Ford 6.8 v10 E350

[tarnold]

Checking labor rates for a spark plug change. Mine is 97 and was quoted 5.2 hr flat rate. For the same e350 but a 2005 the rate was only 3.8. I know the early ones like I have, have short thread pattern that tend to spit plugs, but the 05 had the problem of snapping plugs when they were remove, one problem for another. I know the middle plugs on both sides are REAL tight to get to, but on both Year models. Fuel rails etc are in the way. So why would there be an hour and half difference for the 2 models?

[Gdetrailer]

sneakygroundbuzzard wrote:
i spent 17 years as a ford tech(two master certs from ford)

i never did all that to change plugs on one of those vans(and i beat flat rate all the time when i was a tech),but if it works for you,it works for you...

I did mention that my point comes from dealing with F250 PICKUP TRUCKS which if you were really a "Ford Tech" you SHOULD have fully understood the differences.

Although after dealing with my local Ford dealer tech clowns that darn near cost me thousands of dollars in additional repairs after they failed to TORQUE the plugs on my 2006 F250 and they started to come loose I could somehow believe that you may have played a Ford tech at my dealer..

I am not impressed when someone states that they are or were a "Ford Tech" now days, what a bunch of clowns I delt with and I feel lucky that the whole experience cost only $2K and took FOUR MONTHS and 8 trips to the dealer instead of $4K+ and who knows how many months of down time..

Those clowns misdiagnosed the initial problem, which turned out to be a gunked up throttle body.. They threw parts at it, fuel filter, fuel pump, plugs, cat converter.. The loose plugs poisoned one of cats and a year later the front oxy sensors started throwing codes.. Just recently had to change the downstream oxy sensors.. All on a vehicle with only 80K miles.

I fixed the problems eventually by myself with a Harbor Freight code reader and lots of Internet searches with the symptoms..

With the F250/350 PICKUPS the back two cylinders on each side are completely buried under the cowl on the 5.4 and the last three cylinders on each side of the 6.8. Cannot get much more than you hand in there even with all the intake air duct work removed.

Vans are a bit different in the fact that you do have COMPLETE EASY ACCESS to the REAR cylinders of the engine and only have some obstruction of the front one or perhaps two cylinders on each side.

[Home_Skillet]

sneakygroundbuzzard wrote:
i spent 17 years as a ford tech(two master certs from ford)





DO NOT use any anti sieze or the like on your plug threads or the WILL come loose in time and you will blow the plug right out of the head

jm2c on it
but what do i know 😉

+1
Ford says don't use anti sieze at all.

2005 V10s already have the updated heads with the improved spark plug threads.

[sneakygroundbuz]

i spent 17 years as a ford tech(two master certs from ford)

i never did all that to change plugs on one of those vans(and i beat flat rate all the time when i was a tech),but if it works for you,it works for you.

now a bit of advise

before you remove any coil,take compressed air and blow off any debris that is around the coils,if you dont that debris will fall into the cyl head plug hole and will do one of two things(if not both)
it will make it a real bear to get a socket on the plug,and or it will fall into the cyl once the plug is removed.

if youve never seen what a little tiny stone can do to valves,head and piston.it would not be a good time to learn what it can do.

anothe rbut of advise

DO NOT use any anti sieze or the like on your plug threads or the WILL come loose in time and you will blow the plug right out of the head

jm2c on it
but what do i know 😉

[sgfrye]

Gdetrailer wrote:

tarnold wrote:
Op here, really great pics! This is a good series on what we have to go thru. Nothing like a F series, which I also have. Looks like the electrodes were about gone on those plug pictures, how many miles were on them? Your sig looks like this might be an 03? My fuel rails look a little different, but basically the same.
Still looking for the flat hour rate discrepancy.

The difference in time may be due to what all NEEDS to be removed and then put back on when done.

There are a lot of changes which happened to the Ford modular series engines as the yrs progressed.

I can tell you from my perspective of F250 trucks, I have had a 97 light duty with 5.4, 2003 F250 with 5.4, 2006 F250 with 5.4.

The 97 was terrible to get to any of the plugs, had to remove fuel rails along with all the duct work for the air to get to the back plugs. Gave up on the rear plugs until I had a COP die, had the shop find and replace the bad COP plus finish changing the plugs.

2003 was a bit easier, did not have to remove fuel rails and was able to get around the duct work for the air intake.

