Taking the plunge: 5.4 Triton spark plug change

path1 wrote:
Did my 03 with 97,000 miles. Took 4 hours. let air out of front tires and went at it. There is a good write up on (I think the name is) ford enthusiast web page. Don't guess at torque, confirm with couple sources prior to digging in and(without anti seize) was my choice. Only big surprise I got was using seafoam after changing plugs. It gummed up injectors and had to pull them one more time and get them cleaned up. And about 6 months later fouled up another injector (# 2 hole), so it does break up junk but where does it go is the problem. Did have to buy little metal cap things for top of socket to be able to use a wrench for the hole closest to passenger side. Torquing it back in was a "crows foot" I also used vaseline on little rubber boots on fuel rail and injector. Don't be surprised if you find water or junk underneath boot. Use air gun, watch your eyes (rusty water, chips go flying) Water drain at top of hood is at bad spot water runs off cowling then onto motor, at least on my year.
If you use seafoam I would change fuel filter before starting and every 3500 miles for about 7,500 miles. Read to many horror stories about brand X parts, so I only put motorcraft back in. I also changed COP's at same time.

Some time ago somebody ask the same thing and somebody posted a link to good info about 5.4 plug change maybe you can find using the search button.

You shouldn't break any plugs most of problems worked out by 07 IMO use /soak some oil as others have said.

On the spark plug socket, when I would pull it out, the socket would disconnect from extension and stay in hole. That rubber works better than I thought. Instead of glueing them together with JB weld or something, I took out the rubber boot and fished out plugs with a cheap magnet pointer thingie.

Make sure to start plug right. I put a long bolt inside a rubber tube (vac hose line, couple bucks for a foot)that the tip fit over plug top, so I didn't cross thread.

If you get stuck probably a lot help on here.

Good luck and 1 question if you know....

When should they be check again? I ask because I've heard many different answers to that question.

Interesting info on SeaFoam. Hadn't heard that. It seems highly regarded on many fronts from my reading. I put one can in this week and when that goes empty, I figure I'll commence, so I haven't gone hogwild on it. Don't know how it will work out. Just want to get the plugs out whole. I'll deal with the rest after that success.

I've been using tubing on spark plugs, both removal and installation, for many years. The trick is to find a good, snug fit which will allow insertion and removal without too much fanfare. One sort of has to recalibrate one's "feel" for working with aluminum, and using a piece of tubing virutally guarantees you'll not cross thread anything. I've also learned a touch of wetness on aluminum makes it easier to "feel" thread engagement. So, a shot of carb cleaner on the threads will help guide and quickly evaporate. Just don't wash down the anti-seize into the cylinder. Mineral spirits and a brush evaporates slightly slower.

As far as checking again? I'm guessing we're GTG for another 100K if I own it that long. My son might get it as his first vehicle, not sure. It's a great truck, so he could do worse. I've run it hard but taken good care of it. I need to get another 5 years out of it at least (till the wife's Explorer is paid off).

Did my 03 with 97,000 miles. Took 4 hours. let air out of front tires and went at it. There is a good write up on (I think the name is) ford enthusiast web page. Don't guess at torque, confirm with couple sources prior to digging in and(without anti seize) was my choice. Only big surprise I got was using seafoam after changing plugs. It gummed up injectors and had to pull them one more time and get them cleaned up. And about 6 months later fouled up another injector (# 2 hole), so it does break up junk but where does it go is the problem. Did have to buy little metal cap things for top of socket to be able to use a wrench for the hole closest to passenger side. Torquing it back in was a "crows foot" I also used vaseline on little rubber boots on fuel rail and injector. Don't be surprised if you find water or junk underneath boot. Use air gun, watch your eyes (rusty water, chips go flying) Water drain at top of hood is at bad spot water runs off cowling then onto motor, at least on my year.
If you use seafoam I would change fuel filter before starting and every 3500 miles for about 7,500 miles. Read to many horror stories about brand X parts, so I only put motorcraft back in. I also changed COP's at same time.

Some time ago somebody ask the same thing and somebody posted a link to good info about 5.4 plug change maybe you can find using the search button.

You shouldn't break any plugs most of problems worked out by 07 IMO use /soak some oil as others have said.

On the spark plug socket, when I would pull it out, the socket would disconnect from extension and stay in hole. That rubber works better than I thought. Instead of glueing them together with JB weld or something, I took out the rubber boot and fished out plugs with a cheap magnet pointer thingie.

Make sure to start plug right. I put a long bolt inside a rubber tube (vac hose line, couple bucks for a foot)that the tip fit over plug top, so I didn't cross thread.

If you get stuck probably a lot help on here.

Good luck and 1 question if you know....

When should they be check again? I ask because I've heard many different answers to that question.

Sport45 wrote:
Note to self: If you ever buy a 3-valve Triton new, pull the plugs and apply the special anti-seize before it's too late.

