Hey guys I need your help on a spark plug change on my 2004 5.4L. I had been on this site a year or so ago and read all of the threads on the spark plug change out and was thinking about doing the change myself. I left it for a while and eventually decided to take it to a friend who owns a automotive repair shop.

After leaving it there for a few days and not getting much info back I learned that the mechanic was of course having some trouble with the removal of the plugs. He was using a de-carbonizing fluid and was taking his time but was concerned that he would break a plug.

I sent him a number of links from this site including the TSB on removal. He has now broken a number of the plugs and has purchased the rotunda tool to remove the broken plugs.

He says that the problems that people have been having with broken plugs is different than what he is expiriencing. He says that he has broken the porcelain insulator and removed the thread body but the hood around the electrode and some porcelain is left in the hole.

Here is my question. I believe the problem that he has is indeed the same as what the tool was designed for and that you have expirienced the same problem. Is this the case? Also is there a risk of the metal component being forced into the combustion chamber or is there a shoulder that prevents it from going further?

So now that there is only a small segment of the electrode shroud and some porcelain does he simply use the rotunda tool to tap the remaining metal component and pull it out? He complains that there is nothing to thread to and that the porcelain in the hole will prevent the threading of the metal component.

Also on a few other plugs he says that the thread body has come out but the porcelain is completely intact and how can he remove it. I said that he could break the porcelain and use the rotunda tool like the other broken ones.

Please help I am going out of my mind with this and think this is the same problem that you have all expirienced.

FYI: They are deisel technicians and not familiar with gas pots.

 

Did you give them this? There is a tool that uses superglue to extract the porcelain.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/3146012-post8.html

 

Yes I did send this link to him. Is there anywhere that shows mode 2 and 3 removal procedures? Short of ordering tools off the internet what can I do to remove the sheild and porcelain?

PS I live in the Vancouver Canada area so if anyone knows where to buy tools locally that would be a help.

 

Have you used the search feature and entered "porcelain removal"?

 

Why isn't he using the Lisle removal kit. Works a ton better than the Rotunda and costs a ton less. He wouldn't be puttering around with the porcelain problem if he had. Tell him to send that bogus thing back to Ford, and get the Lisle and get the job done. I guess the next time you know the place NOT to take a gasser is to a diesel guy.

 

OH man you don't know how right you are. I was doing some reading yesterday and came across the Lisle tool. I found one locally and called the shop and told them to stop everything and that I would be by in the afternoon to do the job myself.

The Lisle LIS65600 is the tool for the job. I dont think that enough of these broken plug threads talk about it. For those who dont know and may read this down the road. The tool consist of a pusher body that pushes the porcelain down and out of the way, but only far enough to allow for the puller assemble to bite on to the remaining plug tip and pull it out. The rotunda tool only has the puller and if the tip has broken porcelain in it this it the only way to remove them except for the stupid locktite method ford suggests.

Thanks everyone who helped out. Thanks again.

If I needed to do this job all over I would probably break all the plugs intentionally to allow for the use of the Lisle tool.

 

Glad you got it worked out and it turned out well!

 

When you get the old plugs out replace them with the champion 1-piece plugs and you won't have to worry about removing broken plugs any longer!

 

True, but you may be replacing them because you have a misfire.

 

thats the whole purpose of putting antiseize on the new plugs. and as said above champions are still bad about misfires.

 

I thought the new FOMOCO plugs were also a "one piece", laser welded anyway.

 

The Motorcraft plugs are a 2 piece plug up until '08 model year. Not welded, just crimped, that's why they come apart. The '08 & '09 are 1 piece but they changed the design of the heads as well as the plugs and they are a smaller thread, so you can't use them in the '04-'07. I assume you haven't had your plugs out yet. In '05 they would be the 2 piece "breakers".

 

Yea, the 08's look like this I believe -

 

Jim, You sound like a broken record, the OE plugs break constantly and consistently, and its not that big of a deal, "Blown out of proportion" as you put it, yet a handful of people have a miss-fire with the Champion Plug and its a disaster, please explain your bias?

I talked, with one of the Champion Engineers about this, they have got a total of six plugs back overall for miss-fire. Because the ceramic is longer in these Ford 3-valve engines than a regular plug and the shell is one piece, not two like the Autolite/Motorcraft, its assemble is a bit more tricky.

Anyway, 6 plugs! and they have sold 100's of thousands, and its an issue, yet I've heard of some guys breaking 6 of the Motorcraft Plugs in one engine! and its "Blown out of proportion"!?

And considering the Champion plug is double-platinum and has a 5-year Unlimited Mileage Warranty, who really is the one that needs the good luck?

You did watch the video didn't you!? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoSh9O3XOho

 

Didn't we have this same discussion already?
You have your opinion based on what you have heard and seen, I have my opinion based on what I have done and seen. All we can do is express our opinions. I have no reason to be biased, but my dealer just has not had a problem with broken plugs.