At 190,000 I’m doing my plugs for the second time. The drivers rear plug broke on me and the lisle tool won’t budge it after 3 days of trying with multiple tools (18 hours total with 3 people). There’s nothing left of the metal sleeve anymore for the lisle tool to grip,, I can see the crossbar on the broken plug so I know there’s nothing left in there. I did sacrifice my lisle tool and tightened it as much as possible with the strongest JB Weld I could find for one last try.

Looks like I’m gonna be pulling the head tomorrow so here is my question. Since this is an 04 screw Lariat, 5.4, what all should I do while I’m in there? I’ve had zero problems in 14 years...I’m so mad!

Should I replace the cam phasers, chains, vvt solenoids? Yes it has been a baby diesel ticking machine since 35,000 miles but has been incredibly reliable. I hate to crack it open so while it’s being torn down I want to replace everything necessary. Is there a “kit” that I can get at Ford with all the parts? Guides, tensioners?

Sorry, I’m flustered and very unhappy right now. This truck has been my baby for 14 years and almost 200,000 miles then this happens. I’m dumbstruck and any help will be very appreciated. Thank You All in Advance, Chris

 

If at 190k you are still running the original chain/guides/phasers/solenoids and you are pulling the head, I would say yes replace the timing set.
While you are in there: oil pump upgrade: https://www.f150online.com/forums/v8...-pan-pump.html

also consider, if needed, replacing water pump, power steering while you are in there.

Timing set:
1 of 4 good videos to watch prior to starting if needed:

 

Yep, I would replace everything if it were my truck.

Those videos nu-supercrew posted are good.

As far as kits, I don't think Ford sells a direct part# of a box of parts. I believe you'll need to scavenge a diagram to get the part numbers. I know folks mention the different tensioners and one piece aftermarket cams. But that requires tuning. At this point, I'd stick with Motorcraft parts and make it a couple day project to make sure everything is done precisely.

Sounds like you got willing-bodies to help. Having a grease monkey to wrench things off can make you focus on the tedious job of making sure everything goes back together right the first time. I see so many folks on here take it apart, then rush it and have to take it apart again.

Good luck.

 

Thanks for the input, I will watch those videos for sure. My family has had an auto repair shop here in Tampa for 40 years and my brother is pretty mad I did this in my driveway. I worked there through college and law school but became a lawyer cause I don’t want to spend all day turning wrenches. When I turned it over to him he wanted to pull the head and I’m resistant to crack this engine open.

To make things worse our Mom died from lung and brain cancer on 3/14 so it’s been less than a month. I was just trying to stay busy...none broke the first time around and I’m shocked one broke this time since I took every precaution I’ve ever read on here to make sure they came out in one piece. When it rains it pours fellas!

Thanks for the input.

 

Hey Chris, my condolences to you and your family on the loss of your Mother.

Let us know how the repair goes.

 

My condolences as well, to you and your family on the loss of your mother.

 

Also, Do not use Dorman or other aftermarket parts / phasers. Use only Motorcraft/ Ford.

 

Thank you for your thoughts, my mother ran our repair shop since I was born....my 2 brothers are the head mechanics. It’s a small shop but it put me through college, law school and now it belongs to my older brother and we are trying to make our new lives work. It’s just bad timing. But thank you again, she was our referee!

I want to buy the kit you suggested and he wants to replace piece by piece from the dealership, he’s sure that I will get the wrong parts, and I’m sure he won’t get all the parts but without all the part numbers I can’t prove to him that our discount won’t be less than just buying the amazon kit you suggested. The timing just sucks, pardon the pun.

I’ll let him rip it down tomorrow morning and when he sees I’m right I guess I’ll order the kit then have time to clean everything up. He’s used to people nickel and diming him on parts and I just want to put all new Ford parts on my truck, I won’t go aftermarket on these items!

Thanks again, Chris

 

The description of that Amazon kit has all the Ford part numbers. Compare that to what you can get individually from a dealer. Get the Melling oil pump.

 

Thanks glc for pointing that out! That kit has been ordered and now I will sweat this Florida weather rippin her down til my parts get here Wednesday. Keeping my fingers crossed! Thanks everyone!

 

I can see i'm a little late in posting this for you ,but if there is any of the barrel left of the plug you could tap (tap/die kit) and re thread the barrel of the plug so the Lisle tool can get a bite on it..this is what i did...i tack welded a 3/8th tap on a long extension and put new threads in and it pulled right out with the lisle tool...

 

Sorry to hear about your current situation. Especially about your mother. Out of curiosity, what method did you use to remove the plugs the first time and this time? What plugs did you replace them with and did you nickel anti-seize them?

 

Little update, the timing components will be here today so the go back together process will start. Lucky for me (serious sarcasm), 2 plugs in the pass side broke so both heads came off. What a bad plug changing experience.

The first time I changed the plugs at 90k I was ignorant to the issue with the plugs, I knew the plugs looked really odd and they screamed bloody murder the entire way out...it scared me but none broke. I replaced them with the Autolite plugs the parts store sent me. I did use the high nickel anti seize but only because it made sense at the time.

A deep well 9/16 and various straight extensions in 3/8ths and 1/2 inch got the job done. I repeated the process the exact same way this time, also following the numerous threads I e read on this site. So the truck was at operating temp, each plug was cracked loose, pb blaster in overnight and did the 1/2 turn out, 1/4 turn in procedure. Obviously this time it didn’t work.

I’m putting the Motorcraft SP 515s back in...time to put it all back together now! Thanks everyone.

Oh and once the heads were off all 3 stuck casings were so stuck it took a number of chisels and many hammers to get them out...the pics are deceiving, the plugs don’t look that bad to me!

 

And here are the pics

 

Most of all thank you for the thoughts for my Mom, she was my families glue! We are learning to be there for each other now day by day. I’m 42 and some days I feel like a helpless child.