Had to take a ride with the shop foreman of my dealer this morning to demonstrate a strange noise, he thinks it's a vacuum problem for my four wheel drive. Anyways I asked him "how succesful are you with changing the spark plugs in the 5.4 3V?". He said they don't have any problems, so I asked him if they use the TSB and he said no! He said they get an impact wrench spinning then drop it onto the spark plug to shatter the carbon and the plugs spin right out. Anyone heard of this technique?

 

I'm a little skeptical of the "getting it spinning and dropping it on the plug", but yes, some have used an impact and with success.

 

sounds like a good way to bust a socket or ext.

but yes I have heard of private shops doing this.

 

Very Interesting!

 

Here you go:

https://www.f150online.com/forums/4075801-post40.html

 

Who volunteers there 5.4 3V with 75k on it to test this theory?

 

Quintin is a Ford tech on here and he has stated that he removes them with an impact. Also, at Bankston Ford in Burleson, they have a very high success record on plug removal, and I have a suspicion that they use an impact. The reason I say this is that one member I sent there, drove 45 miles or so to get there and had is changed in a little over 2 hours. How can they do that without an impact? He had 133,000 on the original plugs in an 04.

 

The shop foreman also recommended getting the plugs replaced at around 60K if I was planning on keeping the truck for a while. Makes you wonder about buying a used truck with say 70 to 100K without proof of a plug change.

 

If they know what they are doing, the plug change is not that big of a deal normally. If they break one, there is a small charge for retrieving it. Mine all came out at 65,500 with no problem and I plan on going about 90,000 on this second set. I am at 32,000 now.

 

I have got about 54000 on my 05 and I know it is getting close to time for me to do the plug change. I thought I had decided to follow the TSB myself but the impact idea is interesting. I sure wish a few who have done it would chime in though.

 

I plan on a complete plug change, trans flush, rear end flush by 45K ( at 38 atm ) to prevent any broken plugs or tranny problems.

 

If I were you, I would PM Quitin, see what he can add. he's atraight shooting no nonsense kind of guy that works on these trucks every day.

 

I'm coming up on a plug change myself. My dealer has a good track record. I ain't skeered.

 

If I remember correctly, I think Quintin stated that he only used a Battery Operated impact gun & not an air tool!....

 

109,000 miles on mine, original plugs runs fine