GaryJ asked,
"So can anyone tell me if the problem is simply due to them coming loose??"

In a word "Yes" but it's not simple. 4-5 aluminum threads is not enough and the plugs are steel. The recommended torque is 8-14 ft lbs. Ford does not use anti-seize in hopes that the corrosion (seizing) will prevent the plugs from loosening. The seizing part works until someone changes their plugs. During plug removal sometimes a seized plug partially strips the aluminum threads and you don't even know it. When torqueing the new plugs you might feel a plug go "soft" and immediately stop and think it will be okay but it's too late especially if you used anti-seize. That plug will blow out soon. Checking the torque is a good idea as long as the plug doesn't turn. If it turns that plug will blow out soon. Basicly the heads are defective. Ford has been relying on the seizing properties of aluminum to steel to keep the plugs in the head but now that people need to change out the old plugs the proverbial s%#t has hit the fan.

 

That has got to be one of the funniest things I have heard in a long time.

 

Yep, just bought timesert kit 5553 for my 01 mustang. I changed the plugs 2 steps cooler when I put the blower on and blew a plug a bit over a month ago. I'll probably fix it next week and drive it to the gas station so I can fill up the tank and park it for the winter.

 

Hello Jeeps&Fords,
I wish it wasn't so but as you can read it just keeps happening more and more. Some are more fortunate than others and change their plugs with no problems. I had mine done at my usual Ford dealer and #4 blew out 6 mo later. Here's the really funny part. I had it towed to the dealer and the service writer said he had never heard of the problem and that I had installed the plugs incorrectly. When he found the service record showing that his shop had replaced the plugs 6 mo ago he calmly said "we only warranty our work for 60 days" and the only Ford authorized repair is a new head for $3500 installed. If that's not funny enough try this. I asked about the other head and were those plugs okay and he said "certainly, we have no record of this ever happening at our dealership". I told him that $3500 to fix a $12 sparkplug was a perfect way to have NO RECORD of this ever happening and had my truck towed to a speedshop for some professional repair and a few extra goodies. Grannie always said "when life deals you lemons you just make lemonade" but this has been one freakin expensive glass of lemonade

 

"The manufacturer gives a warranty. That warranty is valid for the specified time only. Beyond that, you are on your own, like it or not.The manufacturer gives a warranty. That warranty is valid for the specified time only. Beyond that, you are on your own, like it or not."

I bought a honda accord in 2001, A year or two later honda sent me a notice saying that the transmission may have a problem due to defective parts and or labor and if I had had a problem they would reimberce me for all my costs. Futher more they would extend my warrenty on the tranny to 75000 miles.
I did not have an extended warenty. Some manufactures do take care of thier customers.

 

If you had already had an extended warranty, then what they offered you wouldn't have been any additional benefit....I'm not sure what point you are trying to make there. Nonetheless, how will you feel if it breaks at 80k?

Every manufacturer (and their dealers) have problems that they dodge or avoid owning up to. This includes Honda if you check out the link below. Make sure you read the paint stuff. Nobody is perfect and you are rolling the dice when you buy a car. Period.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/honda.html

 

Faster,

I'm not saying that the plug problem is not an issue. I find humor in the statement that the engineers were relying on the seizing properties of aluminum to steel to keep the plugs in the head. As designed, there isn't a problem with properly torqued plugs. However, the design is also very sensitive to proper torque, and it is easy to over or under torque the plugs during installation, and that leads to failures. IMHO, Ford should repair any heads that fail, but only if they are factory or dealer installed plugs. Offering that as a solution would certainly be much less expensive than court costs. There is absolutely no reason that they could not use the TimeSert as a factory authorized solution to the problem.

 

Guys, I don't mean to hijak but I think this is pertinent to this thread. I have my eyes on a couple nice '03 SCrews. However, both were built in Dec. '02. Being so close to November, I asked for the build date on the engine. One is 11/19/02 and one is 11/29/02. Someone mentioned with just in time inventory only a few days after 11/12, the new head design should have been on the production floor. How can I be 100% sure that these trucks have the new head design? Isn't their a casting number on the head? One dealer (not a Ford dealer) gave me the following "engineering part number" from the engine 2L1E6090C25B. Does that mean anything to any of you?

 

Warning... listen up now this is important.
I just got a email from a guy that bought the big sert and installed it.
after the install the piston smashed the sparkplug. He drilled to much. you just want to countersink 1/16" or less. if you countersink the insert too much it will be hit by the piston.
Remember these are aluminum heads... it dosen't take much to drill aluminum.
maybe it would be safer to drill the hole by hand and not use power tools to do it. you have to be really careful about this.
Now this guys head is ruined, so be careful about cutting the counter sink when installing the bigsert.


good luck
syncmaster

 

Sparkplug Update -
Well here is some new info on just how scared the dealers are here in San Diego. If you bring your truck to the dealer for a sparkplug change before your warranty expires you have to sign a waiver releasing them from liability cause they know the chances are very high that one of the plugs will blow and they don't want to be responsible. They use the 100,000 mile recommended factory plug service interval to leverage you into signing or waiting till 100,000. Either way they are getting around your warranty. The proverbial s$$t is hitting the fan!

 

I had a spark plug blowout about a year ago In my 99 F-150 5.4 Triton. The truck only had about 86,000 miles on it and my mechanic said it blew because I was beating on it. Which off course wasn't true I was driving down the highway (returning from Ron White live) at about 70 miles an hour and that's when this horrible noise like a exhaust leak on steroids and a rod knock combined started. I checked the oil level and it was a quart low so I filled it up and the noise calmed. So I figured since it was close to 3,000 miles on the oil change that it just used some oil (even though it never has). Well I was wrong my truck made it about 10 more miles of 45-50 mph highway driving when the engine lost all compression (me thinking rings or grenaded piston). But I was relieved to hear (so I thought) it was only a spark plug blowout. Well oem heads for my truck cost $1400 and total costs were $3,000 so it was a bigger deal than I thought. I priced out a motor and it would have been about $300 more expensive to have a whole new 320 horse Triton. But unfortunately I didn't know of this crate Triton motor when this happened so I have the same motor in her still. Here's the link for the performance crate 5.4L 2v. http://www.precisionengine.com/perfo..._for_ford.html
The only thing this nice little crate motor needs to run is a larger throttle body and some performance fuel injectors. When I get the extra money I'm thinking about dropping one in my truck and getting the stage 2 porting from them while I'm at it.
I feel better knowing that this was a engineering problem rather that something that I did. In my experience the head was unrepairable and it was cheaper to buy a crate motor that to get a new head installed.

 

By the way I'm new here on F150 online! I found this forum on a search and liked your group so much I had to join. I look forward to reading and making more posts and helping when I can.

 

Don't waste your money on that engine. The only thing it has going for it is the ARP rod bolts and a hotter cam. You can live without the rod bolts. Hotter cams are about $600.00 + install. The stock 5.4 puts out 260 hp. I dont see cams giving you 60 hp without head work. I call BS on that engine......

JMC

 

The 3/4 in. insert would be a bad choice due to the reasons stated before and the fact that the 6 threads that the 3/8 in. insert gives you is more than enough. You only need 3-4 to carry the entire load. The only way to increase this max load is to increase the diameter or change the material. The next thing is in reference to the crate motor it has a lot more on it than rod bolts and a set of cams. So if it is only a $300 increase it is well worth it.

 

I scrolled through and didn't come across any link to get in on the class action lawsuit that has been filed against ford for the spark plug blow out issue.
So, here it is if you want in: http://forddefects.com/info.php