I've got a 2004 5.4 3 valve and I have close to 75,000 miles. When has everyone started thinking about doing a tune up on theirs and what is involved. I know the old style motors you'd change plugs, wires, cap, rotor button. But what about the new ones like this? And also is this possible for a shade tree guy to do (assuming average mechanical ability). Thanks!

 

If you have not read about the sparkplug removal problem, you need to do a search on the subject and do some reading. The rest of the stuff is the recommened fluid changes, filters etc.

 

Yeah, "tune ups" are kinda not needed on our trucks. There's a few things that come due around 100,000 miles, such as the trans. fluid and filter, serpentine belt, and spark plugs, but other than that, there's not a whole lot to do. Just read the service section of your owner's manual. It provides a GUIDELINE for when to do service. I cap'd "guideline" because it all depends on your situation. They will tell you to do more than is required, because the service manual thinks that you're ignorant, and that you don't know how to tell when certian things need replacing. If you are ignorant, then follow it. If not, then you know that you don't have to change your air filter every 10,000 miles. Just change it when it gets stopped up.

 

Make sure you have this for the plugs and you'll be okay. I use the with a little battery operated impact. You don't need the impact , but it makes for a quick plug changout and centralizes the load when extracting..

 

Where did you get that at jbrew?

 

It's just a spark plug socket. Nothing special about it. You can get it anywhere.

 

It is a little special, in that it's a 9/16 instead of 5/8. Just out of curiousity and boredom, I cruised around town to the Sears and local parts stores, none of them had a 9/16 spark plug socket, and quite a few looked at me stupid when I asked.

I use one similar to the one pictured below, except with magnetic retention (which for whatever reason, $nap-on doesn't list in any of their catalogs) instead of the tapered retention like this one:


ETA - And do search the '04 - Present forum before even thinking about touching those plugs.

 

Carquest has them..

 

ok thanks