Hello everyone, I have surfed his site for years and finally registered to get an answer to an important question. I have had F150's exclusively and would have never imagined buying anything else till now. I have an 02 F150 Supercrew 4X4 with 4.6L engine. This was almost new when I bought it and I spent my life savings on it. At 61,000k I spit a plug. I had heard about this issue on the site here neverthought it would happen to me. Well I had to put an insert in and now at 130,000k the insert has lifted up and worked its way out. It never spit it out but the engine is missing like crazy and now I need to deal with this isssue all over again. I am very angry about this whole thing but not much I can do. I am going to get it fixed and likely trade it in but not sure I will give Ford anymore of my money. What I want to know is the plug spitting problem over with the 04 and newer models? I am thinking about an 06 or 07 f150 but I am so tempted to bu a chev right now I am sick about it. I was hoping some of the folks on the site can let me know how the post 03 models are in terms of quality? Thanks for reading.

 

Go buy a Chevy - If you spit one @ 61,000 - it's your own damn fault. Did you ever think to change them ?- That is a maintenance item. If you used an insert and it blew out - The installation was wrong. Some people like to blame there ignorance on the Manufacturer.

Buy a Chevy , there you go

 

Hey ******* if you have nothing to offer to the question I have asked then mind your own business. Assuming someone doesn't do maintenance on their vehicle is so easy isn't it. Looking for information not smart comments.

 

Spitting a plug @61k has nothing to do with him and everything to do with Ford's bad design.

Yes they have solved the plug spitting issue with the 04+ Trucks however they now have an issue with plugs breaking off in the cylinder head upon removal.

Ford certainly has not learned their lesson on plug design on their cylinder heads. Pretty sad actually. However I myself will not buy any other truck or car other than Ford.

 

with all the downsizeing ford has done it sounds like they have used a rookie to engineer the spark plugs insteads of a seasoned veteran, i still feel despite the plug issue i would take my chances with ford, but then again it hasn't happened to me.

 

I think you had better reread exactly how you phrased your question - I do not approve of trading insults and flaming on any forum, but you kinda left yourself open for that one. If you don't like someone's reply, ignore it. Biting back like that is going to drive people away from trying to help you.

You also need to get a better sarcasm detector, yours is broke.

I am happy to give you the courtesy of a hopefully helpful reply.

1. A proper insert properly installed should never loosen. The recommended insert here is "Timesert". If you get yours redone with a proper insert properly installed, you can probably run that thing to 300k. "Helicoils" are not proper inserts.

2. The plug ejection issue was fixed in 03, but the 5.4 3V engines from 04 to present have the opposite problem, the plugs don't want to come out at all without breaking. Supposedly the very newest 5.4's have a new head design that fixes that. The 4.6 2V engines have had no plug issues since the 03 head redesign.

3. If you want a 06 or 07 Ford truck and do not want spark plug issues, get a V6 or a 4.6 or a diesel. I won't touch a Dodge truck with a gas engine with a 10 foot pole but Chevys aren't bad - just don't expect them to be as beefy as a Ford.

Jim, one part of that was uncalled for - the recommended spark plug change interval is 100k, blowing a plug out at 61k is hardly the OP's fault.

 

Thanks for the reply Richard. I have been a Ford man all my life and really can't see myself driving any other truck than an F150. I wasn't aware of the plugs breaking off problem, but now I am. Its such a tough decision cause I am going to take a loss when I trade my 02 in but I use it to haul my camping trailer and I don't want to be on the side of the road wishing I should have went with my gut feel and dealt it when I had the chance. I understand no trucks are without problems I have heard both Dodge and Chev have transmission issues. How big of a problem is the snapped plug issue? Is this happening alot or is there any epidemic cases out there?
Again, thanks for the help.

 

Well i guess my sarcasm detector is also broken because i also thought that Jbrew reply was rude and uncalled for.

And while I agree with ignoring some replies sometimes we lose our better judgment and instead choose to rpely to rude people.

