I have acquired a 2000 F-150 with the 5.4, it has 98,000 miles and will be due for its 100k checkup soon. This checkup includes changing the plugs. However, after reading about the #3 Cyl shooting the plug out of some 5.4s I am not real sure I want to touch them LOL. If I had Ford do this work, and the plug shoots out, would I have any recourse to make Ford repair the damage? Or would I be SOL like all the others?

 

You could always ask how they plan on fixing it if it does happen before work begins.

Who know's maybe it already happen and there's a time cert already installed. Should be easy to tell by looking down in the hole once the plugs are out. Is there a nice shinny ring around the hole??

 

you might want to read this

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=308090

I posted this as part of the thread

I posted this to a previous thread last month i think it applies here

11-12-2007, 08:44 AM
jrp22554
Member Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 47

I have stayed out of this 5.4 debate, but my municipality has quite a few ford f150, f250 and f350's with 5.4's of various ages and talking with the shop manager, he advises that we are now experiencing the broken plug problem, yes we have had the older 5.4's spitting plugs.

when I was deciding what to buy, the 4.6 or the 5.4 in our new trucks at home (personal purchase) I discussed the the then new problem, he blew it off, he has had second thoughts now as our units now come due for plug changes.

I had a thought about the shops that are breaking the plugs

What I am about to say is not a shot at many of the good mechanics such as Quinton and others here as I do not what their shop policies are.

All of the shops in the Mobile area employ their mechanics on an incentive basis, the more work you do (jobs completed) the more you make
they are paid to go fast, not to do a good job by taking your time.

There are rate books that indicate how long a job should take and what should be charged.

the result is just because a TSB says you do this and that and you should use pentrating oil and go 1/4 turn, do not use excessive force does not mean that he will, if the right way says 8 hours to do a plug change properly on a 5.4, does not mean he will, because he would normally do say 4 plug changes on a reqular 4.6 engine in the same time, the mechanic is losing money taking his time following the TSB and proper procedure

I think many of the broken plugs are the result of mechanics paid on an incentive basis, the more you do the more you are paid, shop supervisors know this and know that they can pass their goofs off to the customer.

you might want to ask if your mechanic is paid on an incentive per job basis, they may lie to you as several writers and shop foremen have to me, but their mechanics tell me another story

thoght I might add this to the debate

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Last edited by jrp22554 : 11-12-2007 at 08:54 AM.





shops are trying to do as much as possible in the shortest possible time, Ford knows that no matter what they come up with, shops do not want to dedicate the time necessary, if they do FOMOCO is not going to pay the shops to take their time.
Shops are going to cheat and try to do the job faster that they should so that they can do 2 jobs in the time of one.
If they break the plugs, so sorry, some one is going to pay, either FOMOCO or the vehicle owner (or both)
FOrd knows this and does not want to pay, they know how some dealers will stick it to them.

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Last edited by jrp22554 : 12-03-2007 at 11:11 PM.

 

I just called my Ford dealer about this spark plug problem. I ask how much it would cost to change the plugs in my 2001 F-150 4x4 he said about $150.00. I then ask about if they brake a plug instaling them who pays for that. They said we, the dealer pays for anything that might go wrong.

 

Ask for it in writing is all I have to say.

 

$150 for all 8? thats awsome! i paid $300 just for the service of the plugs and wires and COPS. (maybe wires and COPS made it cost more) but still - i guess i should shop around. That $300 was ontop of paying for the actual parts from troyer for his upgrade.

 

Yeah I got a quote at goodyear for $278 for the whole shebang. Not sure if I trust them all that well.

 

Did it myself for under $125 (COP's and plugs) Truck runs as strong as the day I bought it...You want it done right, do it yourself!

 

Why do you think they will break a plug - Hell , I've never seen that happen in your model. That's an 04 and up problem. The problem with your model year is the plugs getting cross threaded or over torqued resulting in head damage.

That ones hard to prove because the damage may not become apparent until "after the fact" - Later on down the road when a plug blows out of the head. Try to get them to accept responsibility after that - Good Luck...

Still - You were mis-quoted on the plug change - Get that in writing as well.

 

Whats up with the spark plugs breaking off while trying to get them out? How do they "break"? I took out a couple of mine the other day with a plug socket to check them with no problem....

 

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/68...n-removal.html

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/65...ll-needed.html

http://www.ford-trucks.com/tsb/fullt...php?tsb=06-5-9

 

Oh, mines an '01. I guess i got lucky

 

Shop rates vary from dealership to dealership.....sort of like truck prices vary from dealership to dealership. The quality of work varies also. It all depends on how they run their shop and what their techs levels of training and experience are.

Stop by at a couple of your local dealership service bays and talk to them. Be frank and honest. Explain what you want and what your concerns are. You will see that some of these guys in the service bay are now more than shuck & jive salesmen that should be working on the used car lot, and that some of the service guys are actually knowledgeable and honest.

Then have the same conversation with independent mechanics in your area. You may luck out and be able to find a local garage that is dependable, trustworthy, and knows your truck.