help with blown sparkplugs?
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help with blown sparkplugs?
Just wanted to say hi.. Im new to the board. Also im having problems with my f150.. I have a 99 f150 with the 5.4. ive blown out 3 different sparkplugs at various times. the latest one i blew out was the #4 cylinder which i had heli coiled since i dont really want to spend 2600 bucks on a new head. Also both heads are doing this so im basically might be stuck with buying a whole new motor. Ever since the last one happened about 3000 miles ago my truck has been pinging really bad especially when in overdrive. Its never pinged before so im wondering if theres other damage? Running super unleaded helps a little bit but not much. Also the truck now surges when in overdrive on the freeway.The truck has 83,000 miles on it and im about ready to sell it im so fed up. Ford will do nothing to help me out so im ready to buy a chevy.Any thoughts on what else could possibly be wrong? thanks
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: CA
Hi Woodster,
Bummer, major bummer......
Please add your experience to this thread that serves as a central point for this issue, and file a complaint with NHTSA:
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...threadid=88853
Chris
Bummer, major bummer......
Please add your experience to this thread that serves as a central point for this issue, and file a complaint with NHTSA:
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...threadid=88853
Chris
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From: W. Van., BC, Canada
If you hang onto the truck I'd remove both cylinder heads and have a specialty welding shop such as where my buddy works (http://www.acro.ca/) weld up the heads so there's an inch of aluminum where the plugs screw in instead of 1/3 inch, then have a machine shop drill out the welded in holes and thread them to spec. That's the only way to stop the madness somewhat economically v.s. new heads that may also spit out plugs. Sounds like a metallurgy problem. Or Ford didn't use anti-seize compound on the threads or something, wrong torque settings.
Or the computer is adding/cutting fuel at the wrong moment.
Or the computer is adding/cutting fuel at the wrong moment.
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From: CA
Hi p_ferlow,
Interesting advice. Wish I knew about that option when mine was being repaired and they had the cylinder head off.
Perhaps you could copy and paste that info into your most recent post in the main 'blown plug' thread, since it may get overlooked in a different thread?
Chris
Interesting advice. Wish I knew about that option when mine was being repaired and they had the cylinder head off.
Perhaps you could copy and paste that info into your most recent post in the main 'blown plug' thread, since it may get overlooked in a different thread?
Chris
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Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 466
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From: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
I know a guy with a 99 expy, blew a plug but the dealer replaced it with a helicoil insert for $200. Wonder why that wasn't an option with yours. Maybe the dealer neede to fill a bay for a while. Next time, God forbid it would happen again, ask for the insert.
Sorry, I think I'd dump it and get a newer model.
Sorry, I think I'd dump it and get a newer model.
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Actually i did helicoil them. but like everyone else im wondering why the gap on the plug is gone when the sparkplug is blow out?Is it from the piston slop that i read on another post?And im wondering why my truck pings so bad right now?Again maybe the piston is making noise because its coming apart? I think its time to dump it and go buy a chevy!
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well it just happened again tonite! same one as last time and i had it helicoiled so im guessing now its time to replace the head. i found the sparkplug that got blown out and the tip was completely waisted. looked like it had been melted off. its getting towed to my mechanic in the morning and hopefully he will have a solution without me having to buy a whole new head.. wish me luck.. oh and by the way this will be the last ford i ever buy
same one as last time and i had it helicoiled so im guessing now its time to replace the head. i found the sparkplug that got blown out and the tip was completely waisted. looked like it had been melted off. its getting towed to my mechanic in the morning and hopefully he will have a solution without me having to buy a whole new head.. wish me luck.. oh and by the way this will be the last ford i ever buy
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From: W. Van., BC, Canada
You may be on to something here. If the end of the spark plug was literally melted off then there is a big problem with the fuel injection/ignition computer control and/or sensors in my opinion. It seems the wrong fuel/air ratio could induce extremely high combustion temperatures. Running lean (nitrous oxide does same thing if not enough fuel is added).
Is there a flaw with Ford's engine management computers, hardware/software??
Something sounds fishy.
Too bad you didn't have a laptop computer in the truck hooked up to the computer running www.obd-2.com software! That may have pointed out the problem.
What I'm saying with head repairs is because I've seen cracked VW type1 (old beetle) heads repaired by welding. These were aluminum too. They welded them up real good, lots of extra material, then the machine shop cleaned them up to spec again. Ran like new. 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. Whoever the engineer was that signed off on that should be kicked up the a$$ in my opinion.
I don't have any problems with my truck but I feel sorry for you guys. Check into aluminum specialy welding shops. Somebody should be able to do this fix in your area.
Is there a flaw with Ford's engine management computers, hardware/software??
Something sounds fishy.
Too bad you didn't have a laptop computer in the truck hooked up to the computer running www.obd-2.com software! That may have pointed out the problem.
What I'm saying with head repairs is because I've seen cracked VW type1 (old beetle) heads repaired by welding. These were aluminum too. They welded them up real good, lots of extra material, then the machine shop cleaned them up to spec again. Ran like new. Since the spark plug hole on these engines is so deep I'm sure there is plenty of room to add some aluminum in the hole so there's an inch of material instead of half an inch, the plugs are long enough, this would use all of the threads in the plugs v.s. only half the threads. I wonder why Ford went with only half the thread depth seeing as they have all that material to work with. Whoever the engineer was that signed off on that should be kicked up the a$$ in my opinion.
I don't have any problems with my truck but I feel sorry for you guys. Check into aluminum specialy welding shops. Somebody should be able to do this fix in your area.
