broken plug on one head but the one plug porcelin broke off higher than the electrode so i can,t use the tools to retreive it so tommorrow the truck goes in to have the head removed so my point is as careful as you are these plugs can break off and the replacement plugs supplied by ford are still a two piece design.

Dude sorry to hear that.I went thru the spark plug change also and one of mine broke off also.Luckly thoe the tool worked.Do you know how much their charging you to do the job??

spark plugs
 

yes they said 20 hrs but i,m not sure about the shop rate but i assume it's around $100.00 an hour , so probably around $ 2500.00

YIKES! That is way too much to pay to have a head removed.......it is no where near a 20 hr job. Do you have the option of searching around somewhere else?

DUDE STOP,DONT GET IT DONE.if you can get by with another car do it.i say this because 2500 is way to much.and its not a 20hour job.if you dont have any other way to get around,ok pay it.but if you can get around,.get some other estemites and tell the guys you go see how much your stealership wants to do it for and see if when you look around if they can beet the price.gotta remember auto shops are hurtng for money also and need the work so allot of them wil work with ya on price.my budy hjad the same problem as you,and his stealership said 2700,well he shopped aroind and fouind someone to do it for 2100 and in writeing..make sure you get everything in writeing brother

BARF!!!!

Shize... Sorry to hear that man. Did you let penetrating oil sit on there before you tried to remove them?

I learned my lesson on the plugs.

Next time I am going to:

1) disconnect the fuel pump switch (on the frame rail)
2) run the motor till it dies, then crank it a few times to make sure no fuel
3) disconnect the battery
4) remove the intake tube
5) remove the fuel rails
6) follow TSB (even though some of the plugs will probably break anyway)
7) check every damn wire for old splices, and crappy work from before I bought the truck and fix them)
8) pray, offer bunt sacrifices and fast for 40 days
9) put the engine back together in reverse order of above
10) pray, fast, sacrifice again
11) start engine and pray

That's a little tounge in cheek, haha! (I'm in a little better mood today)

Cant you get some needle noses down there and break off the porcelain so you can get the tool in the electrode?

Sometimes you can, sometimes it won't let go of the electrode ground shield that is stuck to the cylinder wall. Even if the porcelain comes out it will probably leave the electrode ground shield in there and that is if the porcelain isn't broken too.

It's a really piss poor design. Still a great motor, just really piss poor plug design.

spark plug nightmare
 

I did everything right and the two plugs still broke with no effert at all. My truck is now in the shop [ not Ford dealer] getting the head removed if nessesary. I did get a better price at a good shop for$ 1500.00 and that includes two hours to let them try and get the broken plug out of the head before removing it.So i,m still hoping for the best and that they are better at it than i am.