I know that lots of bad things have happened to folks with this engine and these plugs. I have 24k on mine and it made me nervous so first thing I did was purchase the spark plug tool on ebay for $15. It is a 9/16 with extension built in accepting 3/8 drive. I took the easiest plug out to try it out. Came out with a warm engine no problem, but I still have 7 to go. I saw the pictures on the other threads and sure nuf looks the same. By the way I threaded in with eactly 8 turns to the seat. I put the copper never seize on the threads and torqued to 13 ft lbs. I found it interesting that it threaded 8 turns as I have read that the previous 5.4 older engines only use 4 threads. might be the same if the threads are not below the mating surface, but I will look down the bore with a flash light next plug. Have a great day

 

Never remove sparkplugs from a warm engine. IMO

Go to a dealership. They never replace EGR valves, spark plugs, etc. without letting the engine cool completely.

 

guess you haven't read the tsb on the 3v engines huh?

 

The tsb for the plug removal calls for the engine to be "warm'. It shouldn't be hot, should be warm. Let us know how you make out with the other 7.

 

Nope. I stand corrected.

 

I will, I am a full time grandbaby sitter so I have to fit this in when I can. And Yes i read the tsb and it definetly said just warm engine, not hot....by the way there was no squeeling as others have experienced when removing the plug. The threads were dry, and I cleaned the seat with a fiberglass paper before re-inserting the plug. And of course added neverseize.

 

Please note that the TSB also clearly states to spply the nickel anti-seize to the ground shield, not the threads. Here's the exact quote from the TSB:

-Joe

 

Well I guess the first thing is to get the torque right (25 ft/lb?) But seriously what good is coating the ground strap going to do, It will burn off quickly. What the heck is ford doing? I will still put some on the threads and do a proper torque job. the Seat is dry,which is the contact to the head for the torque. I know some is in the threads too, but the contact is what builds up the torque figure. So I assume (yea make fun) that they think coating the electrode is going to last and prevent corrosion on the shield? Should just get rid of the shield and go back to the drawing board.

 

Coating the ground strap prevents the build-up of carbon around that ground shield in the bore of the head, and allows whatever does build up to break free when you go to turn the spark plugs out the next time.

As for the torque, the threads play just as big a part in the torque as the seat does. The torque spec is established for dry threads and a dry seat into a dry head. Adding lubricant of any sort to the threads or seat (grease, oil, anti-seize, etc) increases the clamping force at any given torque. It also makes it easier to strip the threads out of the head trying to attain said torque, and that's a whole other nightmare to deal with.

-Joe

 

Well, did the left side of the engine, all plugs came out, the carbon buildup is evident down in the bore. put the neverseize on the shield as directed and still added some to the threads, I know, supposed to be dry, but my mechanical thoughts are against that, Ford is not always right, after all look at the crappy plug design. funny my Lexus says to put never seize on their plugs thread and so do a lot of Haynes books especially in aluminum heads. I Have had bad luck with some of Fords recommendation in the past, they are just drawing at straws to save their *****..... That is why you see revisions to tsb s all the time, means it didnt work the first time

 

If you tightened them to 25 ft*lbs with anti-sieze on the threads, you'v eover-tightened them. It becomes very easy to distort the threads on the aluminum head or distort the seat with the extra clamping force the anti-sieze allows. If you use a lower torque, you run the risk of the plug working its way loose, or the seat not sealing completely, allowing a carbon-build-up on the threads and burning a hole in the aluminum head. Unless you know something the engineers that designed, engineered, and tested the engine don't, it's not a good idea, but hey, it's your truck... do whatever lets you sleep at night.

Here's another way to think of it: You didn't have any problems getting them out at 25k, right? Why would you think you'd have issues with the threads after another 25k? The factory doesn't use it, and they get them out after 100k without a (thread) issue. I've never used anti-sieze on a spark plug thread that didn't call for it. If the factory recommends it, it gets it. If the factory says specifically to NOT lube them, it definately doesn't get it. Why would you do otherwise? If the factory doesn't make a recommendation, its one thing. When the manufacturer outlines a specific procedure and the owner chooses to deviate from it because of some other manufacturer's vehicle recommendation, that's poor workmanship in my book.

 

Off topic, but if you intend to post this picture in your sig, try this link.

 

Glad to see you had no problems on the plugs you pulled out so far.

 

I'm in a metal fabrication trade, I am no Automotive Engineer but I can tell you that the use of anti-seize compound is critical in certain areas; I'm not too sure it really affects the torque all that much to matter - I've never noticed it and I think I have a good feel with threaded fasteners and tooling, but I can tell you that putting the compound on the plugs threads can help even if someone says not to, the idea is to keep the up the resistance of the elements of corrosion to the difference in the aluminum "female" threads to the spark plugs steel "male" threads.

That squeeling when unthreading the plug is thread galling, it happens when the plugs threads more or less "rub" their way out - they only gall because of the heat over time alters the tolerances of the threads on the plug itself, plus corrosion buildup on the threads. Spark plug threads aren't the most accurate in tolerances held in the industry, this "slop" also leads to galling, then again - another reason for anti-seize, it is also security against thread galling in some cases.

Anti-seize on the ground strap seems unorthadox to me, the heat from the combustion will burn it off eventually not to mention it isn't really designed for what you're using it for here, there is a tempature in which the anti-seize is good for anyway - you can see it on the lable of the product.

Another thing, with Fords modular motors the use of varying extensions is required in order to properly get the reach to torque the plug, you use a torque wrench with a 4'' extension, and an 1/2 to 3/8 adapter let's say.. well, you think that plug is actually going to receive the 14 foot/lbs your torque wrench is set on? There is a calculated formula to figure this out, I'm not too sure what it is because there is a lot to it.. this is all assuming the torque wrench is calibrated correctly.

I don't see how you could strip the threads trying to torque the plug tight, you're actually sheering/pulling the threads in the head up and out is what's really happening. I guess I have more of a finesse of fasteners over the years of being in the trade or something.

Lastly, alittle use of dielectric grease on the plugs around the ceramic will help resist corrison/rust from water that makes its way down there, it's better than nothing in there.

 

Torque values using extentions (up and down) will not change anything, only when using a crowfoot (away from pivot point of torque wrench) will you need to figure out the multiplied values. But if you have to use wobblers that could be a whole different story, thats when the "feel" of the other plugs you had a staight shot to comes into play