My BIL's F-150

[Diamondpilot]

Well, got of the phone with my BIL just a few minutes ago. He called 3 dealers in his area. First put him on hold for 5 minutes and he did not want to wait so he hung up. It was the least convenient dealer for him. The next one said $85 per plug which he thought was high. He then called the dealer about a mile from his house. They were very nice and said $40 per plug plus the cost of the plugs. Said they do them every day and could get it in after lunch and put 2 guys on it and have it done by the end of the day. So all in all it would be $500 at that dealer for a plug change.

They did say they want to put new boots on all the COP's. Never heard of that but he did not ask them how much that was but will check when he takes it in. All the boots came off easily when we messed with it other than one.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

not being up on the new spark plug scene ( I get to see ag plugs like champion 512 ( H12 ) and autolite 437, etc.. ) what are these new plugs.. what makes em' so prone to breakage?

soundguy

 

[mwb]

not being up on the new spark plug scene ( I get to see ag plugs like champion 512 ( H12 ) and autolite 437, etc.. ) what are these new plugs.. what makes em' so prone to breakage?

soundguy

Wow! I had never heard of this either. This link - Ford TSB of the problem - explains it all. http://grufmanbil.se/webshop/mektips/tsb08-07-06.pdf

 

[Soundguy]

wow!

I see they do like anti seize on the front portion though.

what an ordeal!

soundguy

 

[OKnewguy]

Does anyone know if these are the plugs in my 04 E150 van. It has the 4.6. I have been reading up on this issue, and all of the literature I have read, list many vehicles but never the E150.
Thanks, Dave

 

[Diamondpilot]

Well its all fixed. They had it 4 hours but much of that time was just letting it cool off from the 1 mile or so drive there.

He talked to them quite a bit about it and they act like its no big deal. The Tech's are pros at doing plug changes and can get them done in no time flat. He said the worst they had was 6 broken plugs out of 8 and the bill was $639 for the removal of the 6 plugs plus the 2 non broken ones and replacing all the plugs with new. He said one of there Tech's could do it in 1/2 a day.

It ended up costing my BIL about $80. He was a happy camper. Just shows you how having a good dealer can make all the difference. Some of the other dealers were twice as much for the same work.

Yes, he could have bought the tool for $75 and did it himself but he just did not want to mess with it anymore.

Chris

 

[deerefan]

Well its all fixed. They had it 4 hours but much of that time was just letting it cool off from the 1 mile or so drive there.

He talked to them quite a bit about it and they act like its no big deal. The Tech's are pros at doing plug changes and can get them done in no time flat. He said the worst they had was 6 broken plugs out of 8 and the bill was $639 for the removal of the 6 plugs plus the 2 non broken ones and replacing all the plugs with new. He said one of there Tech's could do it in 1/2 a day.

It ended up costing my BIL about $80. He was a happy camper. Just shows you how having a good dealer can make all the difference. Some of the other dealers were twice as much for the same work.

Yes, he could have bought the tool for $75 and did it himself but he just did not want to mess with it anymore.

Chris

This is one thing I like better about GM trucks, though I own 2 fords. The plugs are easy to get to and they seem to be a lot easier to work on. I changed the plugs, oil and filter and belt in a 2007 Chevy 4.8 with 95k miles and it took a little over an hour. Seems the triton motors are a bear to work on.

 

[Diamondpilot]

This is one thing I like better about GM trucks, though I own 2 fords. The plugs are easy to get to and they seem to be a lot easier to work on. I changed the plugs, oil and filter and belt in a 2007 Chevy 4.8 with 95k miles and it took a little over an hour. Seems the triton motors are a bear to work on.

This may be true, not sure. I can honestly say though this is the first issue he has had in 3 trucks for about 10 years of ownership. I have had 6 Triton powered trucks and my father has had 4 and not a single one has been in the shop. My friends with GM trucks seem to have many nickle and dime items over time so not sure which one is better? I guess its all in what you fill most comfortable with and want to spend your money on.

Either way, 108,000 miles and $600 in maintenance above oil, tires, battery, brakes, ect seems good to me.

Chris

 

[deerefan]

This may be true, not sure. I can honestly say though this is the first issue he has had in 3 trucks for about 10 years of ownership. I have had 6 Triton powered trucks and my father has had 4 and not a single one has been in the shop. My friends with GM trucks seem to have many nickle and dime items over time so not sure which one is better? I guess its all in what you fill most comfortable with and want to spend your money on.

Either way, 108,000 miles and $600 in maintenance above oil, tires, battery, brakes, ect seems good to me.

Chris

I could go either way, just the recent GM bail out left me sour. I've always seen it this way, if you want a truck for a nice ride and occasional work, buy a GM. If you want a truck you can work the dog out of, maybe not as comfortable a ride, buy a ford. If you trade vehicles every 80-100k miles and the price of a truck is most important, can't go wrong with a dodge. All 3 have their ups and downs and I wouldn't turn my back on any of them. My 97 F150 4x4 with the 4.6 had its motor replaced at 180k, due to a cracked head causing the radiator tank to puke. It still has the original tranny and as we speak is in the shop getting new ball joints and tie rod ends (original), both power windows repaired (neither work), the 3rd door repaired (does not open) and the odometer fixed (quit working a couple months ago). All this is costing me about 3k and I'm getting a truck back I know the history on. We were going to purchase a used truck for me to run back and forth to work in, but the prices are absurd. This truck has long been paid for and I promise, on every vehicle, to fix all major items once before getting rid of it. Needless to say, we hold on to vehicles a while.

 

[schmism]

Just wondering if anyone else has had issues with plugs breaking off?

