Working on changing my spark plugs today. Ended up breaking 6 out of the 8. My process was last night I cracked them open 1/8 of a turn then soaked in motorcraft carb spray overnight. This morning I started taking them out very slowly. The first creaked and moaned and came out fine. Then i preceded to break the next 6 and the final one came out whole. 4 of the 6 broken ones came out with the lisle tool, however, I have 2 that the puller/extractor can't bite into. Anyone have this before? How did you solve?

Overall the lisle tool did very well, just can't figure out why these last two (back two on the driver side) won't come out. The extract doesn't even really start biting into them. I have verified that the pusher tool did go down all the way.

2005 F150 Lariat Supercrew 5.4 with 67k miles.

 

I had the same thing happen on my #3 cylinder. After with it for a couple hours I got pissed and really laid into the tool and the tool took hold and pulled it out. I started a thread on this very issue.
BTW, my old plugs looked a lot like yours. I kept mine for a conversation piece.

Good Luck!

 

Dan, when you say laid into it, do you mean adding pressure to the top of your ratchet head?

 

You got it. Think of it like drilling a hole with a dull bit.

 

I know that last one you have to get out is the suckiest one to work on. I hope you have a better assortment of ratchet extensions than I did.

 

Becareful laying into too much. I had the same problem on plug #6 and ended up pushing the electrode out of the plug and into the cylinder. Luckily I had access to a bore scope and was able to find it and pull it out with a long pair of needle nose pliers. Just giving you a heads up.

 

If a hand reaches through my monitor and grabs me by the neck, I guess I gave out bad info. If it doesn't bite he really doesn't have a choice. Can't imagine getting a pair of needle nose in that opening.

 

Calm down, I wasn't saying you gave out bad info, I had to do the same thing because I couldn't get it to bite on a plug. I was just telling him what COULD happen. It happened to me nothing's stopping it from happening to someone else........

 

It's the nature of the bad design of these plugs. If you don't get the plug out whole, each possible method of extraction could result in engine damage. Seriously, even with the lisle extraction tool, it's not normal to need a tap when changing a spark plug.

Point is, not bad advice...just something to try but be careful with.

 

Got the last two out and everything back up and running. I tried two thing, first i used a drift punch and also I tapped the extraction puller. THEN, I used the pusher tool again and it pushed down a little further than before. Then the extraction tool pulled them out.

I was a little nervious because i think some porcelin dropped into one cylinder, but I used my shock vac (little hose attached) and also turned the motor over (with injectors off) just to be sure. Engine runs nice now but what a PIA.

Thanks to all that helped. Updated pic below. The number 1 cylinder (Driver front) is upper left with the number 8 cylinder in lower right. The 2 that had problems were #5 and #7 or the lower left of the picture.

 

Glad you got them out without too much hassle, well too much hassle for these motors at least

 

Ha...who would thought 8 hours not including research time would be "without too much hassle".

 

I know. I had 6 hours in mine plus about another hour chasing down a misfire. I was happy with that after the horror stories I've heard. I remember changing the plugs, wires, cap and rotor on my 96 351 Windsor in 20 minutes. Childs play......

 

I'm looking to buy an '07 F-150 with 85,000 miles. Do all years of the 5.4 have this issue?

 

Up until early 08. It really is not that big an issue if you take it to a dealer that knows how to get them out. Or, most guys that follow the TSB explicitly, don't have that big a problem. It sounds as if the OP soaked them in carb cleaner the night before and they need to be soaked about 30 minutes prior to working them out. That way, the carb cleaner does not dry out and give the carbon time to set some what. Occasionally, there is the one that is going to be a hassle no matter what.