I plan on doing the sparkplug change on my 04 5.4 3v in a couple weeks at my buddy's garrage in a couple weeks and wonder if running the cleaner through on my 1000 km (600mile) road trip is a good or bad idea. is that too much too fast or a real good idea? I have 185 000km's, got it used and assume original plugs even though it runs smooth.

 

Put two bottles of Techron through... I do it every few months. Maybe put it in few a few tanks

 

After a lot of research, this is my plan for a spark plug change:

A few days/week prior to the change, I'll add two (2) cans of SeaFoam to less-than a quarter tank of fuel and drive around with this high ratio mixture until I'm ready to do the change. It helps if you are doing highway miles as apposed to city driving. SeaFoam is an excellent engine cleaner, injector cleaner, cure-all product. The point of all this is to loosen and burn off as much carbon buildup as you can prior to removing the plugs.

When it comes time, the engine must be room-temperature cold (as per the Ford Technical Service Bulletin.) Use some type of penitrating fluid. Ford recommends carburator cleaner, but SeaFoam Deep Creep works very well. Blast the spark plug well with compressed air to remove any dirt, then flood the well with a tablespood of fluid. Again, Ford recommends only one tablespoon - more could create hydro lock. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then slowly (1/16 - 1/8 of a turn) rock the plug back and forth (in and out) until it begins to move with ease. Don't rush this step - allow the fluid to do its job on any remaining carbon. Carefully unthread the old plug. New plugs should 'greased' with a nickel-based anti seize product on the insulator cap only - don't get any around the tip of the plug. Presumably, this is to avoid future carbon build up. If you're lucky, all 8 plugs will come out cleanly and in one piece. If not, you're screwed. (Sorry, the truth hurts sometimes.) Hope this helps. Good luck.

Cheers, Jules

 

Seafoam is not recommended, Use Techron. If you have the Lisle tool and some break, you're not screwed, just slowed down a bit.

 

According to their site, if you use Chevron, Texico, or Caltex branded gasoline regularly, and religously, you will not benefit from a concentrated adative. http://www.techron.com/what-is-techr...-answers.aspx#

Therefore, why not just buy their gas instead of spending extra money on concentrated addatives.

 

I do. I use Texaco, Chevron and Shell and my plugs came out without a problem at 65,500. However, he was planning on running a cleaner thru and Techron is the better option.

 

Just did mine last weekend. 121K miles. Broke 6 of 8. Took me 8 hours to complete the job. The Listle tool is a champ!

 

Sorry Blue, my question was more directed towards truckguy's comment that he runs the additive alone through his truck every couple months. It would make more sense to use the fuel with the additive built into it, than to use a cheaper fuel and continue to purchase the additive separately. The same could be said that if one is already using their fuel with the additive built in, the website's q&a section clearly states that that person would see zero benefit in using a bottle of Techron additive.

Just trying to save the guy some $$$.

I was I guess a little off topic from the original post.

Note to OP..... ignore everything I have said in both posts. Truckguy and BlueJay were answering your question, I was not. Sorry.

 

I've only used Top Tier gas (Shell, with Techron) in my truck since I got it with 7K miles in '08 and all eight of mine came out intact. They were very clean as well. Not a lot of miles on them, though it was four years of use, but I did a "preemptive strike."

It seems clear that anything you can do to remove combustion chamber carbon is a good thing, since that's what locks the plug in, and Techron is one of the best carbon removers known. Two tankfuls and one good "Italian Tune-Up" before the change is the best pre-plug change prescription known at this time. SeaFoam... don't know how good it is at carbon removal. There may be other products that can do a good job at carbon removal but Techron (also sold as Shell V-Gard) is the best known in this group and we know it works.

Canadianelbow: No worries. No matter what, it was good advice.

 

I know, but we don't have those stations here. The best is Shell and it doesn't mention any additives. I would otherwise. Texaco left years ago. Different regions have different types in NE it's usually Shell, Sunoco, Hess, BP, Stop and Shop gas, Cumberland Farms/Gulf, Mobile and Irving up in the Maine area, although in recent years they have come to Massachusetts. There are other smaller brands that are locally owned, but I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole. Only Shell and Sunoco

 

I agree....not to use seafoam as there are other products out there that are equally effective and are not as corrosive.

When I decided it was time to change the plugs (2006 Mark LT 4x2, 5.4, 35,000 miles) , Although I knew about the carbon build-up/plug removal issue, I decided not to change the plugs until there was a replacement plug that I was comfortable with…meaning I knew it was a good quality plug in terms of component design and construction. Although I did follow the most recent TSB, I also relied on my experience back in the 1970’s when aluminum heads & intake manifolds were just entering the street scene and never-seize did not exist. Here are the exceptions to the TSB that I did…
1. I ran Lucas fuel injection cleaner, mixed at 3 times their recommendation in 1 full tank of gasoline. Purpose…if I was lucky, it would dissolve or loosen any carbon buildup (although many do a real fuel injection cleaning also- and it is probably a best practice to do if you have more than 45-50,000 miles on the plugs)
2. Although I am a fan of PB Blaster, I used a product called ChemSearch “Yield”. The issue I have with using carb cleaner is the lack of lubrication…..in the old days of removing steel plugs from aluminum heads, we use to mix up acetone & ATF…or of we needed more lubrication, kerosene & ATF, “Yield” provides this lubrication- much better IMHO than even PB Blaster.
3. Yes, I put anti-seize on the plug threads (I know the TSB says not to)
4. Of course…a lot of patience, I really doubt if I ever put more than 20-25 lbs of force during removal (purposefully)
The end result, only one plug even “squeaked” coming out (but it basically unscrewed like a regular plug- literally). Plug #4 was initially a little stubborn, but after the second try, then waiting about 30 minutes, it came out with very little effort…just kept wiggling the plugs (tightening/loosening) by 1/8th or even less of a turn- and they all came out without a single one breaking or any issue really.
Actual working time: 2 hours…..including washing my hands, total time was 5 hours.
FYI- Why I choose Motorcraft.
One of the techniques that can also be used is, crack open each plug by 1/8-1/4 turn, start the engine, then shut it off....this will also burn residual carbon away. Then let it cool and remove the plugs.

In the 1970’s I ran (like many) Champion’s in just about everything (even had the gold palladiums), but stopped in the early 1980’s when they changed their copper-core design and the resulting quality problems that IMHO still exist today. Since then I have run Splitfire (non-platinum) in my old world (1960’s) cars, Bosch in my late 1990’s vehicles (both because the cylinder head design really prefers these types of plugs), but I really had hesitation because of the construction/component quality of the non-Motorcraft plugs and really questioned the durability in this application about the Motorcraft SP508 or SP 509’s which are single platinum.

 

Basically, if you want deposit control, use a Top Tier gas. Go to <www.toptiergas.com> and see which brands fall under this category and also read the enhanced testing that is needed for this classification.