Chris

Dont the V10's also have a plug issue. I know my friend has a Expedition with a V10 and had plug issues with it.

cant remember if it was the stuck/broken plug or if it was the spit the plug out of the head because the chitty AL threads in the head issue.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Dont the V10's also have a plug issue. I know my friend has a Expedition with a V10 and had plug issues with it.

cant remember if it was the stuck/broken plug or if it was the spit the plug out of the head because the chitty AL threads in the head issue.

I think a small percentage have been know to spit plugs. Its due to over torque and non use of anti seize. The Ford head leave a lot to be desired due to only have 4 or 5 threads but the post 05's were much better giving more threads when they went to the 3v design giving them a power increase.

Chris

 

[Patches]

I think a small percentage have been know to spit plugs. Its due to over torque and non use of anti seize. The Ford head leave a lot to be desired due to only have 4 or 5 threads but the post 05's were much better giving more threads when they went to the 3v design giving them a power increase.

Chris

I had an '05, 3valve, 3.73 gears and if they got a power increase over the earlier 2 valve, I would surely hate to own one of them :laughing:

 

[Diamondpilot]

I had an '05, 3valve, 3.73 gears and if they got a power increase over the earlier 2 valve, I would surely hate to own one of them :laughing:

Your 3.73's were the issue. My uncle has a 05 with 4.30's and its a beast. He also had a 01 or 02, can not remember, with 4.10's and it was pretty good also. Pushed lots of snow with that rig and pulled 14,000# all summer long.

Chris

 

[Dmace]

I think a small percentage have been know to spit plugs.

Small percentage? Under statement of the year!

Both the V8 and V10 engines had problems with spitting and breaking plugs. So either you over-torque them correctly and have them break in the head or torque them properly and watch them fly right out of your hood. :laughing:

 

[Soundguy]

my f250 has the 3.73's.. but the 6.0 keeps it powered up pretty good. have only niticed issues when pulling fully loaded trailer inthe mountains..

don't have to worry about it anymore.. got a real truck now..

soudnguy

 

[Diamondpilot]

Small percentage? Under statement of the year!

Both the V8 and V10 engines had problems with spitting and breaking plugs. So either you over-torque them correctly and have them break in the head or torque them properly and watch them fly right out of your hood. :laughing:

We can argue this all day long but the facts are I have owned 6 F-150, by BIL has had 3, and my Father has had 4. My neighbor has had 2, my uncle 2 V-10's, and I would say just of the top of my head 30 or so of my boating buddies and clients have had them. The only one I have heard of it happening on is a friends 2002 F-250 V10 with 130,000 miles spit 2 plugs last summer. It was fixed by my uncle at his shop in a afternoon without removing the head.

I am sure there are issues, just like Dodge has the worst auto trannys of the bunch, but it gets blown way out of proportion on the net and we all buy into it. Lets face it, I had trouble with trannys in my Dodge but I have 4 customers with Dodge 1500 series trucks of which 2 currently tow boats in the 10,000# range, 1 in the 8,000# range, and 1 in the 6,000# range with no troubles what so ever.

Chris

 

[puckgrinder85]

Removing the plugs from the 3v's is quite easy really, its which one breaks that makes it change difficulty. The main reason they pull apart is the carbon from engine combustion grows on the shaft, when you try to remove the hole for this shaft isnt large enough and you get a binding and with enough force, pulls the plug in two halves. The main thing to try to get them out is, loosen them only a few turns, maybe two full turns if that, just enough to unseat the plugs from the head, spray pb-blaster or similar into the plug wells and let them sit for a good hour and come back, retighten them, and then try to remove them. Normally this works as it loosens that carbon enough. If not, well, you'll have to pull them out with the special puller. Anti-seize is to be put on the shank of the new plug to help with this problem.


Ps- If you're removing the coils please replaced the COP boots at the same time, and minute cracks are whats going to lead to misfires and what not. Linemen test their gloves a lot for any pinholes for this same reason, high voltage will find a way through the smallest holes.

 

[crbr]

can never seize be used on them ?

i use it on my gasser tractors plugs.

soundguy

Certainly.

I use Never-Seize on every possible bolted or mechanical fastener or connection I come in contact with. I even use it on hoses that attach to water pumps, exhaust silencers, etc on the inboard boat engine. Hoses change out super easy. A good product. I ran into the anti-seize compound about 25 years ago when I was working in the nuclear power industry, a career field that I spent a lot of years working. They use that stuff on all high-pressure and low-pressure bolted connections in the steam lines......pumps, valves, etc.... Sure saves a lot of headache for changing out any type of maintenance or repair item such as gaskets or valve seats. Better than duct tape by a mile...

 

[Haoleguy]

Recently had my plugs changed in a 1998 F150 with the smaller 4.6L V8 at 115K miles. Ford dealer and a local GMC dealer warned me of breaking plugs. Went with the GMC dealer as they are more skilled than the competing Ford dealer. Didn't break a plug and came in under budget for assorted maintenance tasks. Great local family owned GMC dealer.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Recently had my plugs changed in a 1998 F150 with the smaller 4.6L V8 at 115K miles. Ford dealer and a local GMC dealer warned me of breaking plugs. Went with the GMC dealer as they are more skilled than the competing Ford dealer. Didn't break a plug and came in under budget for assorted maintenance tasks. Great local family owned GMC dealer.

Having a competent tech is worth its weight in gold. Glad you found the right man for the job, even tough it was at the GM dealer. I am sure they earned your respect and thats what they should do. You could be a future customer for them and they want to treat you right. Too bad the Ford dealer in your area is not up to par. Maybe they should steel a few guys from your GM dealer. Either way, sounds like you found a good place to get your stuff worked on.

A friend ran into the same type of thing. He had a Mustang he wanted painted and after all the checking around he got it done at a Pontiac dealership. This was back in the late 90's but the same type of deal.

Chris