With all the problems with spark plugs, I'm wondering if I should have them changed before my warrante is up. If something get's screwed up,...hopefully it'll be covered. Offhand, any idea what the dealership is gonna charge to do this??
Thanks guys!
Allen

 

I have recently hit 35K miles myself, and have been pondering the idea also.

This should start another long, drawn out debate.

here we go........

 

I wouldn't bother with changing them. The plugs aren't covered under warranty and if they break them while changing them it's a coin toss as to whatever they'll do about it whether the truck is under warranty or not.

 

I do have the extended warranty on my truck and a great relatioship with a local dealer. Still can't decide what to do.
On one hand I know I will only have this truck for another two years at the most. But, on the other hand I am pretty **** about maintance on my vehicles and actually feel bad not having the plugs changed.

 

If you're only going to have the truck another 2 years why the hell would you risk maybe having to pay to fix what could happen if one breaks? The interval for changing the plugs is 100,000 miles, why feel bad about not changing them? Unless you get near 100,000 miles before selling the truck I wouldn't risk it.

 

The only reason I would not be comfortable running the same plugs is because no plug should be left in an engine for 100,000 miles!
I have always changed plugs at 30,000 miles on my vehicles. I don't give a crap what Ford sets as an interval.
Oh well, I guess I'll flip a coin.

 

I've run several engines up to and over 100K mikes and never changed the plugs.

I don't give a crap what Ford says either.

If the plugs still work, why change them?

Ask any large fleet that uses 100K Platinum plugs if they change them early. Go ahead, I dare you. Find me someone, anyone that has a 100K rated Platinum plug that quit working.

This is absolutely beyond belief that people change parts that don't need it, just because that's the way they always did it in the past.

 

Define 'large fleet'?
Lots of fleets change plugs much earlier. Try most police/fire departments.
Taxi fleets are the usage that let the plugs go to 100k. They put very little wear per mile as the engines are never let cool down.

The argument is specious anyway. Most fleets don't change plugs as a set.

They change any plug that goes bad.

They will change one lifter if a lifter goes bad. Or replace one valve.
Fleet economics has jack to do with personal economics.

If a fleet vehicle blows an engine, they deadline the truck, roll another. Then yank the engine, replace just the minimum broken parts, slather on a lot of RTV and put it back on the line.

They know that they will get virtually nothing for their vehicles when they are finally dumped at the auction.

On a 4.6 engine there is no reason to change the plugs before about 60k. That, by the way, is the recommended interval. The 100k is for 'light service'. I have NEVER seen a truck that got the factory definition of 'light service'.

On the 5.4, because of the KNOWN bug in the spark plug ends, changing the plugs at 30k is totally logical.

Paying to have the dealer change them, and assume the risk, is also logical.

I have always preferred to change my own plugs but if I had a 5.4 3 valve, I would let the dealer do it.
Just this once.
Then when the 'fix' comes out for the plugs I would install them myself. At whatever miles.

It is a known bug.
It has nothing to do with parts replacement.
If you received a notice that your oil that you put in at the last change was no good, didn’t meet the specifications, would you leave it in till the full interval? Or would you change it ‘early’?

 

If gas mileage suddenly dropped or if performance was down I would yank the plugs and inspect them. Otherwise I would change them 50-60k.

 

I had my oil changed Saturday at the dealer. I asked the service rep if they had run into the problem when changing plugs in the late 5.4s. He acted as if he had never heard there was a problem until I started telling him what the problem was, then he acknowleged "oh, that problem". He said they had not had to change any yet and were waiting to hear what Ford was going to tell them to do. I mentioned that it had been suggested to soak the plug in a solvent bbefore and as you remove it, and he said that they had heard that as a possibility.

 

Dealer quoted me around $250 to replace plugs with a stupid look on his face as he asked why I would want to do it. I didn't even bother to go into it. By the way thier parts dept. wanted $17 per plug. OUCH!

 

Exactly. If somthing is faulty, change it.

I understand your thinking, kinda "Kool Aid". Yes, you can run plugs for a long time. I just changed the plugs on my girlfriend's car... original plugs that came with the car... 192k miles.... they still worked...

But at 100k miles, the stock plugs WILL NOT be working at 100%... neither will the eintire engine, but the plugs are cheap and easy to change... and knowing that the chance of the plugs not coming out by the time you reach 100k miles..... Just change them early. I don't care what kind of guarentee you slap on the box, NO plug in the world should be left unchanged for 100k miles....

But hey, Ford has also produced a lifetime transmission fluid, so I bet they're plugs are good for a lifetime too..

 

OK......

What about those U-Joints in your drive-shaft?

They used to come with Zerk fittings installed, so you could grease them.

Now they come "lubed for life".

Do you pull your U-Joints out and drill them for Zerks?

 

LOUD NOISES!!

 

At 35K just have the 30K service performed as per Ford specifications. I just had this done and it cost me 372 and change. No plugs were changed because Ford the people who DESIGNED and ENGINEERED my truck did not require it. Let em go and be happy.

On a side note, I'm not giveing the engineers at Ford any props (heck any engineer for that matter I have to work around them). The power steering fluid is not power steering fluid any more it is automatic transmision fluid, thats why they suggested the flush at 30K. The service rep said it was a rip and don't bother until 60 or 100k. Granted I just contradicted myself but a guy has to save some money sometimes, lol.