Picked up a new truck

[IDIBRONCO]

A few years back I was riding with a guy in his 1998 F150 with a 5.4. we were about 45 miles from home and had a spark plug blow out. Other people told me that you need special tools to change them so I had no idea how we were going to get it back in. He had some tools in a bed mounted toolbox. There was enough extensions and a swivel to get it back in. We drove home like that. he took it to a mechanic the next week and they changed them all out. I believe they installed the kits to fix the problem too. That was the first time I had heard of the problem. It sure didn't take much turning to get the spark plug tight either.

 

[79jasper]

The "fix' is a thread insert.
The kit I used was around $100. The tool was cool. The end has the normal plug threads, then it tapers up fairly quickly to the thread insert od.
What's funny is the kit said it wouldn't work on the long plug engines (which far as I know, are all the tritons lol) but it worked fine.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[madpogue]

my condolences.
heres my sons highschool ride.
he wasn't ready for a diesel either,
but he has some class with this stepside

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That truck needs a life-size plastic "army man" in the bed......

 

[IH_Diesel]

Until recently I hadn't heard of plugs blowing out, just breaking off in the hole, and needing a special tool to remove them at that point.
Anyway
Looks like a nice truck.
What years f-250s were that body style. I don't remember seeing that body style except the 150s.

 

[Fordfan90]

Until recently I hadn't heard of plugs blowing out, just breaking off in the hole, and needing a special tool to remove them at that point.
Anyway
Looks like a nice truck.
What years f-250s were that body style. I don't remember seeing that body style except the 150s.

It's only in the early (1997-2003) 5.4 4.6 tritons which are the 2valve.The 3 valve (2004-2010) break off in the head. Worked beside a mechanic that explained it to me he said he had one 2 valve break off in the head.

 

[IH_Diesel]

Thank you. What causes them to break off?

 

[IDIoit]

That truck needs a life-size plastic "army man" in the bed......

hell yes it does!

 

[madpogue]

What years f-250s were that body style. I don't remember seeing that body style except the 150s.

All the SDs of that era were that style, at least up to, what, 2007? The half-tons never looked like that.

To the OP - Think of all the gloom-and-doom spark plug stuff this way - if/when it happens, you have a nice solid SD truck as the starting point for a PSD/Cummins swap.....

 

[snicklas]

You can buy a single kit for like 25 at the parts store. I think they fixed it when they went to the 3valve 5.4 triton.

Don't buy the cheap kit. My 2000 4.6 in my P71 spit the #5 Plug (passenger side 3rd back). The kit I bought was right at $300 but has everything needed and 8 inserts.

This video shows this kit, and he is a member here.....

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Kit works well and took about an hour.

Enjoy the truck, I really like the SuperDuty platform.

 

[Fordfan90]

Don't buy the cheap kit. My 2000 4.6 in my P71 spit the #5 Plug (passenger side 3rd back). The kit I bought was right at $300 but has everything needed and 8 inserts.

This video shows this kit, and he is a member here.....

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

Kit works well and took about an hour.

Enjoy the truck, I really like the SuperDuty platform.

I've done it before and never had one come back. It's the same idea but you can do it and get it back on the road rather then have it in the shop getting all of them done. I've even used that kit and have many miles on it without a problem. But you also don't need to fix all of them if you know what your doing with these spark plugs. I've only ever seen 3 blow out.

 

[Fordfan90]

Thank you. What causes them to break off?

They rust in there. Your suppose to soak the spark plug hole for a little while I normally do it over the night just to be sure of it.

 

[snicklas]

I've done it before and never had one come back. It's the same idea but you can do it and get it back on the road rather then have it in the shop getting all of them done. I've even used that kit and have many miles on it without a problem. But you also don't need to fix all of them if you know what your doing with these spark plugs. I've only ever seen 3 blow out.

I only did the one hole that blew, but it's nice to have more on the shelf. Plus I have 2 4.6's. Having done one in the garage and taking my time, I could do it on the shoulder if I had to. My cordless drill and a can of air is all you need. However, if you are relatively close to home, like mine was, I pulled the coil, plug and boot out and threw them in the console and unplugged that injector and limped it home.

That being said, I don't think it's as common as you think, you just hear about it happening.

 

[Thewespaul]

My grandfathers 1998 had this engine and for the 100k miles I maintained it for him I never had this issue. Now that I've said this it will probably pop one tomorrow now

 

[snicklas]

I've personally experienced 2. One was on Dad's 97 F-250 LD 5.4 (7 Lug truck, had the hall ton body) right after he bought it used. It was "freshly tuned up" when he bought it.

My 2000 4.6 P71 at ~180,000 miles. Both of these were the #5 plug. My 07 hasn't that I know of, but have the kit on the shelf.

 

[sjwelds]

I have heard that the main cause for the spitting plugs is over torquing the plugs... Fwiw