Blown Plugs, damaged cylinder head
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
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same old ****
Forgive me for maybe being stupid here guys,but tell
me what does replacing the head with another head from the
same piece of **** company do for me,will i not just have the same problems yet again further down the road,if there was a fix ,for our problem,I am sure most of us would be happy to pay the bill and be done with it,and know that our trucks will last for a while,but to put out big bucks and to potentially end up with the same problem ,pisses me off,maybe we should organize some truck rallys to our local ford regional offices ,so we can get the word out through the media that there is a problem,Maybe that will get fords attention ,I,dont really know where to start ,but i am willing to get involved ,if anyone else is interested ,I am in the Vancouver B.C. area .if anyone would like to help me start something ,please email me at JPatterson@telus.net
me what does replacing the head with another head from the
same piece of **** company do for me,will i not just have the same problems yet again further down the road,if there was a fix ,for our problem,I am sure most of us would be happy to pay the bill and be done with it,and know that our trucks will last for a while,but to put out big bucks and to potentially end up with the same problem ,pisses me off,maybe we should organize some truck rallys to our local ford regional offices ,so we can get the word out through the media that there is a problem,Maybe that will get fords attention ,I,dont really know where to start ,but i am willing to get involved ,if anyone else is interested ,I am in the Vancouver B.C. area .if anyone would like to help me start something ,please email me at JPatterson@telus.net
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 106
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From: Columbus, Ohio
Originally posted by p_ferlow
Since the spark plug hole on these engines is so deep I'm sure there is plenty of room to add some aluminum in the hole so there's an inch of material instead of half an inch, the plugs are long enough, this would use all of the threads in the plugs v.s. only half the threads. I wonder why Ford went with only half the thread depth seeing as they have all that material to work with.
Since the spark plug hole on these engines is so deep I'm sure there is plenty of room to add some aluminum in the hole so there's an inch of material instead of half an inch, the plugs are long enough, this would use all of the threads in the plugs v.s. only half the threads. I wonder why Ford went with only half the thread depth seeing as they have all that material to work with.
What impact might this change have?
Now if an identical plug, 1/2 inch longer, is used then I wouldn't see where there would be a problem.
Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 19
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Well after talking with my local ford dealer im going to be putting in a brandnew engine. Since both of my heads had blown out sparkplugs it wouldve cost around 3800 bucks to do both heads. Im getting a brand new motor with a 3 year,36000 mile warranty for 4500 installed. I figured this was prob the best way to go and maybe if ford does end up recalling they will help me out later on. I hate to spend 4500 bucks on a motor but i really dont want to rig the truck just to sell it and have this happen to someone else. By the way the one plug that i did have helicoiled was the one that blew out again.U guys and gals might want to rethink about using a helicoil because its a temp fix at best. Just my thoughts....wood
Member
Joined: Nov 2002
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Hey Seagasim... where u at? I did shop around and that was the cheapest by 600 bucks! I live in socal so maybe thats why. Im just happy to hopefully rid myself of the problem and not have to woory when i go on road trips that im gonna break down.
Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 47
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From: South Dakota
No probs with my 5.4 but I wanted to let who ever is interested know that when I was first looking at F-150's about a year ago I was talking to the Ford dealership service manager who I got the feeling knew what he was talking about and who seemed quite helpful and honest. The manager stated that the only major problem that he had seen with the F-150's was the plugs blowing on the 5.4's and he seemed specific about just the 5.4's...this was late Sept-early Oct of 2001, he stated that his shop had seen 5 of them since they came out and that they all blew around 80k...anyway...the dealership/shop is Superior Ford in Plymouth, MN if anyone is interested. Hope this helps!
RAZO
RAZO
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 975
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From: W. Van., BC, Canada
SteveB,
Both the long thread and standard thread plugs are the same, that is, the distance from the outer electrode to the tapered (gasket area) of either plug is the same. Simply put, the long thread plug has threads from the bottom all the way to the tapered gasket portion, where the standard only has threads half-way up.
For some STUPID reason, Ford engineers decided to only thread-tap half the hole instead of tapping the whole hole and using long-thread plugs.
It just doesn't make sense.
