Well, I'm gonna be back at the stealership tomorrow evening. I get to pick up what I'm sure will be a completely unsatisfactory rental, so I'm going to ask to actually see the old plugs and whatever else I can see.

IF they actually screwed the TSB pooch then there WILL be a reckoning but if it's just my typical luck that the plug stripped then I guess I've already spent my tax refund... yay....


I ASSume this is FoMoCo's customer service #? 800-392-3673 Wasn't the easiest thing to find on the website, I wonder why.....

 

How long did you wait until you changed plugs?

 

If you get any satisfaction out of that FoMoCo NON-Customer service #let us know. Those people go through 6 months of training to learn how to tell you in 15 different languages "Sorry, there's NOTHING we can do for you"

 

FMC- I have read at LEAST twice before Ford tech's saying take them out with an impact wrench- CORDLESS IMPACT! And I can actually understand why they said it. There is something about the tamer impacting of a rechargeable 3/8 impact that works to your advantage at times. I wouldn't even consider taking plugs out of ANY engine with an air operated impact. Over the years I used the "magic" of a Jiffy panel cutter (extremely controllable) to my advantage in scores of ways the original designers never envisioned. (not removing spark plugs- )

 

FMC- I have read at LEAST twice before Ford tech's saying take them out with an impact wrench-

The joy of the internet.....You probably can find NUMNEROUS sights telling you how to make woopie with farm animals too, but it doesn't make it right.
please use common sence.

 

mms://multimedia.ford.com/seopts/Tech26_250k.wmv

That is right from the horses ***... ooops I mean Ford tech people, and there is an explicit rotational torque value of roughly 20 foot pounds, and an explicit warning NOT TO USE anything but hand tools.

Note they say to remove, or attempt to remove all the plugs in the bank before trying to remove any broken plugs, because if one screws up so bad the head has to come off, it isn't a good idea to extract plugs on the vehicle if the head has to come off anyway.

 

What the heck does this mean? This verbage is at the bottom of the TSB.

"Eligible under provisions of new vehicle limited warranty coverage and emissions warranty coverage. IMPORTANT Warranty coverage limits/policies are not altered by a TSB. Warranty coverage limits are determined by the identified causal part." - TSB 08-7-6

The way this reads to an Average Joe this CAN qualify for warranty even though AFAIK no one has been so lucky...

 

That is on every TSB. Just telling you that just because there is a TSB, don't expect your warranty to be extended or shortened either, for that matter.

 

It means you don't have to pay for it if your vehicle is still under warranty.

 

Awwww hell! Service advisor just told me "they don't make a Rotunda tool for the 5.4 3v, only the 4.6"

Gonna be calling the Service manager first thing tomorrow morning!!

 

That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. The 4.6 doesn't need a Rotunda extraction tool, only the 5.4. Go to a local parts store and buy them the tool made by Lisle.

You know, if this were not such a serious thing, I would think you are pulling our leg, maybe an April Fools type joke. How can a dealership be that dumb?

 

Show them this. lol

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ROTUN...item2eaabe953a

You haven't told us what dealer it is. We need to know!

 

My thoughts exactly! The SA indicated that they were familiar with these issues but maybe they ARE clueless?.? They are one of San Antonio's only SVT dealerships, I figured they would be more on top of their game...

Here's the best shot I could get of the #7 hole:

Should be threads right below where the jamb nut rests & it doesn't look like there are any. Truck wasn't in the shop, they moved it into the lot and I can't tell if they did the others yet or not.


Looks pretty dirty, I think no...

To top things off the porter showed up to pick me up to go get the rental an hour late and 10 minutes AFTER my wife picked me up to take me to the dealer. Then I got to wait ANOTHER hour for the rental guy to show up to give me my Escort. I got to pay $5/day to actually get a pickup since I NEED one. That IS why I bought one after all.

So far the taste in my mouth is VERY foul... It will take every bit of my self-control to remain calm IF I manage to talk to the service manager tomorrow. My guess is he doesn't work Saturdays.

They open at 7:00, I was hoping to sleep in but I guess not anymore... If the Manager isn't in I'm stopping the work.

 

It's bad enough dealing with the sparkplug issue, but dealing with a dealer like that is too much. Good luck!

 

Hell, I'm gonna smack 'em with the TSB! And then the Time-Sert kit...

Just noticed that Time-Sert says "This is not recommended as an “Over the fender repair” Due to the long pilots on the reamer and tap, there is a possibility of the pilot breaking off and falling into the engine."

So that would be removal of head(s) anyway... Pilot also needs 1" clearance below BOTTOM of head.

Thought I had posted dealer info, Jordan Ford, San Antonio.