I was talking to my mechanic (that I have known for the last 10-15 years and have an enormous amount of respect for) last night while picking up my truck from a transmission/engine coolant flush - asked him how much its going to cost to replace the plugs and wires, and without even looking at it he told me that he didn't want to do it! He said Ford doesn't use the anti-seize on the plugs when they install them new at the factory. He said with an alunimum head, that it takes almost nothing to strip the alunimum threads when breaking the plugs loose and taking them out, and that if you do you have to take the engine out of the truck completely in order to hellicoil it or replace the head. Basically, in his opinion it was just not worth the risk. What do you guys think? Are taking the plugs out (in my case at 90k miles) as much of a risk as he has lead me to believe? About the only advice he could give me (as far as doing it myself) was to do it with the engine as cold as possible and to go to church and pray before I get started...

 

I replaced mine at about 65K ('98 4.6) and didn't have any problems. I used anti-sieze when I put them back in. I did it when the engine was cold.

 

I haven't had to do it yet, but I will shortly in my 98 Expedition. Don't be scared of it, just be sensible. I always restart my plugs by hand/ fingers so I can make sure they are going in easy. I have never had any trouble. I think MAYBE your mechanic is just thinking of the 5.4L motor that has few threads in it. I wouldn't worry with it. Just take them out and inspect them and replace them. If you don't replace them, who will? They could and most likely will go many more miles, but it's best to replace them before 100K to keep your gas mileage and performance.

Don't sweat the little stuff!

 

Are you going to replace your plug wires too while your at it? Maybe get some ford motor sport 9mm. What's the stock plug anyways? I checked at the dealer and they wanted like 10-11 bucks each for their bend me over price.

 

If they are going to strip, they are going to strip. Take your time and you should be OK. Be sure to use a spark plug socket and not an ordinary one.

Regards

Jean Marc Chartier

 

Yea, I am planning on doing the wires aswell... For the heck of it, I called Ford and was quoted $250 for the plugs and $200 for the wires.... He did say if they stripped the head while taking the plugs out that they would be responsible for the repair (unless they could see where it had already been stripped.) I haven't quite decided if I'm going to do it myself or take it to the stealership... I may have them do the plugs for $250 and try to replace the wires myself. I wonder if some of you guys problems with the plugs blowing out was possibly related to the head being damaged when removing the plugs?

 

If you take your time and have patience removing the plugs, then you are probably going to do a better job than the dealer - someone who is only paid a fixed amount for changing plugs.

And whereas I shouldn't stereo-type the dealers this way, if they do strip the threads while removing you almost know for certain they are going to say that it was already like that - and not cover the cost of the repairs. It's for this reason that I say Do It Yourself.

 

At a cost of $0.0025 per mile (presuming 100,000 mile intervals as prescribed by Ford), let the dealer do it. The guy that does the work day in and day out for a living has much more experience working with the alum. heads. I agree about doing the wires yourself (and most other repairs for that matter).

 

bring it to my house over here at coit and frankford and I,ll help you do it...e-mail me at Burk12209@cs.com.....get the motorcraft plats for your application...hey I've got a set of new bosch plates and I've even got a set of wires(new) I'll part with for 80 bucks

 

I have a 98 4.6. At autozone, the recommended motorcraft double plat's were $3.50 each. My dealer wanted $9.50 each.

I guess spark plug's are a huge cash cow for them.

 

OK guys, I have 99,000 miles on my 4.6 and repalced the spark plugs at approx. 60-70,000 miles. I was driving a few weeks back and heard what sounded like a faint exhaust leak or possibly valve train noise. Now, just a few days a go I hear what sounds like a hose hitting the fan. Opened up the hood only to find my passenger side front plug completely blown out of the head. I have talked to many mechanics and they have informed me that this is not that uncommon of a problem. This really scares me. I am in the process of getting a new F-250.

For the record, if I were you, I would take it to a place that is willing to stand behind the work and make sure you extend the warranty as long as possible.

Good luck,
Bones

 

97 4.2 V6,almost 83k miles.At 70k miles changed the original plugs.I had no problems.I always use antiseize when going back with new ones.Replaced the wires also.Cost me a little over 60.00.Autolite DPs and Autolite Pro Series wires.The trick is to remove them when the motor is cold.

 

SteveB - I can't help but agree with you! In my case, since these are the stock plugs, they couldn't make too much of a case that the plugs had already been stripped since they've never been taken out. If they could find a way to get them back in there long enough to get me outta there and let them blow out later lets just say it wouldn't be a shock! IF they would do whats right, I'd almost be willing to pay the $250 to put the responsibility on them...

Bones - I feel for ya bro! Sounds like your looking at having to hellicoil it or replace the head alltogether. Perhaps the suggestion to re-torque the plugs every 10-15 thousand miles is more important most of us had thought. If nothing else we should sure make a point of listening for what sounds like an exhaust leak. Just about everyone that has blown out a plug has mentioned hearing it.

Tex - I will send you over an email... I'm not ten minutes away from ya and could use the help!