TOPIC: Working with Ford Motorcraft Spark Plugs

It has come to my attention that there is an ongoing issue with some Ford vehicles and Motorcraft spark plugs that we need to be cautious of if we are going to regap the plugs for a customer and if nothing else make our customers aware that there is the potential for an added expense if they ignore this problem.



2005 Ford F-150 Spark Plugs Break When Changing: 28 Complaints

The Ford Motorcraft spark plugs in some vehicles are coming apart after a period of usage, also on some vehicle engines the spark plugs break during the process of removing them. There is a note that this is occurring on vehicles with aluminum heads. ( Sounds like no steel inserts for the thread seat. ) There is also some comment that this does not occur if the manufacturer's recommended maintenance is followed regarding replacement of plugs.

Something for the back of the mind.

Karl Fortner
Tacoma, Washington

Disclaimer
Ford and Motorcraft are trademarks of Ford Motor Company

Hi Everbody this link is to a YouTube vid from Autolite spark Plugs. It's all about their recommended procedure for removing spark plugs on Ford 3 valve engines in 2004-up Ford products. I have never touched plugs on any newer Ford product, but this procedure makes some sense to me.

Like many vehicles/engines today, plugs can get neglected for 100k + miles. Carbon builds up at lower end of plugs in the 3 valve ones, and the Modular engines only have 4 or 5 threads in the aluminum heads for the plugs.On the 3 Valve engines, it's this built-up carbon that causes the plug to separate leaving the lower part to get stuck or fall into the cylinder!! My neighbor had a head off a Modular engine (forget just which one) and showed me, no insert, just aluminum head. Common sense says don't let these plugs go over 60K miles, less is better. Ford recommends these plugs be loosened/retorqued at (I think I saw) 15 K miles.

Another YouTube vid w/ a Master Ford Tech, he used intake/injector cleaner in fuel systen first to remove carbon on the 3valve engine, removed the plugs w/ an Impact air tool on his socket(!!)It needs to be a certain thin walled plug socket BTW. He used hi-temp black anti-seize on the lower shield end of NEW plug and threads, then installed again w/ air impact:GULP: I know but it worked for him!!

Of course there are other similar vids about this on YouTube. Heck if you watch enough YouTube vids it's like a mechanical training course;). It looks like we can't re-gap the 3valve plugs, ground strap is a full u shape over center electrode.

Lesson for these Ford engines: do homework BEFORE you touch these spark Plugs. To get this vid and other results I Googled: Ford spark plug issues I feel a little better about them, but I would re-check info before I ever do!! Read/watch Twice; then wrench!

TracyG GadgetmanReno

Hello tonite I found helpful info re: the spark plug breaking issue on Ford 3-valve Triton engines. From what I see this is on 2004-2008 V-8 and V-10 engines. a common engine and a very common problem.

Common enough that Lisle makes a trick tool set to solve the problem. The site linked here is a tool seller that sells this tool, and there is info all about it including a youtube link where a tech shows the whole process. And now Champion has a new replacement plug for these engines, that's 1-piece and has a conventional gapp-able firing tip.

Ron was bit hard last year by this problem in Provo Utah, the shop must not have had this tool. He was stuck there several days and had to have head removed to remove end of broken plug costing lots of $$$!


Anyway -- anyone facing this issue, here ya go! Save lots of time, grief, and $$ ;

Denlors Auto Blog

Cheers, Tracy G