04-06 ford 5.4 spark plug change!!!
 

Well, Ford had a problem withe the 3pc style spark plugs they used and even put out a bulletin to help ppl change them.

Thats crap... I had 7 of 8 break. they extend down past the treads.. a metal shields surrounds the ceramic about an in below the treads.

Anyway, the metal shield is bottomed out on the head and sticks, thus breaking and then the plug will not come out either. I had to break the ceramic and then they make extractor tools just for this issue!

Dealer wanted over $400 to change the plugs.. plugs will run you about $100 for all 8.

they have some common extactors for this problem, but 1 requires the ceramic to be out.. then they make a ceramic extractor! Thats crap, both of them.. you have to glue the adapter into the ceramic and hope that it was dry enough after an hour set time to pull the ceramic out!!

Then you have to tap the shield THEN use the extractor to pull it out!!

DONT BUY THESE!!!

BUY the extractor made by Lisle.. you have one part that allows you to push the ceramic down and its made so you have to bottom it out so you cant over do it!! THEN you put the counterrotating "TAPERED" extractor into the shield and tighten, then you can put the big nut on to pull the shield out!

EASY!! it took me about 3hours to do the remaining 6 with the new tool, but it was at night in my driveway where I had to keep adjusting the lights!

I used this tool for 7 of them and it worked perfect!

had I known about the Lisle tool, this job could have been done in an afternoon and only cost about $160 ($100 for plugs and $60 for tool) wasted about $90 on the other 2 extractor kits!

yes.. I had a fun weekend so far.. but I just changed out my impellor pump and serp belt.. So I ready to hit the water now!

Just pulled mine with ease luckily. Still have a bad coil pack can't diagnose because it is not giving a code. Sometimes hesitates at around 55

The Lisle tool works good but just make sure its not the first production run.Those had a hole in the bottom of the shaft and they broke.Its been fixed and as they are always selling out doubt there are any still around.The pins do work sometimes but you can't put to much glue on them or it won't dry.Glad you got them out as its not an easy job.

When Lisle first designed this tool they had hoped to sell 5000 a year,they sell 5000 a month

The Lisle tool is easily the best - and better than the original Rotunda tool from Ford. Believe it or not, a Ford Master Tech friend of mine has a secret for easily removing these problematic plugs - a 3/8" cordless impact gun. Rattles them right out in one piece. I couldn't believe it until I watched him do it on a truck with almost 100,000 miles on the original plugs.

Put champion plugs back in mine. I think they are the only ones that make a one piece plug.

Seriously....it's that much trouble? No wonder my dad wants me to change his. What about a regular air 3/8 impact...ok to use?

If the plugs have been in a while , it helps to spray a penetrant down the spark plug well and let it sit overnight and loosen the carbon ...

Do NOT under any circumstances use an impact. The threads in these heads are very fragile and will fail. Even removing them with an impact can damage them.

Been worried about this. Have 75k on my 5.4, should probably go ahead and do them.

Pull the coils and and spray engine fogging oil in the hole and let them sit for a couple of minutes and work them back and forth so the oil gets into the threads and they came out fine.