Hey I was just wondering if anyone else out there has had the same problem I had. I've got an '02 5.4L F150 that recently had one of the spark plugs strip out. I just went the cheap way and had the local body shop put a heli (sp?) coil in and replace all the plugs. I was told by the Ford garage that this was a common problem with the late 90's models but should have been fixed by my model. Anybody had this problem?

 

I have a 2000 5.4 and had one blow out last week. I bought the time-sert kit and will fix it next week. From what I have read, it is pretty common.


Randy

 

i heard its more common problem on the 5.4 than the 4.6

 

Last summer it happened to me. Engine world in Deptford NJ fixed mine with a time sert. Has run very well since. I have 134,000 right now on the engine. Always worried about the spark plugs getting loose and flying out.

 

I have A 1997 f150 w/ 5.4 and at 82,000 i lost my first plug and fixed it with a helicoil. now at 90,459, i lost my second plug on opposite side and this time it messed up head. now i am lookin for an engine, head at ford installed is almost 3,000.00.. too much when you can go get a rebuilt engine for 2500.00.
So much for Ford and their better idea?? I love my ford truck but i cant afford to do this anymore so I think i am goin to go for a toyota tundra and get away from ford till they do better.

 

So far from what i see from the responses to this thread it is just happening to the 5.4L which i am fine with.

'97 F-150 4X4 4.6L

 

I just traded in my 2001 f-250 with 5.4 I had the 3rd one from the back passenger side blow out I fixed it with a heli coil at about 70,000 and it worked fine for a while and it blew out again and took the heli coil with it at about 82,000 i didnt drive the truck a whole lot and it was about 2 or 3 years after the original fix. I called ford and emailed them for 3 weeks trying to see if they would do anything and they just said they new it was a problem but no TSB or recall on it and they were sorry for my misfortune I was so pissed I told them where to stick it. well they got me cause I traded it for a 05 f150 the bad thing was most mechanics I talked to didnt even want to touch it they said it was a pain. I know 4 people this has happened too and I think its bull. I would like to know what you ended up doing thanks

 

I ended up having my mechanic put the heli coil in and every mechanic I talked to won't warranty work like that so basically I'm screwed if it happens again. I'm also very upset and got a similar response from ford.

 

Mine blew (passenger side) at about 92,000 miles after I changed the plugs at about 75,000. I helio-coiled it myself in my garage. I waited the longest time before I ventured into doing anything with the plugs out of fear of a blowout again. Finally at 200,000 miles, I changed the plugs again. I now have 220,000 miles and the helio-coil is still holding up. In the two plug changes, I have never applied dialectic grease. Seems to run fine at this point. Cost me $14 for the helio-coil kit, and I still have the second helio-coil (kit had two) if needed.

 

The blowout problem was fixed late in 2003 I believe.

I had a '99 that blew two out. The first one was fixed with a solid insert from heli-coil. The second somehow destroyed my motor. I replaced it with a motor from an '03, but too early in the production year for the updated heads. The updated heads have more threads supposedly.

A quick search will yeild more info than I'd bet your willing to read.

BTW, I had plenty of time to find a replacement motor since i had other vehicles to drive. Waited almost a year before I found one worth getting. It had 23k on it and I got it for 1150 at a salvage yard. Wasn't too hard to put in, but I was only able to work on it an hour here an hour there in a dimmly barely heated garage. Took me almost 3 months. Worth it though, I know the truck pretty well now.

www.car-parts.com is how I found my motor.

 

Had one pop out on my Expedition (4.6); had the entire family in the SUV when she blew! No kidding, it happened near a K-Mart parking lot, directly across from a Pep Boys auto parts store! Bad news? When the plug blew it broke the "coil-on-plug" mount (dare I say: "coil [blew off]plug?). Good news? Plug not torqued properly! Replaced spark plug and Zip tied coil-on-plug; works good, last long time, family impressed, and I'm a hero (dilusions of grandure). Signed~ Fixed Or Repaired Daily; or, First On Race Day; or, Found On Roadside Dead (you make the call). Pop Goes the Weasle!

 

yeah the second time they couldnt even get a heli coil in it so I ended up just doing some "things" to get it running again and took it to the dealership. I was actually quite disappointed in fords customer service they really didnt even want to talk to me if your having this problem I would do the same thing my mechanic recommended after the first time it happened is to get rid of it cause it will happen again and its expensive to fix the next time it happens nobody would touch it for under 3000 so it was time for the truck to go and it was too bad cause i really liked the truck

 

I used a time cert kit and repaired mine myself The kit is easy to use and sure seemed to be a solid fix considering what Ford has given us. Must be many of us for it to justify Time Cert to build such a elaborate tool. I sold it and have it no longer The truck and the kit
Bought a Toyota

 

I blew a plug just this past weekend, got 150,000 miles on the motor. It broke the COP in the process. So a buddy and I installed a helio-coil and life is fine. I heard what I thought was an "exhaust" leak earlier that day...it blew when I had left an intersection (not hammering it hard or anything) sure made a racket...I thought I had busted the head. The fix was not to hard...the difficult part was because the plugs are so far down in the head. $100 in parts later and a home-made tool later and I am on the road again.

Mine is a 5.4L 1998 F-150.....

 

Sorry Guys but the Time Cert kit is history. Never know when I might need it. Thanks again Dave

Jake