TSB 06-5-9 outlines removal of broken plugs. If anyone needs it, I have a copy and can e-mail it to you.

Yes post it:thumbsup:

There is no chance that it is just the specific plugs that Ford uses? Has anyone replaced the original plugs and on their next plug change found the rusted problem or were the new plugs ok??

I can E-mail it!

The "fix" is to remove the plugs with the engine semi warm. Loosen each plug no more than 1/4 turn and spray your favorite penetrating oil (Ford specifies Kroil - I prefer PB Blaster) down in the well, not a whole lot, just enough to barely cover the hex portion of the plug. Go get a cold beer and wait for 10-15 minutes to allow the oil to wick down the plug, then pull 'em. I've done several sets this way, and I've yet to break one.

ETA - And if the plug should break, there is a tool to remove what's left of the insert. I have not used this tool yet personally, but from what I've read from other dealer guys who have had to use it, it works well.

Mine were changed at the dealer and through a tsb at 20,000 and none broke. They all looked brand new.

Thank you Quintin For the info:thumbsup:

Is Ford recommending a different plug for replacement? My truck is close to 14k miles and I hope to have this thing for 5 or 6 years and if changing the plugs early will help when it REALLY needs done then I'm all for it.

As always, thanks Quintin. You rock :thumbsup:

I'll be doing this real soon and getting some antisieze on 'em.

Cheers :beers:
Grog

Again, its not the threads that are seizing, its the shaft portion due to poor design, so antisieze will not do anything.

Hi.

Sure. I know that - I've been following the plug threads religiously for a while now.

What it will do for me is make my frequent removal/inspection/cleaning/replacement effort easier :thumbsup:

I'm gonna be real good at removing these things :)

Cheers :beers:
Grog

TSB 06-5-9

FORD: 2004 F-150

ISSUE:

Some 2004 F-150 vehicles with a 5.4L 3-valve engine may experience difficulty with spark plug removal which may cause damage to the spark plug and leave part of the spark plug in the cylinder head.
ACTION:
Refer to the following Service Procedure for techniques to remove the spark plugs and extract broken spark plugs.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

General Spark Plug Removal

To remove spark plugs without damage, it is necessary to adhere exactly to this procedure before removal is attempted.
1. Make sure the engine is warm (hand touch after cooling down).

CAUTION: DO NOT REMOVE PLUGS WHEN THE ENGINE IS EXTREMELY HOT OR COLD SOAKED. THIS INCREASES THE CHANCE THE THREADS COULD BE DAMAGED.

CAUTION: BE SURE TO WEAR SAFETY GLASSES FOR STEP 2.

3. Remove the coil-on-plug assemblies and thoroughly blow out the spark plug wells and surrounding valve cover area with compressed air.
4. Back out the spark plugs, no more than 1/8 to 1/4 of a turn. Apply penetrating oil (AeroKroil or equivalent) and fill the spark plug well just above where the jamb nut hex sits. A minimum period of 5 to 10 minutes of soak time is required. The penetrating oil will wick down to the ground electrode shield in this time.

CAUTION: EXCESSIVE PENETRANT, OR REPEATING THE PROCESS SEVERAL TIMES WITH TOO MUCH FLUID, COULD INTRODUCE ENOUGH LIQUID VOLUME TO HYDRO-LOCK THE ENGINE.

CAUTION: DO NOT USE AIR OR POWER TOOLS FOR PLUG REMOVAL. THE PLUG MUST ONLY BE REMOVED WITH HAND TOOLS.

6. Slowly turn the spark plug out. Some screeching and high effort may be noticed but, not in every case. The expected removal torque is about 33 lb-ft (45 N-m) but should decrease on the way out. If it is higher, try turning the spark plug back in a half turn, then back out again. If the turning torque still seems high, repeat the back and forth rotation along with some penetrating oil to reduce turning effort.

Separated/Broken Spark Plug Removal

If the plug does come apart even after following the General Spark Plug Removal Procedure, it will break in one of two modes:
Mode 1: The ground electrode shield is left behind as an empty shell (Figure 1).
https://www.f150online.com/galleries...691-167695.jpg

Figure 1 - Article 06-5-9

Mode 2: The porcelain center and ground electrode shield is left behind and only the upper jamb nut comes out. In this case more soaking is required and long-reach nose pliers should be used to grasp and remove the porcelain center from the ground electrode shield (Figure 2).
https://www.f150online.com/galleries...691-167694.jpg

Figure 2 - Article 06-5-9

Once there is only an empty ground electrode shield left in the cylinder head, perform the following steps to remove the shield using Rotunda Special Service Tool 303-1203 (Figure 3).
https://www.f150online.com/galleries...691-167693.jpg

Figure 3 - Article 06-5-9

NOTE: THIS TOOL IS ONLY DESIGNED TO WORK WITH AN EMPTY GROUND ELECTRODE SHIELD. IF THE SPARK PLUG CAME APART IN MODE 2, THE PORCELAIN CENTER MUST BE REMOVED PRIOR TO FOLLOWING THESE STEPS.

