Plug Change + Air and Fuel Service!?

[Power Hungry]

Years ago when I was still wrenching, we'd run into problems occasionally on aluminum head imports. The customers would go for the record for longest time between tune-ups and by the time we'd see them, the plugs would be frozen in the heads. Usually, with a little care, we could get them out without incident but if there was any indication at all that the plug might be a problem, we'd have to tell the customer that they would be looking at additional costs to repair the threads for the spark plug. If they didn't agree, we didn't change the plug.

I don't necessarily find a problem with the whole plug issue from the mechanic's standpoint, but more that Ford finds this type of setup acceptable and isn't making any effort to improve the design... or at least build a better spark plug. It's bad enough that those stupid plugs are $10.00 each, but when I have to pay $400.00+ for a tune up (and I'm not getting Cap, Rotor, Wires, Fuel Filter AND Air Filter included) then I have a serious problem.

Sad... Sad... Sad...


On edit:

I talked to my dealer and he is somewhere in between the two prices. $160.00 Labor + plugs... so about $250.00. However, he DOES charge for the broken plugs at $82.00 an hours for however long it takes to remove them. I'm disappointed that Ford doesn't warranty this to them since it's obviously a design flaw with the spark plugs Ford choses to use. Maybe if enough people made noise about it...

[Cajun]

I agree, I'll also be curious about what JFuller has to say too since he's a FLM tech.

[jfuller5]

Hey Guys, Price sounds ridiculous if the plugs do come out! Motors Flat Rate Time is 1.8 hrs at that dealer labor rate. Performing a fuel induction service is a good idea beacuse the actual cause of this problem is the carbon build up in the chamber aroungd the spark plug and threads. A fuel induction service will clean alot of this carbon and lessen the binding on the threads of the plugs in the head. This fuel induction cleaning is a great service regardless becasue it will help clean carbon build up in ports and on backs of valves and improve fuel atomization and flow. The carbon build up on the intake valves will actually soak up the fuel charge and cause hesitation and stalling and poor mpg. Back to the plugs , look at the tsb i attached and see if your tech wants to go through this. I dont think so, it is a real drag and access really sucks so i feel most Techs are praying that the plugs will come out and not have to go through this tough procedure. Please note that the bulletin labor time on this is "Actual Time" and doesnt even have a stated labor time because it is so complicated and tough. even with the special tools it is a b?/ch . So i do feel that a flat fee of $40 per broken plug is reasonable. The plug wall is so thin that they cant take much twisting on stuck threads. Again find a expert tech that you trust and who has these special tools if you have to tackle this. By the way i havent been a tech in 25 years I run A service and parts dept with 15 techs, Not all of my techs would i put on this job. good luck. Jim Sorry the TSB is too large to upload to the forum please search and acccess TSB 08-7-6 for all the info and tool information file is 497kb. I can email it to anyone who needs it. Jim

[seeleyra]

I have been reading about this plug prblem for a while and still do not know what years this affects. Am I in for it with an 07 5.4?

[Jackpine]

Originally Posted by seeleyra

I have been reading about this plug prblem for a while and still do not know what years this affects. Am I in for it with an 07 5.4?

I just went through a TSB search and ran across one statement that said if your vehicle was built after sometime in October 2007 (I think it was) that the heads had been redesigned to take the 1-piece plugs. Sorry I can't be more specific and I may have gotten this wrong. It was easy to find the entire TSB, though.

There seems to be some consensus that changing the plugs early (around 65,000 miles) will reduce the chance of them breaking. Someone else said that stop and go driving would encourage carbon buildup (which is the cause of the plugs binding and breaking) and that highway driving would lesson this problem. Like many of you, I've been reading about the plug problem almost since I bought my truck (used). I gather the plug noses WERE NOT coated with anti-seize when originally installed at the factory. Maybe, now that anti-seize is used, the replacement plugs won't be so likely to break.

- Jack

[Dixie Design]

Great info from everyone, I really appreciate it! Sounds like I'll have a fuel induction service and then my plugs changed. Sweet.

[SinCityFX4]

Cool, so my 08' has the 1 piece plugs????

[Jackpine]

Outstanding, Dixie! How many miles were on your plugs, and, what kind of driving do you normally do?

- Jack

[Dixie Design]

Originally Posted by JackandJanet

Outstanding, Dixie! How many miles were on your plugs, and, what kind of driving do you normally do?

- Jack

Had 100,210 miles on my original plugs. I'd say that easily 70,000 of those miles are highway miles, most of them put on driving from Savannah to Hilton Head everyday for work and from Savannah to Valdosta visiting my wife nearly every weekend before we were married. Once I moved down here most of the miles were "almost highway" miles my daily commute is a 4 lane that's 55mph but has a few stoplights and school zones along the way. We always take my truck on trips to Atlanta, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, take it to the races: Talladega, Daytona, Charlotte etc, and it was my war wagon when I played golf on the Hooters Tour.