It says to heat the plug with a hair dryer or heat gun.
How important is that? Should I go buy one or just use the tool?

 

I borrowed a heat gun, got it hot. used the pusher, cranked in the puller, started to crank out the puller and guess what... it stripped the threads off the puller........ WTF Yo

 

The heat gun helps (or hair dryer) to expand it a little while cracking some of the carbon off the sleeve. I used 2 Lisle tools and broke both in the sleeve of the plug. Decided to just pull the head because part of the head casting was broke where the lifter sits under the rocker. Neways, your threads broke/stripped on the end of the puller? Hmmm, I did break the bottom most thread on my first puller, but grinded it down to smooth it over which allowed me to still remove 5 plug sleeves. Hope this helps, and good luck!

 

Making the tool expand so it bites into the sleeve a bit better makes sense if you're doing this with the tap. But you don't want to do this with the puller. While the expansion due to the heat of the heat gun is minimal, as it cools it will contract and reduce the contact area between the threads of the puller and the plug sleeve. Sounds like an easy way to pull the newly cut threads out of the sleeve vs pulling the sleeve.

 

I'm gonna try it without the heat gun when I get the replacement puller.

 

i have done this a few times and never used a heat gun or hair dryer i do however get the engine to half of operating temp before i start pulling plugs as it is about the same concept also i have found that typically less to no plugs break if you decarbon the engine with seafoam thru a vacuum hose into the intake or if you have access to a fuel induction mister such as BG, MOC, or other.

 

well I have 4 of 8 broken off so there will be no starting of the engine until they are pulled! Should I spray some more carb cleaner into the hole before pulling?

 

I talked to a mechanic today who has done several of these. He said the key is to have the engine warm, not hot, to make sure you blow out the hole very well with compressed air, and to spray the penatrant in even before you back the threads off 1/4 of a turn. Once you do, wait a little while and then back them out 1/4 of a turn, and add a little more penetrating oil. Work the plug back an forth 1/8 turn for about 1 minute. Wait a few hours to back them out the rest of the way. He said in his opinion its more important to add the penetrating oil to the warm engine this way than it is to remove the plugs at this temperature. He said he then works the plugs back and forth to pull them, working each one slowly. He hasn't broken a plug in a while doing it this way.

 

Here are a couple of threads that might help.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ar...ark-plugs.html

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ar...08-5-4-3v.html

 

I just did this last week and did not use a hair dryer with the tool. I did warm the engine up from cold for about five or so minutes before starting the project. By the time I had the COP's off and battery and CPM out the engine was just barely warm to the touch. I put the Aero Kroil in and let it penetrate for about an hour. Broke three, but as I said did not use the hair dryer method and the extractor worked great. The broken piece can be difficult to get off of the extractor aftrwards though.

 

Got my replacement puller today!! Its amazing how much of a difference hardened steel makes. Pulled it right out! ran out of light so I'll get the other 3 tomorrow!