1. The combustion chamber must be protected from contamination during the extraction process by using a modified vacuum cap (382444-S) as a stopper-type plug. This is because the remaining ground electrode shield will be thread-tapped, so the cap is needed to prevent thread chips from falling into the cylinder bore. Cut a vacuum cap to a 3/8" (10 mm) length for each ground electrode shield that needs to be removed.
2. Install the modified cap with a long drill bit or suitable wire (Figure 4), sized for the internal diameter of the cap. The rubber cap should bottom-out on the electrode strap of the ground electrode shield once installed.
https://www.f150online.com/galleries...691-167692.jpg

Figure 4 - Article 06-5-9

3. Thread-tap the ground electrode shield Using a 9.0 x 1.0 mm "plug" tap (tap profile is about 3-4 reduced diameter threads on the tip end).
a. Coat the end of the tap with general purpose grease as shown in Figure 5.
https://www.f150online.com/galleries...691-167691.jpg

Figure 5 - Article 06-5-9

b. Turn the tap about 3 to 4 turns into the ground electrode shield once the tap begins to cut. As the shield is tapped, for every 1/2 turn, the tap should be backed up 1/8 turn to "break chips" and prevent any cut material from coiling-up and laying in the spark plug well. All of the thread chips will embed in the grease pack or drop inside the vacuum cap when following this procedure. A suitably sized tap wrench of about 7-9 inches in handle length will aid in reaching down the well. If not available, use an 8 point socket with a ratchet and drive extension. Keep the shank aligned with the axis of the spark plug bore cavity to prevent possible thread bore damage. Use care not to damage any spark plug threads on the way in.

CAUTION: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE GROUND ELECTRODE SHIELD WITH THE TAP AND WRENCH. THE TAP MAY BREAK IF THIS IS ATTEMPTED.

c. Carefully back out the tap while maintaining the residual grease coat on the tap which contains some chips. Take care not to touch the sides of the spark plug well bore during removal.
4. Once the ground electrode shield is tapped, thread Rotunda Special Service Tool 303-1203 into the ground electrode shield to extract it from the spark plug well and encapsulate any remaining chips from falling into the combustion chamber.

NOTE: SEE FIGURE 6 FOR DETAILS OF THE TOOL AS INSTALLED IN THE HEAD.
https://www.f150online.com/galleries...691-167690.jpg

Figure 6 - Article 06-5-9

a. Install the stepped end of the tool pilot bushing into the spark plug well ensuring it bottoms out.
b. Screw the center shank into the ground electrode shield. Do not over tighten the shank, to prevent thread stripping.
c. Install the nylon washer and jack nut until finger tight.
d. Turn the jack nut with a socket and 3/8" drive ratchet until the ground electrode is freed from the cavity and withdraw the tool assembly. Several turns of the nut are required. Upon removal, any remaining chips not caught earlier by the tap grease will be captured by the rubber plug sitting at the bottom of the ground electrode shield.

NOTE: ONCE THE SPARK PLUGS HAVE ALL BEEN REMOVED, NEW PLUGS SHOULD BE INSTALLED USING A FILM COATING OF NICKEL ANTI-SEIZE ON THE GROUND ELECTRODE SHIELD OF THE NEW SPARK PLUG. DO NOT COAT THE ELECTRODE STRAP OR THE PLUG WILL MISFIRE. THE NEW PLUGS SHOULD BE INSTALLED WITH NO LUBRICANT ON THE THREADS AND TORQUED TO SPECIFICATION, 25 LB-FT (34 N-m).

PART NUMBER PART NAME
AeroKroil Obtain through www.kanolabs.com or by calling 1-800-311-3374 (orange aerosol can)
382444-S Vacuum Cap

Haha, I could only imagine a routine spark plug change involving this nightmare. Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that much work for a simple spark plug. The internal combustion engine has been using spark plugs for decades, if not an entire century. And somehow, despite this, this simple spark emitting plug deisgn has become this complicated. It boggles my mind.

so it sounds like this is luck of the draw...or if you follow the tsb....you'll be fine as well...seems like a lot of you guys know your stuff..and if you say you've changed several with a warm engine and some penetrating oil, and not had problems...well, i guess that's good enough for me...

quick question though..i havent researched the parts yet..but is there a problem with just the OEM plugs...or has anyone picked up some aftermarket ones that haven't had this problem....or is it just going to be any plug going into it?

Nobody else that I know except Autolite and Motorcraft make this style plug yet.

No kidding? And the pentrating oil is a joke!

http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/7901/img13023wh.jpg


No oil is getting past the jamnut seal until after the plug is backed out a bit, and by then the electrode tube has already either sheared or freed.

I would follow the warm engine mandate, however it is apparently an art as to just what a "warm" engine might be.

whoa back from the dead..

Thanks for bringing back bad memories lol

Thats what Im saying, by the time you loosen the plug "one turn" the damn thing has already snapped. And dont be fooled, how can penetrating oil get past threads that are designed to handle 200+ psi of AIR pressure. It just doesnt make any sense. Its a ghetto solution to a serious problem, thanks Ford.