2006 was able to get to all plugs as long as I removed all the air intake duct duct work on top of the throttle body. Did have to remove the screws holding the coolant over flow tank to get to the drivers side back plug.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT NEEDS DONE, IS TO USE A TORQUE WRENCH TO SET THE PLUGS!!!

FAILURE TO USE A TORQUE WRENCH WILL RESULT IN YOUR ENGINE POPPING PLUGS!

You CANNOT DEPEND ON TIGHTENING BY FEEL.

Make darn sure the mechanic you take it to UNDERSTANDS THIS AND WILL USE A TORQUE WRENCH.

To much and you strip the threads and to little the plugs WILL WORK LOOSE.

You will need to check with your local Ford garage to get the proper torque for your engine year. They do vary a bit between years.

X2 on the torque specs Company I used to work for had e350 vans with v10. Rock solid workhorse engines that gave 300k miles with routine maintenance. Only problem was plugs. Make sure mechanic knows what they are doing.

[Gdetrailer]

tarnold wrote:
Op here, really great pics! This is a good series on what we have to go thru. Nothing like a F series, which I also have. Looks like the electrodes were about gone on those plug pictures, how many miles were on them? Your sig looks like this might be an 03? My fuel rails look a little different, but basically the same.
Still looking for the flat hour rate discrepancy.

The difference in time may be due to what all NEEDS to be removed and then put back on when done.

There are a lot of changes which happened to the Ford modular series engines as the yrs progressed.

I can tell you from my perspective of F250 trucks, I have had a 97 light duty with 5.4, 2003 F250 with 5.4, 2006 F250 with 5.4.

The 97 was terrible to get to any of the plugs, had to remove fuel rails along with all the duct work for the air to get to the back plugs. Gave up on the rear plugs until I had a COP die, had the shop find and replace the bad COP plus finish changing the plugs.

2003 was a bit easier, did not have to remove fuel rails and was able to get around the duct work for the air intake.

2006 was able to get to all plugs as long as I removed all the air intake duct duct work on top of the throttle body. Did have to remove the screws holding the coolant over flow tank to get to the drivers side back plug.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT NEEDS DONE, IS TO USE A TORQUE WRENCH TO SET THE PLUGS!!!

FAILURE TO USE A TORQUE WRENCH WILL RESULT IN YOUR ENGINE POPPING PLUGS!

You CANNOT DEPEND ON TIGHTENING BY FEEL.

Make darn sure the mechanic you take it to UNDERSTANDS THIS AND WILL USE A TORQUE WRENCH.

To much and you strip the threads and to little the plugs WILL WORK LOOSE.

You will need to check with your local Ford garage to get the proper torque for your engine year. They do vary a bit between years.

[tarnold]

Op here, really great pics! This is a good series on what we have to go thru. Nothing like a F series, which I also have. Looks like the electrodes were about gone on those plug pictures, how many miles were on them? Your sig looks like this might be an 03? My fuel rails look a little different, but basically the same.
Still looking for the flat hour rate discrepancy.

Ok, just read all of the link previous posts. Answered most of my questions

[CloudDriver]

I couldn't get j-d's link to work, so hopefully mine will work.

Spark Plug thread

The pictures in the my old post don't work anymore because Photobucket no longer supports posting to third party sites. I added the pictures below. They may not be in the same sequence as the original.

[DrewE]

campinginthewoods wrote:
I have a 2004 F250 CC pickup 6.8 V10 and my local Ford dealer changed them for $310.00 and it was done in 2 hours. My mechanic wouldn't touch the plugs do to the aluminium heads.

It probably goes without saying, but the pickup requires a good bit less work to change the plugs on because the engine is a lot more easily accessible than in the van chassis. The labor times are not comparable between the two chassis.

[campinginthewoo]

I have a 2004 F250 CC pickup 6.8 V10 and my local Ford dealer changed them for $310.00 and it was done in 2 hours. My mechanic wouldn't touch the plugs do to the aluminium heads.

[j-d]

Link Take Two You have to rely on the few pix he just sent, but the link gives you all the text.

CloudDriver is a master of documentation, photos, and explanation, all the way to which tools to buy or have.

Bear in mind, Ford "Vans" (Window, Cargo, Box Truck, Class C) NEVER EVER got the Three-Valve Engine! The plugs may strip due to too few threads (1997-99) or mis-machined holes and seats (SOME 2000-2003), but the plugs Don't Break. That's a Three-Valve engine problem.

I keep hearing "change them HOT" but the packaging for the proper Motorcraft Plugs is marked in bold font DO NOT REMOVE HOT