About 4 days ago a minor tick in my 99 5.4l turned into a feirce ticking. i figured it was something in the top end because the noise was quite noticable around the drivers side wheel and hood. I changed the oil with my regular quaker high mileage (238000km on the truck) oil, checked her over, and then loaded up my trailer and headed out for the seasons first deer hunt. on the way home about 120km from my home there was a loud bang and the obvious sound of exhaust gas and cylinder misfire. what i really want to know is if the people who have had blown plugs have heard a bad ticking before failure and or if this is directly related. My truck is going to the shop this afternoon, but it would be nice to know what symptoms and experiences people have had witht his scenario..ya know? ..to give me the heads up at the stealership. heli-coils?, worth doin?g..the truck will be headed to be traded in, in about 2 weeks...but id like to fix it right for the next guy. any other magic solutions that are worth trying?..thanks for the help. ..Time for a 1 ton.

Jeff

 

I'm going through the same thing right now. Check my post further down the page to see some more comments on the topic.

I also had a ticking coming from my engine...in fact I had it in to the shop to be diagnosed and they said they thought it was a lifter...then this happens.

My Ford dealer told me they had to replace the head or the engine whichever I wanted. They claimed they didn't know of any other way to fix the problem.

Below is the actual Ford Technical Service Bulletin regarding their authorized method for repairing the aluminum heads. They authorize the use of Lock-n-Stitch:

http://www.locknstitch.com/FT%20pdf%...20Bulletin.pdf

I found a local mechanic that will do the insert...not sure what it will cost yet.

 

Hey u guys - what are the cylinder #'s of the plug that blew ? You might get lucky!! Be able to fix under $300

 

The dealer still has mine so I've not had a chance to look. I know it's on the drivers side, and it's either the last one up against the firewall or the one right in front of it.

The one up against the firewall on the drivers side is a demon. The engineer who designed it should be shot.

How can it be fixed for under 300?

 

You do a TimeSert from the outside by a mechanic that owns his own shop that's comfortable with the procedure.

You can't do this with cylinders 3,4 or 8 tho.

For all interested Fordgirl has a 4.6L and had this procedure done . Look up posts from Fordgirl.

 

Do you have a diagram showing which cylinders are which? I've tried google but come up empty everytime. I know its on the drivers side either right up against the fire wall or the second one from the firewall. I've not had a chance to look at is as the dealer has it currently.

 

Firewall

4 8
3 7
2 6
1 5

Front of
Truck

Sorry about the poor diagram!

Looks like you had either #7 or #8 blow out.

 

The diagram is great...THANKS!

 

Well, After a 315$ tow bill to my mechanic, and about a half hour talking to me on the phone, he says that its prolly a blown plug. Friday morning I go down there and sure enough cyl. 5 COP is hanging there by a spring and a thread....spark plug no where to be found. When it exited the head it must have took all the goodies with it because the hole looked like a sloppy surrey girl. All in all, I was lucky, the front half of the cyliner banks are not impossible to get at. A heli-coil and a little clean up time to make sure chips were all out , a plug, a new COP ( the 7th one ive put in), some time to check all others and I got out of there for 290$CDN. thats like 291$USD.haha, jj guys. The ticking is gone! , What ive been told is that the tick is the plug moving around in the threads....I mean , I dont know the clearances in the threads...but its gone now. truck runs smooth.

Its a good truck, but I have the leaky windows, the COP eating engine, door cracks, and the plug ejection...nnnnniiicce.