I've searched the threads on changing spark plugs.. I just wanted some tips on what and what not to do before I tackle this.. I hear #7 is the toughest one to get to on our trucks.. I found a post that someone gave some very good pointers and how to's on changing them, even gave the tools required..I'm going to sears today to get the tools etc. Can someone tell me how tight I should tighten the plugs w/out worry of them flying out for awhile.. I think I have one that's on its way out b/c I hear the ticking exhaust leak sound under acceleration.. Is the correct gap .034? I'm using the NGK TR6 plugs.. Thanks a lot and have a merry christmas everyone!

 

I'm at work so I cant add much except
You dont need a $50.00 Spark Plug socket, all you need is a regular 3/8 drive spark plug socket with a glued in rubber insert, and you simply tape a long extention on it, You'll also need another extention or two.

The whole job is the Coil bolts, (hence why I use the Madd Enterprise Coil Bolts)
You MUST have a little telescope magnet, and on the 1/4" drive side
you need

A 7mm socket
A 1/4 universal
and a 7mm univeral socket (not a universal + socket)

and on numner 8, just use a reg 1/4 socket, a very short extention,
and go straight on the coil bolt with the extention against the fuel rail.

Move stuff out of your way,
Tie stuff out of your way
Unplug everything in your way
Some will even unplug all the injectors (for some you may have to)

Last one pass side, last one Drivers Side, and the dreaded Fuel Regulator coil bolt are your enemy, but with a little patience and continued plug changes it does become quite routine and not that bad at all. Schitt at JDM Day we did mine, Jamie's, Don's, and I'm sure others where doing the same, and that was simply between passes.

Good Luck Bro (it's not that bad, you'll ace it I'm sure)
AND MERRY CHRISTMAS

EDIT
I use two diff configurations to do mine
One is a LONG Extention and Swival Sparkplug Socket in one I got at Pep Boys (can only be used on a few of them)

and the Other is this
A Sparkplug Socket with built in swival, plus extention
As you can see this is what I talk about when I say TAPE IT

 

I sure hope so Rob... Now what does this rubber insert for the plug socket look like and where can I get this from? and whats the best plug gap? .34?

 

HO HO HO MERRY CHRISTMAS

I am sitting here wondering why my son didnt wake me at 4am to open gifts so I'll answer quick before he comes down, hehehehe


ALL Sparkplug sockets have a little hollow piece of foam or rubber inside to grab and hold the Spark Plug, you just want to make sure the one your using is glued in and wont pull out. Remember our Plugs are recessed waaaay down inside the Heads

The most common mistakes (that can cost you another hour or more)
Is loosing a plug or that rubber piece down inside those recesses
(it cant go anywhere but good luck getting it out) ^%@^$%(@&^$%(@$

The next is using a short (regular) Spark Plug Socket AND NOT TAPING IT GOOD to the extention. If you pull up and the extention pulls off the Socket
believe me on the wrong cylinder that can be a hour right there (been there done that) @$%@*$^%@$%@

NOTE: For some it needs to be a Reg Sparkplug Socket, then a Universal, then an Extention, tape it anywhere it can pull out GOOD

and the last is striping a Coil Screw (these things are like baby screws, and your screwing into alum) and they will strip or cross thread SO FKING EASY
Dont over tighten them AND MAKE SURE EACH IS STARTED BEFORE TIGHTENING.

If you havn't seens Chuck (LTNBOLT's) page SEE IT NOW
http://home.midsouth.rr.com/lightnin...parkplugs.html

It even has two little vids to help you
One (if not the) best L site in the world for info

And some other good links here in this post
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...ht=Spark+Plugs

Merry Ho Ho Ho.....

 

amen to everything that ROB above said.

Only thing I can add is: if you have never cleaned your intercooler, might as well do it now. With the blower et al out of the way, plug changes are a lot easier. And YES, MAD's CP screws gets my vote 100%.....you'll surely appreciate their value

 

Here's what I end up using. A bunch of extensions along with a 5/8" plug socket and 5/8" regular socket because the plug sockets like to get stock in unreachable holes while popping off the ratchet. That along with the regular and swivel 7mm. A universal joint with 7mm doesn't work. Also one of those flexible claws because the coil pack bolts like to fall. Takes a little over an hour to do first couple times.

 

It may be worth investing in one of those long reach slim magnets, very usefull for picking up the odd bolt or nut when they slip way down out of reach.

