Removing spark plugs

[TCSoff]

I just read an article on a mechanic magazine (don't remember wich one)that stated Ford vehicles eqiped with 4.6L 3v's had an issue when removing plugs. Apparently they break before removing them completely. I'm about to do a tune up on my car and was wondering if anybody else ran into this problem?

 

[xtreme02gt]

They were really tight, but they didn't break..... But I only have 13,000 miles on my 2005... Buy they were in there for 3 years..

 

[99GTtony]

Ford has a TSB on the matter. Quite a few people have had them break when being removed, and the dealerships won't pay for the heads removal to get them out once they break them. I think the TSB called for a penetrating lubricant when removing plugs and replacing them with a fixed design plug that supposedly won't break.

 

[blck04gt]

I just removed my OEM HT1 plugs on my 08GT. The car ony had 3,000 miles which could probably factor in. They were tight, but all came out just fine.

 

[killbee]

33K miles on my 05 when I installed the Paxton. 5 out of 8 plugs left the threaded section in the head. I followed the Ford TSB to the T and they still broke. Its a very bad plug and head design. If you get them out make sure you put anti seize on the spark plug shank below the thread before you reinstall the new ones.

 

[kens88gt]

Has this design flaw been corrected on newer models, '06 and up?

 

[HotRodHarry]

I only know of a new plug design for the 08 and up.

 

[TCSoff]

I think I'm gonn a pay ford to do the tune up that way they will deal with it if they break.

 

[blck04gt]

I only know of a new plug design for the 08 and up.

In Febuary of 2008 Ford changed the thread pitch on the plugs, so anything before then (plug wise) will not fit.

You will notice that the coil pack boot prior to Feb. 2008 is black, anything from then to now is brown.

 

[S281SC]

I changed the plugs on an 05 and 6 of the 8 broke off in the head! Snap-On makes an extracting tool to remove the piece left in the head. It was about $145. for the tool, but worked great, so money well spent!

 

[TCSoff]

So I did research on the internet on this issue and there are a few people that had the dealer remove the plugs and had to foot the bill for extracting the broken plugs even though there is a TSB for the issue. I saw a case where someone paid $1500. I can not afford $1500 for a tune up so I decided to just do it myself. I bought a can of carburator cleaner and sprayed each spark port let it sit for about half an hour. I then removed the excess cleaner and set my torque wrench to 36lbs. I put constant pressure at 36lbs and then just nugged the wrench a bit past 36lbs back and forth a few times. That loosened up the plug a little bit then I just removed them the rest of the way but very sloooowly. The only plug that gave me trouble was the #2 plug. It didn't break but it was hard to remove I had to let it soak for another 15 mins before removing it. I also read that people were having trouble with the springs in the coil packs stretching out. I didn't have that problem. I just wiggled the coil pack while pulling up and they came right off. Now here is my confession and I know this is BAD and if you guys wanna flame go ahead I guess. I have 66,300 miles on my car and this is the first time I changed the plugs. :bash: The reason why I bring this up is because if at 66K+ miles I didn't have trouble removing the plugs I think that if people are careful they shouldn't have a problem either.

 

[WVUAnt]

If you are stock, whats wrong with running your plugs 66,000miles? Plugs don't need changed every 20000 or 30000 miles like they did 20 years ago.

 

[TCSoff]

If you are stock, whats wrong with running your plugs 66,000miles? Plugs don't need changed every 20000 or 30000 miles like they did 20 years ago.

Really? Once again I show my vast knowledge about cars. I only have CAI,Axlebacks & tune so that's pretty close to stock. I can say however that the plugs were pretty bad when I removed them so it was time for them to come off.

 

[blck04gt]

Did you replace them with the OEM HT1's?

 

[TCSoff]

^^ Autolite HT1's got them for $9.99 at Jegs. Kragen wanted $14 or $15 IIRC.

 

[blck04gt]

^^ Autolite HT1's got them for $9.99 at Jegs. Kragen wanted $14 or $15 IIRC.

Nice. And did that fix your problem?

 

[CobraKindaGuy]

If you are stock, whats wrong with running your plugs 66,000miles? Plugs don't need changed every 20000 or 30000 miles like they did 20 years ago.

According to Ford the plugs are not needed to be changed for the first 100,000 miles because of the way the plugs are designed to fire and clean themselves.

 

[Stang925]

my spark plugs were hard to take out. They have a werid size i used a i think 9/16 socket and loosened them up, but didnt have a rubber boot or anything so i used a mechanical magnet to get them out and then put the new ones in took me like a hour because i was bullshiting with my friends. lol but I've never heard anythign about them breaking.

 

[snoopy347]

hey s281 wats the part number on the snap on tool ??