Good job. Some of us have been trying to tell people that a broken plug is just not the problem it once was. Hard to convince people that if it breaks, you just fish it out. Many make it a much bigger problem than it really is.

 

I'm convinced that if a plug is going to break, a plug is going to break. Using that tool to fish the broken plug out, you have to turn the extractor a few times before the broken plug pops out. They are really stuck in there. I don't think any amount of carbon cleaner, or PB Blaster or anything would have prevented the plug from coming out in one piece.

 

I agree!

Nice work! Cant wait to see the video. Im going to use a cordless impact also. Any tips or observations you made while doing the removal you can give me, to help me in removing my plugs would be great. The weather is getting real nice now and im going to tackle this very soon.

 

now heres my question, i have the 2 valve 4.6. would i be able to safely use my air 3/8 impact?

 

Don't use an impact gun on a 2V engine. All this applies only to us suckers that have pre 2008 3V engines. The 2V still uses a conventional style spark plug.

 

i knew that, i was just wondering if i could. not worrying for breakage, it would just be a hell of a lot easier. i guess it doesnt really matter, just curious.

 

I just went to have my plugs out got a quote from a dealer for 400 plus 300 for every one they break. I took it to another place that would do it for 350 flat rate so i took it there. They soaked the truck overnight and couldnt get a single one of the plugs to turn. They said if they tried any harder they knew they would break off. Now my truck is rougher than ever and throwing codes. They told me cleaner must have soaked in and to just drive it hard this weekend and burn it out. Does this sound right? Truck has 60k miles and its really disappointing. sorry i had to rant.

 

exactly, i believe that it breaks as soon as you turn it, because i did the same removal method for each plug and still only 2 came out

 

It is my understanding that the sleeve becomes wedged into the head due to the carbon deposits on the electrode sleeve. The hole in the head is too small to accommodate the sleeve with the carbon deposit and it just sticks and the two metal parts of the plug separate as the threaded part is removed. The only actual breakage involved may be porcelain.

 

It is hard to believe that there are dealers out there that don't know anymore about what they are doing than that. Pretty sad. They should charge you no more than a 1/2 hour of labor for each broken plug. If they did not break the plug lose how did the cleaner get down in the combustion chamber? They probably messed up a COP or a boot.

 

If you can get them to do a BG or Motorvac job, it may help.

 

Change them yourself.

 

How much damage am i doing or could I be doing by driving with my one plug obviously misfiring. Will it need to be changed now for sure? My Gryphon says its misfiring and cylinder 2 is one causing it. I might just try to get a lisle tool and go at it myself but I need it done ASAP because I use my truck every day.

 

OK I'm in to find out what happens with this. My Brother is a Ford tech, only for a couple years though. He doesn't have the bias opinion of them, just change em out he said, didn't see too worried about it. I only have 46k on them though....

As for the Anti-Sieze on there, I believe they have a specific type they want you using....

Has anyone tried using some Sea-foam or water try and burn off some carbon first?

 

Just run a fuel with a good detergent, such as Techron. Mine came out without a problem and I think that is a big contributor.