Timeserts are the only way to go for blown plugs.

 

I'd see what you can find on A mazon. Time sert makes as large as triple size for Ford. So your good there, you need to find a single fix kit or purchase just what you need from somewhere. Otherwise the oversize kits are around 500. Calvan might have them, you'll have to check, -do some research.

 

 

For all the research I did the Cal-Van kit always came up as hands down the best. But it cost like $250. But you get enough to do them all.

I have not personally used it.

 

took 20 minutes

 

The OP likely got this figured out, but I wanted to offer my experience for the those who find themselves dealing with an ejected spark plug. Particularly if they don't have the money for the Timesert or Cal-Van kits.

Like the OP, my girlfriend's 2002 Supercrew with the 4.6L one day last year, for no apparent reason, it ejected the #3 spark plug. The plugs were in the truck since she bought it with 110k and at the time this happened the odometer read 155k. Certainly they were old plugs, but no recent work had been done that would readily explain the failure.

After many MANY hours of researching this problem I came to the conclusion, like everyone else likely does... based on so many posts and videos advice and warnings, that the Timesert kit was the only way to recover from an ejected plug without removing the cylinder head. Cal-Van was also recommended but the Timesert kit considerably more so. I am on SSDI and have very little wiggle room in the budget for sudden truck problems, so despite the plethora of others' thoughts, suggestions and warnings, as well as my better judgement, I opted for the exact opposite. The absolute cheapest option I could find...

Heli-Coil "Sav-A-Thread" Spark Plug Thread Repair Kit #5334-14 M14 x 1.25 ... link to the EXACT product I bought from amazon... ---> $28
Heli-Coil "Sav-A-Thread" M14 Long Reach Inserts #R532614L ... the exact item I bought... ---> $7
Time-Sert 500°F Thread Locker and Sealer #6020 ... exact thread locker I purchased... ---> $20

I choose the kit because the reamer/tap can use a 3/8" extension in addition to a spark plug socket, to drive the reamer/tap. For use on those applications like ours having a long reach and zero clearance for a socket in the hole. Also, the inserts, both in the kit and the additional long ones are FULL inserts, not just the coils of 'wire', like the "original" heli-coils our grandfathers grandpa's used. The full insert is a critical aspect to this repair. The long inserts I got as a back-up in case the shorter ones in the kit were insufficient. The thread locker I got because it is rated to 500F. All other thread lockers I could find were only rated to 300F.

I was going to make this repair myself but circumstances crossed my path with a local mechanic who had actually done a number of Triton plug thread repairs and since we had a mutual friend he offered to do it for ... he came equipped with a custom made long reach M14 tap he had made himself specifically for this repair. Given i had done zero of this repair and Triton guy was confident in his ability to make the repair successfully, my girlfriend opted to borrow the $100 from her boss. Best hundred bucks ever spent!

He made the repair in my driveway at the end of July 2018. Took him less time than the local quick lube does an oil change. After making certain the #3 cylinder was at top dead center, ensuring none of the valves were open and in the way of the tap once through the hole completely. He greased up the tap flutes to catch the chips of aluminum. He ran the tap in a turn or two, pulled it out, cleaned the flutes, re-greased and repeat. He did this a number of times until he was certain the tap had made new threads all the way through. The next step was to clear out any chips of aluminum that may have escaped the grease on the tap.

Some guys say use a vacuum with a small hose to suck the remnants out of the cylinder, but this often leaves metal behind. Others said to use a long air gun through the hole to blow the chips out the hole, but this can work against you and actually jam bits of metal into the space above the top piston ring between the piston and cylinder wall prime to score the wall the moment the starter engages the ring gear. My new friend's solution garnered from dozens of these repairs...? Was simply to turn the engine over BEFORE installing the insert with slightly more hole for crap that fell into the cylinder can exit out without causing damage.

Next he applied the 6020 hi temp thread locker to the OUTSIDE threads of the insert (he said you wouldn't believe how many people mistakenly put thread locker on the inside threads) and threaded it into the newly reemed and tapped hole. The inserts are knurled on one end to prevent screwing the insert too far into the combustion chamber. A couple quick but deliberate taps on the "swedger" to expand the knurled end of the insert into the head to ensure the insert seals and is now stuck in the head.




He slapped a tiny bit of antiseize on the threads of the plug and spun it in not even using a torque wrench... but keep in mind he has the experience with this repair to do so.

He started the truck, it fired right up like normal. He let in run for a couple minutes at idle to allow some heat to build in the engine to assist the threadlocker in curing. Told us to wait a day before driving it to be certain the threadlocker cured and he was done. Again, that was at the end of July 2018. Today (knock on wood for good measure) is May 3, 2019 and the girlfriend's Supercrew has had ZERO problem with the repair. Including spending this past winter in Minnesota in our driveway. I add this to point out that the repair has survived many cycles of thermal expansion from operating temp to below zero and back again without issue.

He said that if we tried to pull that plug in the future, it would likely pull the insert out with it and the repair would need to be made again... needless to say, that #3 plug is in there for the duration afaic.

So that's everything we did to save a Triton V8 post spark plug ejection... and for only $50 in parts and $100 labor (friend's price). Fully half the cost of the TimeSert and Cal-Van kits alone.

Hopefully this might help someone who finds their Ford has spit a spark plug out and taking the threads out too. Take my experience for what it is worth. No doubt if you have the means to get the TimeSert or Cal-Van kits, do it. They come with everything you need in a single tool, including tech support. But if like me you cannot afford the ridiculous price tags, the naysayers are not always right. KNOW that this repair can be done successfully with the products above, provided you take the time to know what you are doing with a reasonable understanding of the underlying principles. Should someone have any questions I am subscribing to this thread and will hopefully get notifications and i will try my best to check periodically in case I don't.

Here's a link to the TimeSert FAQ on their website... http://www.timesert.com/html/faq.htm ...that was a very helpful resource in my researching this problem in the beginning.

EDIT: I wanted to include the following YouTube playlist as it is includes the 3 most helpful, albeit kinda boring, three videos explaining Ford spark plug thread repair...
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...twPC7TKMPSFp9L

Good luck!