Another tip is to use a long nosed air line gun to blow out any crap from aroung the plug before you pull them out.

Once you have done them a few times it's a eazy pezi.
What I find a PITA is leaning over the side or front to reach everything.
Protect paint and panels with service mats, and remove any metal belt buckles etc.

The one under the fuel regulator is the worse, I just slacken off the rail by removing the two bolts.

Job done in under one hour which includes coffee break

If it's you first time ensure all young children and those of a sensitive nature are kept out of earshot #@$?))((*( F##I#%(%((@#~~

 

Well job is done except I believe #8 had been stripped.. I started unscrewing the plug and it won't come out.. It just keeps turning so apparently the person who did my plugs before me stripped out some threads.. I was able to tighten it back down but don't know how long it will stay... All the rest of the plugs went in fine.. I guess I will invest in a timeinsert kit everyone's been suggesting.. This sucks!

 

If your unscrewing the plug and it wont lift out, you may have an insert in there allready, have you owned truck from new - is there any history?

Either way there is a problem, if an insert was installed are you removing insert as well?
Plug has to come out to put new insert in.

Or do you fancy a "Head Job" cos that is a PITA.
Had the drivers side head off on mine twice.
Without removing cab. The air was BLUE for two days here

Do you know anyone with a Bore Scope which may give you a view of whats going on down the shaft.
Might be worth removing blower and intake to get a better view.
It's worth the hassle before any further damage is done.
Would come and help but I am about 4000 miles away, not much to do here as my Long Block & Trans is stuck in Import - Customs Bul#Sh#t

Good Luck

 

With a 7mm swivel socket that one is cake ... AAMOF, that is the only one
I have NOT replaced with Mike's (MAD'S) screws. Couldn't get the bendy one
to start in the hole, and since it was easy with the stocker I left it.

Locking extensions are a must if you don't wanna lose the plug socket in the hole.

If stock retaining screws on the coil packs, tape the screw to the 7mm
swivel with electrical tape, pulling it around the edge just a tad so you
won't drop it on the tough ones.

 

Strange you ask that b/c when I first bought my truck in 2001 two days later I went to start my truck and it sounded someone might have poured sugar in my gas tank..I thought maybe someone in my appartment complex near my college was jealous and did something crazy like that..My L was sputtering like it had a bad exhaust leak and when I drove it, it hardly had any power.. I took it into ford still under warranty and they fixed it in about an hour...They really didn't tell me what happened but at the time I didn't care, as long as it was fixed.. I also didn't know about the spitting plugs until I got on this site so i'm assuming maybe Ford helicoiled that cylinder.. I can't see them replacing the head in a little over an hours time.. My truck is a 99 and i'm sure thats what happened which was a spark plug came loose or out.. I bought the truck used and that was the only history of it which is the problem I had couple days later which ford fixed.

What is a bore scope? My neighbor bought a tool over with a mirror on the end to try and see what was going on but he was too short to see anything.. And I didn't know what the He!! he was looking for..lol..

 

Here is one: Borescope

 

Like I said might be worth you taking blower off and other top end stuff to give you better access to number 8.
You will need it to remove plug and install new insert, providing that the head is not damaged.

Watch out for all those nice sharp cable ties that cut your knuckles open.

If you neighbour was too short give him a crate to stand on


Best of luck mate, I would not drive the truck though just in case it pops and does more damage.
Taking the heads off insitu is a job that will drive you to drink their aint a lotta room to move in there.

 

Hey Ricki... I'm no tear down/build up motor technician but I am good with figuring things out on cars.. I'm pretty sure I can remove everything out of the way like intake/blower to get to #8.. But how hard is it to tap one of these inserts into the head? I'm good at following directions so with that said is that's all thats needed? If so i'll bite the bullet myself and do it or i'll take it to my local machine shop.

Thanks for all the helpful tips everyone!

 

One problem you seem to have is once you have undone the plug it won't lift out, so you need to find out why.
My buddy down the road blew a plug on his 02, so he took it on a beaver tail to a local shop who removed the blower etc to gain access then brought in a specialist geezer to to the insert.
back up and running with no problems.

Have a word on the forum to see who does the best insert kit.
But again I think your gonna have fun getting the old plug out, if there was an insert in there that has failed you may be up S##t creek and have to pull the head anyway.