I have a 04 FX4 screw with a 5.4 with 30,000kms. My question is should I have the spark plugs removed and inspected. My warranty is out and I do not want to run into problems with the plugs damaging my heads.

 

well i just had an experience with these new extended tip plugs....sister's '06 expedition has 46k on it.....my brother in law, not knowing about the plug issue, takes out the #5 plug because of a Cylinder #5 misfire code on the driver's side bank and the extended tip casing is left in the head along with the ceramic fully intact....long story short, it was a nightmare to 'carve' out the ceramic to be able to make a few threads with a tap to be able to pull it out

all 7 other plugs came out just fine.....what i used: PB blaster soaking in the spark plug wells up to and just over the hex head (plenty of fluid as you can imagine)....i let them soak for 48 hrs, and took them out very, very slowly....literally took about 10minutes for each plug using very very small 1/16th turn increments....they screeched like hell with every turn of the wratchet until about the last 15% of the threads were left....then after taking out all plugs and the stuck piece, i cranked the engine over with the injectors disconnected to blow out all the PB Blaster fluid that seeped into the cylinders

the new plugs were Champion 7989 with the one-piece extended tip, not "crimped" like the stockers or the autolites....bill for 8 of these came out to $103 or so shipped from summit racing

and of course just before putting the new plugs in, i gapped them to 0.054", and i coated the extended tip and threads with anti-seize grease