I have been battling to get my L fixed at the dealer for two months. It went in because of the plug launcher head that came standard with all of our trucks. To make a long story short Ford finnaly agreed to replace the motor but I wound up with the first new motor having a plug spin in the head( which had only 4 threads in the head) and was therfore rejected. The second new engine also has only 4 threads per head and was built in July 2002. I ask the dealer to get me the new heads with 8 threads. They called Ford and were told that there are no new heads. I presented hard copies of threads from this board showing that certain owners indeed had the new heads and that these new heads had build dates of 11/12/02 or latter. The dealers position was that Ford would know if these new heads are out and that my internet info was not true.

Today I went to the dealer and had them pull a plug out of a L built in jan 2003 and it also only had 4 threads in it. I explained that because I could not read the stamp date on the head it may have gotten a pre 11/12/02 head. I scouted around a little further and found a 2003 Harley with a head date of 2/1/2003 we pulled a spark plug, counted threads and bingo 9 threads. I am thinking Great we now know that the 8 thread head exists, problem solved. The service manager agrees to investigate and will get back to me. I call back and am informed that the Harley has a different motor than the L with different head/ cam and and that the head is not for the L. I am stuned. I ask the manager if I find a L with the new heads will you believe me he says call me back when you do.

Does anyone out there know someone I can call at Ford or anywhere else to get this solved. Or does anyone have an L with the new heads that would be willing to take me up on all you can eat lunch if they show their truck to my dealer? The dealer is Ford West located in Paramount, California I am located in Huntington Beach.

I am not going to give up but I could use a hand. Thanks.

 

The engines are the same, but Ford will still use the old heads until they are gone, and then all you will have left is the new heads. Ford is very aware of theses heads, and you may need to get a field rep involved.

 

Jim says he gets the good stuff direct.....I would call JDM

 

If you search around on this and other boards (NLOC) you will find part # for those heads. As for your dealer saying Harley has different motor that's BS. I have been researching that extensively (I am '02 HD owner) and there have been many discussions here and on other boards on same subject until official SVT person said they are same. If you call SVT they will tell you they are same. If your dealer continues giving you trouble because they don't know jack about product they are selling just talk to SVT, they know best, and they will tell you these engines are same and part #s for new heads. If you need help let me know and I will find those discussions where people from SVT said these engines are same.

Good luck!

ZoranC

 

wait wait, the harley and lightning engine are exactly the same (aside from upper pulley granted). I never really looked into it much but i thought there were variations and i also heard that lightning engines were built with a different process. All word of mouth so i dont know.

 

If you look at previous threads on this subject you will see people from Ford stating (unoficially) that engine production lines and process for Ls and HDs are same. They say it is different only for Cobra.