ok my buddy has a 04' fx4 with the new 5.4 3 valve. he changed his plugs but is clueless on how to get one of the back ones out. i cant remember what side but it one of the ones in the back. i told him about the problems you guys talk about with the plugs breaking and he said he didnt have any issues with them other than the dealer wanting 400 bucks to change them. so thats why he decided to do it himself. i wanna say he has 90k plus on his truck.


second he said he is having a rough idle problem in the 1100 to 1200 range. he said once he gives it gas it is fine. when he takes off however it skips or whatever. i thought at first maybe the fuel pump and i figured i would hit you "pros" up for the answer.

thanks to anyone who can offer any help!
steveinsc

 

I'm no expert but I'll have to say your friend is one lucky dude. This forum and others like it are plaqued with problems concerning the plugs for the 5.4 3v engine, esp the 04' model. Plugs breaking, even by following the most current TSB which recommends carb cleaner to loosen the carbon, is found all over the place here. Not only are they breaking, the fragments left behind vary and are a SOB to get out, sometimes requiring the heads to be removed. I don't have to go into much detail about all this b/c if you do a search you will find it everywhere. To answer the question about the back plug, if it's the back plug on the left side, simply remove the PCM and it will be easier to access. If he's having a misfire then starting with the plugs and COPs is the best place to start. If this doesn't fix the misfire, he needs to chime in with a few more detailed symptoms. There are several fine Techs on here that go out of their way to help us.

 

thanks tom. i am headed into work this morning and i will get some more detailed information. i do remember him sayin he couldnt find the plug?

reguarding the plugs i told him about all the problems. i have searched this forum many times to only come up empty on the removal of the plug i am asking about. i will tell him about removing the pcm and i think that will help him get the last one out.

ya know he bought his truck 2 months after seeing mine back in 04'. i have the stx4x4(4.6) and he bought the fx4 with the 5.4 3v. anytime we see each other we ask how the truck is running. little things like the cracked windshield in my turck matched with his. infact his has broken twice since he bought the truck(right down the middle towards the passenger side). anyway when i asked how the engine was he was mad to say the least. he said he didnt have any issues at all removing the plugs? all he commented on was how the ford place was going to charge him 400+ plus to do it. as far as the take off he said it stutters until he gets past the 1200 rpm mark. he had this issue before the plug change and this was reason for him changing them. i will get with him this morning and let you know. once again thanks bro. steve