 

The plug issue although is a problem if you do not know of it and you attempt to remove the plug without first taking the needed steps to prevent them from breaking could be a great issue.
However since there is a TSB with a very specific removal procedure, if followed i see no reason why the plugs cannot be removed without breakage.

Also a few companies are now making a one piece plug that will prevent this from happening. So what i would suggest is if you plan on buying used from a dealership do two thing. First is buy the extended Ford warranty for it and before you buy it ask them to change the plugs and install the Champion ones that are one piece.

 

Actually I'm assuming you did or you had someone else do a half a$$ job changing your plugs - prolly the same person that that put the insert in I bet.

If your plugs were over torqued at the factory, the problem would have appeared long before now, before 60k.

You come onto Ford forum bashing the manufacturer. Announcing to everyone your going to a Chevy; crying like a baby.

FORD doesn't deserve that and they sure as hell don't need you. Find someone else to blame you faults on.

A stand up person would take responsibility for there own actions. I bet you go around threatening to sue everyone .



I know full well about the plug problem and this this type of thing that pi$$'s them off about it. Gimme a break; 60K? - Lets blame that one on Ford too.

Like it or not that is my contribution.

 

WOW!! jbrew did you not get laid last night or are you hung over and pissed off at the world today for some reason.

Above is the OP's original post that i have quoted and no where within it does he ever mention he is buying or even considering buying a Chevy, that was all you.
He is wondering if he should buy another ford based on his bad experience with a plug spitting out. And the fact that it spit out at 61k is irrelevant.

I had my factory plug spit out at 45k so how is that also my fault. Ford had a bad design they knew it and that is why they changed the head design. They have another issue now which is why the late 07-current models got a head design change as well as a plug redesign.

And Ford has a serious issue with the plugs spitting out and that is solely on them not the buyer. And Ford certainly deserves to have their name smeared when they refuse to stand behind their defective product.

Just like their Brake Switch that catches on fire on it's own and just like the doors that crack because of the window going up and down. They redesigned them because they were flawed and they will not and do not stand behind there defective product.

I personally am pissed at ford for these issue but it will not prevent me from buying their products as I have zero faith in the other manufactures products. And overall Ford makes a good product but they certainly need to pay for their mistakes and own up to them.

Isn't that what your saying Houligin should do?

Lighten up man.

 

I'll check that out, but I could swear that little book in glove compartement says 60,000 or 65,000 on the plugs. I don't go past 50,000 myself.

 

That is likely the disconnect here, I am in Canada and the 61k I am referring to is actually 61,000 km which is 40,000 miles. Back to what Richard had said I am not saying I am buying a chev, and I am aware this is a Ford enthusiasts site. I am not looking to pass blame but think there are enough cases of this happening to know its not all based on poor maintenance by owners. I am a Ford guy through and through and have owned 4 F150's in the last 15 years of driving. Just a kick in the groin when we are paying so much for trucks these days that we seem to be let down with crippling repair bills. I know my 79, 86, and 94 F-150's never beat me like this 02 has. Ah well its not only Ford I guess.

 

Why ? Well alright .

But Search - "Spark-plug problems" with every other manufactures name after it. Ford isn't alone and theres allot worse problems out there with other makes.

He makes it sound like he's given Ford chances at making him happy and they sh^t on him or something. I just think he doesn't know how good he's had it.

I think it's partly the way he phrased it and that it's awful funny I never had that problem. It's my understanding that the 99 - 2000 5.4L's were the ONLY heads over torqued at the factory.

Somewhere along the line, his had to be done incorrectly and that, IMO isn't Fords fault. 12 - 16' lbs is in every manual I have seen.

 

Yep first recommend plug change is 100k but like you jbrew i would never let them go that long. I suggest no longer than 50k for the first set and even that is pushing it. I have seen customers vehicles that have left them in for the 100k mark and sometime they won't come out other time the whole ground strap and electrode are gone and it amazes me the vehicle was even running.

Many of the imports with aluminum heads alos have issue with spitting plugs

I did not read that into his post at all.

By the way i was not intending to attack you for the record I just thought you're reply was way out of line is all.