If you have the heads welded you would only need to add material to the inside of the plug holes up to the original taper edge. Then have the holes threaded and cleaned up by a machine shop. Since the distance from the taper (gasket area) is still the same there is no issue with plugs sticking too far into the chamber or being up too far.
We need to ask these question of the engineer who designed the plug hole in the first place. Anyone have a connection to Ford engineers to ask this?
--------------------------------
On a side-note, could the plug spitting be aggrevated by knock & ping conditions?
Both the long thread and standard thread plugs are the same, that is, the distance from the outer electrode to the tapered (gasket area) of either plug is the same. Simply put, the long thread plug has threads from the bottom all the way to the tapered gasket portion, where the standard only has threads half-way up.
For some STUPID reason, Ford engineers decided to only thread-tap half the hole instead of tapping the whole hole and using long-thread plugs.
It just doesn't make sense.
If you have the heads welded you would only need to add material to the inside of the plug holes up to the original taper edge. Then have the holes threaded and cleaned up by a machine shop. Since the distance from the taper (gasket area) is still the same there is no issue with plugs sticking too far into the chamber or being up too far.
We need to ask these question of the engineer who designed the plug hole in the first place. Anyone have a connection to Ford engineers to ask this?
--------------------------------
On a side-note, could the plug spitting be aggrevated by knock & ping conditions?
Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 16
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From: Gardiner, NY
I was luckier....NOT!
Blew a plug on #2...cracked Coil pack. Mechanic replaced cp and said plug threads were ok...NOT! I started getting a rough idle immediately...
My rough idle was because I was still losing compression around the plug...only a couple threads left....Ford says new cylinder req'd at $3400 Oh mama....
Cylinder #2 by the way...I have NO mods on this truck. Bought it at 37k, 55k now. Plugs have not ever been touched as far as I can tell.
Found a guy at a truck shop who will do a helicoil next week...have to keep my fingers crossed that it will work...except for the middle one which is pointed at Ford. I sure hope he can do it without removing the head.
Am I better of leaving the rest of the plugs alone, or changing them out while it is in the shop? Seems like a lot of problems occur after plugs changed out...? Comments?
My rough idle was because I was still losing compression around the plug...only a couple threads left....Ford says new cylinder req'd at $3400 Oh mama....
Cylinder #2 by the way...I have NO mods on this truck. Bought it at 37k, 55k now. Plugs have not ever been touched as far as I can tell.
Found a guy at a truck shop who will do a helicoil next week...have to keep my fingers crossed that it will work...except for the middle one which is pointed at Ford. I sure hope he can do it without removing the head.
Am I better of leaving the rest of the plugs alone, or changing them out while it is in the shop? Seems like a lot of problems occur after plugs changed out...? Comments?
Member
Joined: Nov 2002
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I would just leave them if i were u. Ya my middle finger is still pointing at ford also.If ford dosent come up with some way to reslove this matter ,this will be the last ford i ever buy. In fact i just picked up my wife a brand new chevy tahoe. Was gonna buy an expedition but said F@ck ford!
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 934
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From: Northwest
Woodster,
I can understand your frustration, but do you think these kind of problems are unique to Ford? Chevy has had their share of misfortune also. I've had both and I am glad I have gone back to the Ford products.
I can understand your frustration, but do you think these kind of problems are unique to Ford? Chevy has had their share of misfortune also. I've had both and I am glad I have gone back to the Ford products.
Thread Starter
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Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 93
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From: CA
Originally posted by Navi Man
Woodster,
I can understand your frustration, but do you think these kind of problems are unique to Ford? Chevy has had their share of misfortune also.
Woodster,
I can understand your frustration, but do you think these kind of problems are unique to Ford? Chevy has had their share of misfortune also.
I can understand that design flaws occur, and problems will result. I can accept that we don't live in an ideal world.
But what I have a beef with is the way Ford refuses to deal with customers in this matter in an ethical way, i.e. their slimeball tactics of denying the obvious, and hoping it'll all just blow away without any need to address it. That's the real disgrace, and Chevy's customer service policies, whether any better or worse, is not a mitigating factor for Ford.....
Chris
PS Here's two other threads on this same subject that have popped up, and contain good info on the issue:
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...threadid=96467
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...threadid=95825