Dealer claims spark plugs "stuck", need advice/opinions

^ Original owner should have just used antiseize. Lol.

 

LOL. Sounds like 10 cylinders of pure american junk.

 

Original owner never touched the engine, just turned it in at the end of the lease, however, my buddy should have wondered why a 4 year old massive SUV, with original cost of 60k plus, was only going for 6k at 90k miles...a loss of value of depreciation of $1,125 PER MONTH.

The same numbers for my Tacoma would be 28k new/21k at four years or 7k/48 = $145/month, almost 1/10 the depreciation loss of the exploder, give or take $20/month. My 07 Dodge Ram 1500ST had REAL depreciation loss of $156/month over the same four years.

Howard

 

I've changed mine at 30k intervals myself at home, never used anti-seize and never once had a problem. Technician definitely screwed up.

 

Heads are OK. Ford trying to reinvent the spark plug by making the body 2-piece was the problem... http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/04/ford-triton-v8-engine-spark-plug-tsb/index.htm

There are relatively inexpensive extractor tools available now specifically for this problem in Fords:

$70 Lisle 65600 Broken Plug Remover for Ford

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-LIS65600-Broken-Remover-Engines/dp/B00267PZUK

Can't remember if the Ford Excursion was heavy enough to qualify for capital equipment subsidies like the Hummer H2 lol.

 

i'm glad this is resolved.

i would have at least looked at the old sparkplugs..not that they couldnt go and get any sparkplugs. at some point there needs to be some faith.

there is no way to get an impact gun into that tight space..right?

 

Impact gun spark plugs!
Hell no!

 

Not me. It was mentioned above.

 

My V-10 6.8L Excursion went 241,200 miles before I traded it in. I replaced the spark plugs three times in that time.

Hardly junk.

 

My 1st gen has coil packs, no wires.

 

To each there own I change my plugs and fuel filter every spring Could be 10 to 15 thousand miles could just as easy be 5000.

I use a copper based never seize put them in by hand 1/4 turn with a 3/8 ratchet.

Knock on wood in 40 years never broke a plug or failed to get one out.

The problem with the OP there is no way it could proved who worked on it last in that many miles.

 

If it's the 3.4 it's coil on plug on one side and a coil pack with 3 plug wires on the other.

 

2.7.
No wires

 

Ah. When I worked in parts and someone needed a tune up for their 3.4 they always thought I was trying to rip them off when I handed them a box with only 3 wires lol.

 

Honestly i have seen plugs back out before (pops had an old 89 yota pickup with the 22RE.... driving to work had one spin out.... kept driving on 3 cylinders to get to work.... threaded it back in, tightened them all... zero issues)

But this one in my buddies ford was WEIRD. the ceramic / center electrode spun inside the metal threads and ground. So the threads were able to spin and back out and go to the point where it just ripped the rest of the threads out.

Oh and... that 5.4 in that year f150 is HORRIBLY placed.... the very front spark plugs are all of 6in from the firewall... the other 3 on each side are burried BEHIND the firewall in the tunnel. So glad im not working on that truck.

 

To loosen, sure. It's actually the method with the highest success rate on the Ford 5.4s.

 

Maybe on your Fords, but in some cases that could rip the threads out of the head!
I prefer penetrating oil, some heat, like has already been suggested.

 

I didn't put too much thought to them having not actually performed the service. You really think that's a possibility at a certified Toyota? As much time as they invested I wouldn't think they'd just bail lol.

I do most of my maintenance excluding brakes and spark plugs. By the time the next service interval comes around I should be done with apt living, have a garage, more room for tools, etc.

So install cold but remove hot, 15 ftlbs? Anti seize or no anti seize? Sounds like conflicting opinions exist on this.

I read one of the other problems with the 5.4 is it doesn't have much thread engagement.

 

Plugs are cheap and the $250-$300 the dealer charges is mostly labor, so spark plug replacement is one of the more worthwhile jobs to do yourself.

Anti-seize is preferred. However, don't torque it to the service manual spec. Just run the plug down by hand with the socket extension (the anti-seize makes it easy to feel when the plug has bottomed), then snap on the ratchet handle and give it an extra quarter turn.

I don't own Fords. The info comes from Ford dealer mechanics at /r/Justrolledintotheshop/. You are more likely to rip the threads out with a manual ratchet than an impact, actually. An impact wrench gives a series of taps rather than continuous torsion. Of course you can use oil and heat in conjunction with an impact.

 

Truth