Which is the newest TSB for plug removal on the 5.4's? Using Kroil or carburetor cleaner??

I went to change mine out and the front 2 came out just fine. Now for the other 6, not so lucky. I used the Kroil with the engine warm. The nuts came off the plugs! I had to be at work in a couple of hours so I just tightened the nuts back down. Is there a good chance that these plugs would blow out of the hole since the nut seperated from the porcelian? I had a misfire on cylinder #1 and that was one I got out OK. The only good news in this is the misfire is gone.

I took it to a shop down the street and they said their first option is to take the heads off. I politely said no thanks. And this is a fleet mechanic that works on fords all the time. Does anyone know a shop experienced in this problem besides the Ford dealer in the Indianapolis area?

 

The latest is the carb cleaner. Anyone with the Lisle tool should be able to remove them without removing the heads. Why not the dealer? They have the most experience. My dealer seldom breaks one and has not trouble removing one that does break.

 

I was trying to stay away from the dealer because the labor is almost twice what the private shops are. But I would rather have it done right than some idoit wanting to pull the heads off first thing.

 

Ford techs are well versed and don't get enough credit IMO. Most private shops have a good rough idea about things. The cost of this procedure doesn't vary enough in comparison to go anywhere other than the dealership.

I see two choices. Either educate yourself enough to do the job,- IF time allows and which can be done here,- or let a tech do what their trained to do.

 

I have the ability to do it, I just don't have the patience.

It says for the nut coming off just let it soak more and take a pair of long reach needle nose and pull it out, but I see that situation going bad very quickly.

 

Is there much of a chance of it spitting the plugs out since the nuts are separated from the porcelain?

 

Haven't heard of that, they break like this -

 

The nut was loose with the plug wrench. When I looked down in the hole the nut was almost to the top of the porcelain. I took a pair of needle nose and the plug was not budging. I didn't have time to mess with them anymore so I just screwed the nut back down.

 

Been my experience that you end up paying private shops MORE because they lack the expertise to do it right the first time in a timely manor. If I dont want to do it I take it to the dealer.

 

I just had the same problem yesterday. I purchased thr broken plug removal tool from Matco and it worked great. The same tool is available from Lisle Tools for around $80.00. The hardest part of the repair was following the instructions... The tool is foolproof. I have since researched different spark plugs and have found the Champion plug is a one piece unit which can not seperate like the Ford plug.

 

Yes but Champions can't disburse the heat correctly, therefore STILL a mistake to run in these modulars. Post up when you get your first misfire, lets see how long they last you.

 

I think what he's trying to say is a situation that doesn't happen very often. ALL he got out was the nut. The entire porcelain and the ground sleeve stayed in. You could try and wiggle the porcelain to try and get it to come out whole and if it broke off (hopefully at the ground sleeve), and then use the Lisle kit to shove the porcelain down and extract the sleeve and porcelain. If the porcelain breaks off to high you'd have to break it up to use the Lisle and vacuum the broken pieces out of the cylinder with the small hose as has been mentioned in the past. There's ALWAYS a way!

 

There's always a way, but not always the will!

 

Well you might want to make out a will for that engine then

 

i hate this