So my 2004 F150 5.4L w/70k started to run rough so I took it in to my buddy who owns a Midas. As you all already know my plugs needed to be replaced. He tried to take them out by spec but broke 2 so we had to send it down to Ford to have them switch them out. They broke 1 and $750 later I was on the road again. The same day just about 5 hours after I picked it up my truck I was 50 miles outside of Colorado when cylinder #1 blew. The next day I got it do a Ford dealer in Colorado who removed the plug and scoped down the cylinder. The sleeve was all torn up he said. Told him just the day before that Ford had replaced the plugs and he said it looks like they dropped a piece of ceramic or something down there. They quoted me $8,500 for a new engine. I said I’m not paying that. Now we’ll see if Brent Brown Ford in Utah will take responsibility!

 

Well you better take that up with the dealer that did the job. Hopefully the new dealer will find some pieces of ceramic to help prove your case.

 

man that sucks. $750 for 1 plug they broke and pulling the plugs that your buddy broke plus replacing all the others as well? thats wayy overpriced. its normally between 250-350 if none break and 80 bucks per broken plug. that would be about 590. did any others break? sorry to hear about the engine as well. thats why i always make sure i look down in the cylinders before i put the new plugs in, just in case. hope you can get a free engine and if it ends up being a used engine then make sure its an 08 that way you dont have to worry about spark plugs breaking or any of the other issues the early 3v's had.

 

The $750 was actually with towing to and from the Ford dealer and extracting the 2 broken plugs from midas and their 1, as well as replacing the rest. Its hard not to ad the towing prices into it because i had to pay it to get it fixed. The truck is still in Colorado. Im leaving Friday morning to go get it. Then its on with the Dealer!

 

Brandon, I can not tell you in large enough words that you need to DOCUMENT everything, WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION!!!! Do not assume anything and do not accept a verbal anything. Make sure to pull an oil sample out of the engine and send it in for analysis and pay for the particle count. Frankly, I'd call Terry Dyson at Blackstone Labs and have him tell you how to cover yer but. You are setting the stage for litigation if necessary. Yeah, give the Ford dealer the opportunity to make it right but CYA!

Blackstone Labs (260) 744-2380

 

Fantastic advice labnerd!

 

Sounds like your buddy at the Midas shop probably messed up.

Just a guess based on the story you told. I have a hard time believing the Ford dealer would not have the proper tool and technique to replace the spark plugs but it is much easier to believe a muffler shop would crack the plugs with the wrong tool or technique.

 

Man...that is definitely a nightmare scenario. Sorry to hear about that Brandon. Does 1 cylinder being damaged like that really require a new engine...the cylinder can't be repaired? Bored and sleeved or something?

 

The dealer in Colorado said that he didn't think it was save able. whether that was to get me to buy a new engine i don't know. i hate having my friend involved and yeah we have talked about it falling on him and it may just do that. Either way i think its bull ***** to think i should have to take care of it. Its not me just trying to get out of replacing an engine. Its the fact of you break it you fix it if i break it i fix it. That is a good idea labnerd. Thanks guys for the advice!

 

Find a nice junkyard motor and be done with it. Sounds to me like you got to many hands in the cookie jar. No one will take the blame. This here is a good place to start looking at this link
http://car-part.com/

 

BTW I've been happy with Larry Miller Fords service department in salt lake the one on 13th south.

 

damn man.... this doesn't sound like its going to come out good at all... Is your friend willing to pay for a new engine if it comes down to it... I mean if they find out it was not Ford's fault?

 

I wish you the best, but this does not sound like its going to end well.

 

If your friend had plugs break, but it was sent to the dealer for the broken pieces to be removed from the head, I dont see how it would be his fault that anything fell in the cylinder. The cylinder would still be sealed when it left his shop and the dealer took possession. Of course that doesnt mean the dealer wont try to make him the scapegoat.

 

I agree. Was it your friend or Ford who broke the #1 cylinder plug? Either way it sounds like if you fight this you could be without your truck for a long time. Good luck!