Ford should really have a recall to fix the piss poor design, so you have to go through this everytime you change your plugs??!! They need to fix this horrendous eff up instead of continuing to build the motors as they are. How can this be tolerated by consumers?? Im furious.

Kroil penetrates to 1 millionth inch spaces. It's thinner than air

http://www.kanolabs.com/

So your saying it will get past the tapered seal??

I was skeptical just like you man.. I sprayed some penetrating oil down in the hole one day just for giggles.. WD-40.

Couple days later, went out and tried to remove the plug.. I put the socket on it ans turned it... yeah it turned EFFORTLESSLY. I was scared at first.. I thought it was already broke. Nope, I removed the plug . The insert 9below the jam nut) was wet and smelled like wd-40.. I didnt believe that penetrating oil would be able to make it past there either.. it does!

I was WRONG.

I guess you live in the "Ghetto"....... :lol:

:wave:

Where's the ground strap off the broken plug? Hopefull when these things snap the ground strap isn't falling into the cylinder.

Grim

Nope it doesn't fall into the cylinder. It just stays stuck in the spark plug hole in the cylinder.

Remarkable, I stand corrected! Sounds like kroil is even better. Caution, this would also imply that the stuff can penetrate skin, be absorbed, and give the liver a bit of a problem.

No more than the 12 pack drank during removal/install of the plugs. :lol:

Well, this information is good news to me. I just hope it works in my case, but then again I believe nothing I hear and half of what I see. :lol:

When spark plug replacement time comes around, guess I'll try the Kriol and pray that the plug comes out...all of it.

hendrix....did you continue driving after you sprayed it?..or let it sit for the couple days on a cold engine??....

would just like to get as much info as possible, before i give it a try...

I still drove it... I didnt fill the plug wells up.. I just sprayed a little down in the holes.. A little goes a long way. Spray too much and it could possible misfire.

Koolaid? From the Ghetto? You're an idiot.

i just cleaned all of mine with no issues. they broke loose easy and went back in after i cleaned the threads.

I guess you don't read these posts.

If you look at post #99 you will clearly see that silverbullet5.4 says......

So, who's the idiot? :confused:

:wave:

1. God forbid I be skeptical about something like this, Khendrix admitted he was skeptical too along with Im sure a lot of other ppl.

2. the Kriol still isnt a fix to the problem, the piss poor design still allows the plug to become siezed in the first place. Now it seems we have a way to possibly preven the plug from breaking, but its by no means a solution to the problem. So in my mind, when I see poor engineering coupled with solutions that dont really fix the problem...its jerry rigging, ghetto rigging, or whatever you want to call it.

3. You need to step off my nuts, if you have nothing else better to do than counter ever post I make, than you seriously need to get a life. So seriously, step off my nuts. I hope I make myself clear.

It's been covered here many times. Some have had problems taking theirs out. Mine came out without a problem. Just follow the dealer prescribed steps for removal. They shouldn't come apart upon removal if removed the right way, but some rebels have problems with authority and want to do it their way. So what. Complaining about it won't get anyone anywhere, except maybe being made fun of here.

R/R the plugs properly and there won't be any issues. Bottom line.

Uhh, customers complaining is what creates recalls and real solutions to problems. If no customers ever complained and made known issues that were present with their vehicles, then auto companies would never recall vehicles and the consumer has to eat it. So tell me how again that works to my advantage? I could care less if someone "makes fun" of me or anyone on here for identifying problems and discussing solutions. If that is grounds for "making fun" of someone, then the joke's really on them.

Bottom line is that if ppl didnt share their experiences and YOU didnt know about it, then how would you know to take the proper procedure??

Friend of mine works as an ase certified mechanic at the dealership I go to. Big whoop. I'm not saying there isn't a problem, but if a recall needs to be done there would have been one already. The vast majority of people out there have no problem whatsoever R/R-ing their plugs. The only reason I let the dealer do mine (spark knock tsb) was because of all the bellyaching I saw here and it made me a bit concerned, as well as the tsb needed to be done, and I had 25,000 miles on the odo. I watched my friend take them out. No big deal. No fuss. I was concerned over nothing it seemed.

Making this thread longer with more posts covering the same repetitive thing doesn't make there more be complainers, just one more complaining.

The number of people having problems is not what I'm worried about. It is the serious nature of the spark plug problem that has me worried.

Some people have problems ejecting a cd from the player. I think some of the problems can be tallied up as user error.

So it is the user's fault that the spark plug is poorly designed and the ground shield gets stuck in the cylinder? :rolleyes:

Just because YOU'VE taken your truck to the dealer and determine YOU didnt have a problem, doesnt mean the problem doesnt apply to the rest of us. So if you have determined the problem doesnt apply to you, then stop posting on the thread. Simple as that. But of the rest of us, the problem still is a reality and are still gathering information, hence why the thread exists. Its a pretty selfish mindset to say that since youre in the clear, we should all stop talking about it.