That still is no guarantee it'll make a difference.. It's the threads that are exposed in the cylinder that get carbon'd up and form a 'bond' between the plug and the top of the head.. Think of the carbon as being a lock nut on the end of a bolt and until that's loosened up, you can't turn the bolt..

I waited and waited until they didn't offer the 3v 5.4 anymore! ;)

I loved my 97 F150 with the 5.4 in it, but hated changing the plugs!

Mitch

Note to self: If you ever buy a 3-valve Triton new, pull the plugs and apply the special anti-seize before it's too late.

My son changed his a couple months ago. All went great... until the last plug. Broke. Took a while to fish out the pieces with a vacuum. Checked the cylinder with a camera probe to make sure. Said the improvement in performance was very obvious.

dodge guy wrote:
The big thing is to remove them on a warm engine (not hot). crack them loose, put some WD40 down the hole and let it soak into the carbon for a bit. when the carbon is cold it acts like cement and will not give which is what breaks the plug in the head!

The head/plug design is more than reason enough that I will never buy a 3valve triton..... well maybe if I did I would R&R the plugs about every 30k miles, clean them and put them back in.

I've read the service bulletin and several other real life accounts, some from Ford mechanics. Opinions vary as to the temp of the engine. All say NOT hot, but possible warm and cold are both popular. I have a heat gun, so I may heat just the hole of the plug I'm working on. The aluminum should heat quite a bit more quickly than the steel and give some extra wiggle room, but I think I am going to try to break them loose and spray them over night. Not sure I'm going to use two steps. A lot have taken them out with a small impact also. Seems the shock wave breaks them loose sometimes where constant torque doesn't.

thomasmnile wrote:
Are they so called 100,000 mile plugs? Can't believe it's a good plan to leave anything in an engine that long, whether it will last that long or not.

Good luck and may the force be with you.............

Yeah, supposedly. I have almost 104K, and I can tell performance is dropping off, even though mileage is still respectable. Can't wait to see the condition and claimed improvement in performance.

It's not so much that they're in there that long, it's the fact that they have an extra long tail which is just a hair smaller than the extended bore down below the threads. And, with the two piece crimped design, it amounts to the perfect storm. Who, in their right mind, didn't think those couple thousanths of an inch weren't going to carbon up and lock the plugs into the head???? Anybody who knows anything about design should have seen that right off. Either seal them right at the tip, or make enough clearance to let the carbon not build up. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Supposedly, even though the newer plugs are still one piece, they have improved the design. That in conjunction with the anti-seize seems to allow the plugs to come out normally the second time, though few have gotten there.

The big thing is to remove them on a warm engine (not hot). crack them loose, put some WD40 down the hole and let it soak into the carbon for a bit. when the carbon is cold it acts like cement and will not give which is what breaks the plug in the head!

The head/plug design is more than reason enough that I will never buy a 3valve triton..... well maybe if I did I would R&R the plugs about every 30k miles, clean them and put them back in.

I can't comment on the 2 piece plugs the 04-10 5.4's have, but on my 97 5.4, the rear passenger side (#4) and the drivers side (#7) was the hardest to get to..

I didn't have to remove the fuel rail and I changed the plugs twice on that rig! (255,000 miles total before I traded it for the new one).

The plug socket I got had a built in universal on it. From there, I had to use several different extensions and other universals to get an angle I could turn the wrench..

I never had the issue of breaking the plugs with mine, but if you have the tool, and break one, that's supposed to be the trick to the whole deal..

Loved the 5.4, but hated those damn plugs!! :)

Mitch

Jerry9n wrote:
Did mine a few years back on my 06 Expy 5.4. Seems I broke 3 or 4. Followed the Ford TSB to the tee and they still broke. My son works in a lab for Ford and brought home the dealer removal kit. Its use is very complex. I bought the Lisle and it worked much simpler. He took it in so the Ford boys could look at it. Follow the Lisle instructions and you are good to go. A couple of tips:

1. After you get the plug out swab the hole with a q tip with grease or similar after you vacuum to get out any chips of ceramic. (We verified the presence of the chips with a borescope)

2. Use the expensive Ford antiseize on the plugs.

3. Not sure now but when I did mine, the only one piece shell plugs were Champions. Make sure whatever plugs you put in the shell is once piece, not a two piece crimped shell like the OEM.

I had an injector go bad and had to pull a plug after it had been in there about 50,000 miles. Was a bit nervous but it came out with no problem. It was in tight and I think a two piece plug would have broken.

Good luck.

On most of the Ford forums, they lean toward the newer design plug #515. Seem quite a few had problems with the Champions and Autolites. I got mine on Rock Auto for $9 and change ea. The Lisle tool was $63 there also. If you haven't used Rock Auto, they have pretty good prices and selection, even OEM parts. I changed out my malfing multi-switch on the steering column two years ago and got a Motorcraft for $90. Dealer wanted $375! Took about an hour and very little cussing. I may take your advice on the anti-seize. Supposed to use high temp nickel. Not sure what I have. Just have to make sure to not get it on the tip or threads.