obviously we have different views. need to leave it @ that.
i dont own a 04+ do not have the particular problem
i own a 97-03 which is known for launching issues & so far my 4.6 had 194k without launching. just mentioning plug problems there.

but i totally agree the 2pc design is the worst idea to be engineered and actually implemented. you guys are experiencing it first hand. my thing is, i feel the sooner you personally take action the better your chances are for a positive outcome. THATS my bottom line.

 

Then sell the truck and get a Tundra

 

maybe the worst implemented by ford but I remember the 80's when chevy thought they could throw a diffrent set of heads on a gas 350 block and call it a diesel, those things were blowing head gaskets 10 miles out of the dealership and they were calling it abuse, they never did do anything except rebuild and stick the cust with the bill, so its not just ford all of them do it at one time or another I have owned many diffrent brands over the years lincoln and caddys 1 chevy truck multiple ford trucks 2 dodge vans (yes im a glutton for punishment ) 1 chevell and multiple ford cars and a nissian sentra right now my mom drives a kia optima they have all had their issues and plusses but by far the gm and dodges ive had were harder to work on with larger "design flaws" than my fords, case in point has anybody out there had to deal with a quadrajet carb my god that should have put gm out of buisness right there and they used them for years so in closing if you want to rip on ford go to a chevy fan site or dodge sell your ford buy your tundra and go bug their fan site when the tailgate falls off or you hit a bump in the road and the bed smacks the back of the cab

to everyone else sorry I had to get that out of my system

 

seriously hope you werent directing that @ me.

 

Kitch
I don't think he was recommending you buy a Tundra. You seem to have your ducks in line with your Ford.

I am not that far away from you at the Ford picnic table. I owned a 1993 Ford F-150 for 9 years before selling it privately. Oddly, the person who bought it lives across the street from one of my daughters. I see the old '93 often in his driveway. It was only the other day (May '08) that he called me and said the '93 had failed its first Smog Test and with his phone call he asked me if I had souped up the engine on the '93 in anyway. I said no. But I did not tell him I had changed plugs on that '93 about 6 times, and (ha!) never had to refer to a new TSB or buy non-conventional tools to pull out broken parts out of my cylinders. Just plain ol' sockets, extentions, and ratchet. And plugs that cost only $1.35 apiece. Ah! Those were the days.

What went wrong with FordMoCo engineering that told them to hide the fact that their new 5.4, 3V, banana plug product was a dud for common home maintenance? And a mountainous bill when the Dealership broke the plug with their expert Ford mechanics?

(For those outside of Calif., in Calif. one shop inspects for smog. Then a separately owned shop of customer's choice must fix the smog part that fails. Often this will only be the 02 hose or something like that. This two-shop law prevents smog shops from failing smog inspections just to get the repair business. )

Kitch, enjoy your Ford. But shivver when it comes time to buy up. I wish you luck.

 

No Klitch, it was directed at the OP

 

I had a spark plug become loose on my 5.4 but i caught it before it blew outI kept hearing a noise that was similar to an exhaust leak. It also felt like it had a slight skip. I pulled all the COP's and checked every plug. The back plug drivers side was loose by probably 1 1/2 turns. It now runs perfect again with no noise or skipping I usually check my plugs to make sure they are tight every 15,000 miles.

 

Klitch anyone around here for a little while knows you bleed ford blue

 

Hello all i was just reading through and am researching for my 08 service info and came accross this post. I am wondering if this issue has been fixed by ford or is this a concern for me?

Thanks in advance

 

its got a little over 130,000 miles. yea they are installed on the line.

 

no it shouldnt be a problem for you if i remember right.

 

The blowout issue was fixed in 2003 with extra threads in the head. However, the 5.4 3V introduced in 2004 has a different issue - plugs sticking in the heads and breaking when you try to take them out. Your 08 may or may not have this issue, it depends when your engine build date is, I believe. They have recently redesigned the heads so they no longer have to use the plugs with the extended ground shell.

 

Well, THAT will never happen. I am not a mechanic, but I have two early 70's models that I am able to work on myself. I think it's time to dump the newer one and just drive ol faithful.

 

I have a 2002 F150, 4.6L, 140k miles.

I just had one of the plugs blow out and strip the threads on the block. Mechanic estimated $400.00 to repair. I didn't realize this was such a "common" problem till I did some internet searching. Is anyone else annoyed at how difficult it is to access these spark plugs?

-Frustrated,
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

 

not hard to access them for a regular change...except the last one on the drivers side can be a .....