I just blew one today... I just pulled out of a gas station and was getting on it a little because of traffic, hear a pop, and it starts running like crap. I believe it is number 2. Second back on the passenger side. I am going to see how much the dealer will charge to repair, otherwise, I will get the kit to do it myself.


Randy

 

2 years ago when mine blew the ford service manager told me that fords recomended repair is REPLACE the head. They claim the inserts are not reliable.
but the service manager said he would do me a favor and remove my head and send it to a machine shop to have a steel insert installed. the bill was $1700.00 to have the one steel insert installed.

2 years later when the second one blew I searched the internet and found the TIMESERT because I couldn't afford another $1700.00 bill

since the steel inserts are so cheap (about $8.00 ea) I figured I should do all the sparkplug holes.
So now I have steel inserts in all 8 spark plug holes which is the way ford should have built it in the first place.

It used to be, you buy a ford and just drive it.... now, you buy a ford and modify it so it will keep working.

here is the link to my install:
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/gobingo/index.htm

 

I called the Dealer today and he said it was 1500 just to r&r the head, that did not include the bill to fix it. I bought the kit and will probably do the front 4 for now, and change all the plugs. At least I will have the kit it any of the back ones blow.


Randy

 

the kit works great but be careful when reaming the hole out, at the end of the reamer there is a collar set to stop you from going to deep with the counter sink.
But I got a email from one guy that installed the insert and when he started the engine the piston hit the spark plug.
He some how counter sunk too much which made the spark plug stick too far into the cylinder.
Last I heard from him, he was going to try to find a spark plug with a shorter electrode on the end.
It would be safer to use a rachet on the reamer instead of a electric drill because you will have a better feel for when you get to the counter sink part of the reamer.
Another thing.... I also heard from others that the Tmesert company sent them a aluminum block with holes in it so they could practice before doing their engine.

Good luck with the job !

 

Thanks for the info. I did plan on doing it by hand to get a better feel for it. Hopefully it all goes well.


Randy

 

I blew plug number 8 last November. Ordered a $30 kit from Summit and with a little creativity I made it work in our motor. Took my time and got the insert in and all has been well.

 

Has anyone even figured out why this is happening? I have a friend at work who's engine just did the spark plug ejectoin thing. I was hoping there would be a recall for this but I find that is not the case.

 

Yes, though approx 2002 the alum heads had 4 threads of engagement. Mid 02 Ford changed to 8 threads. If the plugs are torqued incorrectly or work themselves loose on the 4 thread heads, they PULL the remaining threads out.

These used to be covered under warranty, I had a head replaced slightly after warranty in 2003 (but bought a Cobra same week).

Good Luck

 

Are you serious? Have you read this thread or any thread regarding this? Uhh... how about not enough threads in the Head... Ding!Ding!Ding!

 

This is my second time. First at 20k miles and now at 80k. This time it happened, it ejected WITH the timesert. I called Bill Jukes at Timesert and he explained to me that I might have Romeo heads. If that is the case then I need to use the "Ford Triton Big-Sert" made by Timesert. So that is what my mechanic used. So thats the good news. The bad news, the other 3 have the regular Timeserts. They checked them and said they were tight. Yea, so was this one! If Ford did a recall on this, it would sink the perverbial ship!BTW, it was the second from the front drivers side. Same as before!

 

Ding Ding Yeah, I read this thread and others. None have stated why this was happening. Also, its been a while since i have been on this board and would not have been privy to ancillary posts that may have explained the reason for this without using appropriate key words for searching purposes. So, sorry to bother you with my post. I guess you could have just ignored it and gone back to whatever it is that "you all" do in the "dirty souf". But, i guess you just had to contribute useless drivel. Especially after Big1Daddy was nice enough to answer my question. Thanks.

 

Hey Guerro, Check my previous posts. I blew a plug a few months back. Took it to Earnhardts in Chandler. When round and round with Ford. They replaced my head and threw an extended warranty on the truck. Did me right and the truck runs great.

 

Ding Dong... the 4 thread thing is discussed earlier in this very thread and it's discussed in other threads on this subject.

 

hate to bring a old thread back, but #5 shot out last night on me, i was sitting at a redlight and heard a knock. pulled over to the closest area i could and saw my spark plug and cop next to each other on the engine. i tried to thread the plug back in and it wouldnt catch, so i figured its stripped, didnt see any shavings down in the cylinder from what i could tell. truck has 164k on it.

 

Its time for timecerts. sucks man sorry.