Spark Plugs for 2000 Ford E-350 SD Triton 5.4L V8 2V

[kioticoachman]

Senior citizen recently purchased Class C 2000 Ford Coachman E-350 w/ Triton 5.4L V8 2V engine. Currently has 75,000 miles on original plugs? Ford dealer although 100,000 mile is limit on plugs they recommend changing them sooner to possibly any problems due to corrosion, etc. over time.

Would like to hear input from our Forum as to type plug to replace original with, etc. Copper core, platinum, or other brand replacements. Thank you for taking the time to assist with this. KC

[j-d]

2008 two-valve is well beyond the "problem years." Any E-Series with Tow/Haul is. Mostly gone in 2000 and newer.

[Gene_in_NE]

cgmartine - I provided the link to the website that Consumer Affairs setup to collect complaints. Even if you count all the complaints listed, there are 100,000's of Fords that have not had a problem. It is something to be forewarned. I don't own a Ford, but I believe I would remove all the plugs on/around 100,000 miles and carefully install new ones. I would determine what is the recommended torque (not enough - they will unscrew and blow out or too much - would overstress the threads and weaken them so the plug would blow out).

It is my understanding that many of the Triton engines (maybe all of them) have an electronic coil that attaches to the plug. A blown plug for any reason probably damages the coil thus adding to the cost.

The smarter part of me would take the vehicle to the dealer and have them swap the plugs and hang on to the receipt. That way if one of the plugs they replaced blows out, they could replace it at their cost.

[cgmartine]

Gene in NE, I read the articles in the Consumer Affairs you listed. As an owner of a 2008 Ford V-10 Triton, I was aware of such problems, but so far, with 110,000, I have not experienced such problems. Have I been lucky, or should I anticipate problems in the future? Should I go ahead and start changing the coils and the plugs now? But since it appears to be a problem with the plug threads, could the same thing happen even with new plugs? Thx.

[Gene_in_NE]

kioticoachman wrote:
Senior citizen recently purchased Class C 2000 Ford Coachman E-350 w/ Triton 5.4L V8 2V engine. Currently has 75,000 miles on original plugs? Ford dealer although 100,000 mile is limit on plugs they recommend changing them sooner to possibly any problems due to corrosion, etc. over time.

Would like to hear input from our Forum as to type plug to replace original with, etc. Copper core, platinum, or other brand replacements. Thank you for taking the time to assist with this. KC

As Golden_HVAC has recommended, use a Ford dealer for the plug change. Here is some reading material - Consumer Affairs. You may have recourse to go back to the dealer if a plug gets spit out after the dealer has done the replacement.

[darsben]

For what ou are going too do OEM

[kioticoachman]

Golden_HVAC wrote:
Make sure that the new plugs are not overtightened. Ford made a mistake when they designed the heads, and did not allow enough turns in the aluminum for the spark plugs, so they only go in something like 3 turns, and many back yard mechanics overtighten them, and bottom out the plug, stripping away the tiny amount of aluminum that hols them in place.

Use a torque wrench, or the Ford dealership. They are well known for poping out of the heads a few hundred miles after being replaced.

I would stick with the Ford spark plugs, they seem well built. it is not like the 60's when oil fowling the plugs was a problem in engines. My 2007 Ford does not use 1/2 quart in 6,000 miles. Engines are a lot tighter than the 60's and 70's.

I was reading advertisements from the 1950's in Popular Mechanics. I guess that engine rebuilds happened every 75,000 miles back then! Now it is not un-common for a car to go well over 250,000 miles, even trucks are going 175,000+ miles between rebuilds!

Good luck,

Fred.

Appreciate the note. Will be replacing them with the OEM or Ford plugs, as was suggested by other members. Probably have Ford or a reputable garage that is familiar with what is involved to handle it. KC

[kioticoachman]

pauldub wrote:
I put OEM plugs in mine. You already know that they are good for at least 75,000 miles.

You make a good point. I doubt that I will be around & well enough as the RV to have that much time left. Thank you! KC

[time2roll]

Leave them for at least another 30,000 miles. Put 110k on mine and the change made no difference. Next change will be at 250k or maybe never.

[kioticoachman]

K Charles wrote:
I have an '04 X with a V10, it's the same stuff as the V8. I changed the plugs at about 130,000 and they were still good.
I did it 2 years ago so it was 9 years old, yours is 15 years old and I would get them changed if it were me, they have been there a long time.

That's pretty amazing! Thanks for your thoughts. KC

[kioticoachman]

darsben wrote:
What are your plans with the rig?
Short trips around home base.
Cross country travel?
Full timer
Snow bird

Just came back from a trip out West an it seems that I will be making another fairly distant run & distance ( 4,000 - 7000 miles ) coming up in a couple of weeks so I want to make sure. After that the rest of year will be short, before I look into storage. KC

[kioticoachman]

j-d wrote:

kioticoachman wrote:
2000 Ford Coachman E-350 w/ Triton 5.4L V8 2V engine

Is this the Model Year of the Coachmen Class C, or the Ford E-350?

It's common, even usual, for Chassis to be a Model Year earlier than the Coach Model Year. If E-350 turns out to be 1999, have Ford dealership or Ford specialist shop install Ford plugs. The Ford "modular" engines, V6, V8 4.6, V8 5.4, and V10 had sparkplug issues different from 2000 and later.

Good call on naming it as "2V" since you seem to understand that NO E-Series got the "3V" that came out mid-2000's. Those, too, have plug problems, but they're from different issues than the early 2V's.

The title lists it as a 2001 Ford Coachman. If I got this right, As far as I can determine it started out as a 2000 Ford E-350 Heavy Duty Chassis that Coachman used to install their 2001 model 195 - rk RV on. If that make sense? It is a Model 195-rk - 2001 - Class C Coachman. Hope that helps and thank you for your input. KC

[pauldub]

I put OEM plugs in mine. You already know that they are good for at least 75,000 miles.

[j-d]

kioticoachman wrote:
2000 Ford Coachman E-350 w/ Triton 5.4L V8 2V engine

Is this the Model Year of the Coachmen Class C, or the Ford E-350?

It's common, even usual, for Chassis to be a Model Year earlier than the Coach Model Year. If E-350 turns out to be 1999, have Ford dealership or Ford specialist shop install Ford plugs. The Ford "modular" engines, V6, V8 4.6, V8 5.4, and V10 had sparkplug issues different from 2000 and later.

Good call on naming it as "2V" since you seem to understand that NO E-Series got the "3V" that came out mid-2000's. Those, too, have plug problems, but they're from different issues than the early 2V's.

[Golden_HVAC]

Make sure that the new plugs are not overtightened. Ford made a mistake when they designed the heads, and did not allow enough turns in the aluminum for the spark plugs, so they only go in something like 3 turns, and many back yard mechanics overtighten them, and bottom out the plug, stripping away the tiny amount of aluminum that hols them in place.

Use a torque wrench, or the Ford dealership. They are well known for poping out of the heads a few hundred miles after being replaced.

I would stick with the Ford spark plugs, they seem well built. it is not like the 60's when oil fowling the plugs was a problem in engines. My 2007 Ford does not use 1/2 quart in 6,000 miles. Engines are a lot tighter than the 60's and 70's.

I was reading advertisements from the 1950's in Popular Mechanics. I guess that engine rebuilds happened every 75,000 miles back then! Now it is not un-common for a car to go well over 250,000 miles, even trucks are going 175,000+ miles between rebuilds!

Good luck,

Fred.