I decided to take a shot at the spark plugs on my 2004 super crew yesterday. Started on drivers side and all 4 broke (yes I read all the how-tos and followed them). First three were extracted fine with lisle tool but the far back plug will not come out. Long story short I brought it into the dealership and they couldn't get it either. They're going to hold it overnight so a heavy line guy can take a look at it tomorrow morning. I have a sinking feeling that I'm looking at a very expensive head pull to get this corrected.

Thought I was gonna save a few bucks doing it myself but I screwed that up.

 

yea, im gonna bite the initial bullet and have ford do it. after that ill tackle it myself lol. How many miles are on it?

 

I hope someone is trying to solve this problem. I am seriously leaning away from every buying a ford truck that is in this era. I have a 99 and the breaking plugs problem come later. I seem to hear 2004 a lot. Did they solve this problem later than 2004? Good luck man, it sucks to pay so much for a plug change.

 

problem was fixed on 08, lots of threads on that and with the OBS having plugs blow out. After the plugs have been switched to the one piece design its a normal plug change.

 

Never buy one then, I wouldn't do it again. Get a 2008 or newer, the '09+ have 6spd autos at least.

Best bet, is to attempt to get the dealership to change the plugs as a stipulation of sale. I tried but my dealership didn't, then again it was a Chevrolet dealer.

 

If you want a 04-08 truck, the 4.6 is solid.

 

Probably cheaper to buy Ford racing heads (12mm plug) and fit them than letting ford break & replace all 8 plugs.

 

...

 

The guys having serious problems removing the plugs are far and few between. Most get them out with minimal trouble. We have techs on here doing the plugs on a daily basis that rarely break one. Most of them use a a cordless impact or air ratchet. I would not let the plug issue keep me from buying a truck.

 

I agree. I feel the issue is a matter of means and methods.

Undoubtedly it is a poor design, but i would not let it keep me from buying the truck.

-Curtis-

 

For the few dollars I could potentially save, there's no way I'd let anyone but an experienced Ford dealer do the initial plug change on the '04-'07 5.4 trucks. At this point, most can do them with no problem and the ramifications of a botched DIY job are just too great for me to mess with it.....

 

impact, look up the youtube video.

 

Oh yeah. If I had a 5.4, I definitely would've used my dad's air tools instead of my own set of sockets and ratchets to do my plugs @ 110k miles.

 

I don't know if an air impact would be too powerful. In the vid they were using an cordless impact.

 

There was a video of a shop mechanic using an AIR impact (which he does all the time) and all 8 came out without a whimper. I think a cordless is better because the power isn't so jarring but the air he used did the job just fine and I think it was even a 1/2 in.