As I was pulling in my driveway this past Sunday, I heard what sounded like a small exhaust leak. I popped the hood and didn't see anything obvious and left it. Well today, I thought I had better check the tightness of the plugs (based on info from you guys) and guess what I found? The #6 & #8 cyl's were loose. How loose, this is no chit, I could literally move the plug from side to side on the # 8 cyl. The # 6 was hand tight at best. This is total bullchit. Ever heard the term "Feels like you're walking on eggshells"? That's the feeling you get sometimes waiting for something to happen. Oh, by the way, I truck is an '01, 6k, with the stock plugs.

 

Smart man, Va!

Good thing you weren't lazy like me and have one blow out despite reading post after post telling me (not personally, of course) to check the plugs.

NakMan

 

Thats happened to me twice. Now I open the door with the engine running everytime I get home to listen for that sound.

 

sorry for the stupid question, but what sound would i be lookin for??

Vinny
02 Red L

 

I'm not surprised. When I changed Cory's (Code Red) plugs in his 01 three plugs were loose (first change with low miles). I could put my palm on the rachet over the top of the extensions and turn them out.

Jimmy's (dealerjim) were all tight on his 02. I think it's the luck of the draw.

I wonder if the heat cycling of aluminum heads when it's cold weather makes them back out. Sort of like chip creep of socketed chips in electronics from hot and cold cycles.

It would explain why more of them are spitting out this time of year. That's not counting the ones that weren't tight to begin with.

 

Hey LTNBOLT:

Saw this on your site:

I'm a Mississippi Skelton (Holly Springs). Was just there for Christmas to see my dad, who lives in Ashland, MS. I saw a black L while I was on the road to Memphis. Wonder if it was you.

 

I just checked my plugs this past weekend and all where tight and good to go!!

 

I changed a friend of mines plugs a while back, he has a 2001L most of the plugs were only hand tight.With some more miles they might have worked there way loose! Jim

 

OK, I am so mechanically uninclined that anything done to any vehicle I have ever had has been done by a pro mechanic. This is why God created mechanics...they take care of my vehicles, I just have fun driving them.

Now I don't want to get rid of the L, but I don't want to have to take it in every few weeks just to have them check the dam* plugs.

So...
Is there a really well detailed booklet that tells you how to get at the plugs and check them and exactly what tools and what sizes and etc. etc. etc. so that I can learn to do this myself.

Keep in mind that the extent of my mechanical knowledge is that I know where the hood release is. After that I'm lost.

How can I learn to do this and can someone as inept as myself learn to do it...

STOP LAUGHING !!!!


Thanks.

 

Tim,

My grandmother was a Skelton (maiden name) and my grandparents lived in Holly Springs.

How old are you?

 

You come from good stock!

I'm a 40-year-old-teenager.

 

Good Save Va
Man you saved yourself alot of hassles
Only 6K on the truck too

Why would'nt we want to use a MILD Loc-Tite ????

 

I suggested this before. Prepare to get flammed.

 

http://www.loctite.com/pdf/threadlocking.pdf

Just got off the phone with a technician at LOCTITECorp. h/q. I explained that certain Ford engs. were prone to blow a spark plug(or two) out of the head. I mentioned that their #246(high-temp, medium strength) 'looked' like it might work but I had concerns. She said "Yes, it would(should?) work." I reminded her that it is an aluminum head and a steel plug shell--"No problem with dissimilar metals." I also mentioned we would only be able to apply the product to the male, plug threads as we could not reach the female, head threads. That too was OK. I said the product(246) was OK up to 450*F but I didn't know the temps the cyl. heads/plugs reach but thought they were higher than 450*F. "If the temps go above 550*F", she said, "the product would liquify." My thoughts are that if that happens, the plug will be even more likely to loosen at the time? I asked if we would be able to reinstall the 'used' plug or a new one. "If the threads are coated(with 'old' Loctite, etc.), we could apply a primer(#7471) before applying the #246.

I've tried to remember our conversation but don't claim to have gotten all of it---correctly. I'm still unsure and skeptical. I'm going to try to find out more.

More info:http://loctite.ctdlc.org/assistance/...mCategoryKey=2

Dan

 

You do not want to Loctite plugs in. You might not get the damn things out. Use anti-seize......only anti-seize.