OH CRAP! Is This is bad???

[MoCkiN U]

Tonight driving home not even being hard on the car at all. The nitrous is not even done being installed so I wasnt running that. Im in the slow lane just enjoying a drive and the car starts to studder real bad in 5th gear. I look down thinking ok just going to slow for this gear so down shift and it doesnt go away.

Turn the radio off and slow down to get a better listen. Driving slugish, almost thought a tire was down so pulled over and nothing but the car sounds like its on 4 cylinders not 8.

Baby it home at 2grand. No codes are throwing but fuel smell is very obvious. I get in the garage, pull the intake no dirt on the MAF. Pull the passenger coil cover cause its there and oil is all around 3rd cylinder (not sure which number it is techically but its 3rd from rear of the motor on passenger side) and there is rubber all over the place.

I pull the coil pack thinking there would be resistance and nothing.....There it comes with the wire all wrapped up on itself. Ok, bad coil.

Pull the plug and when I put the socket on it there was loose feeling. No turns no nothing. Pull out the socket to see WTF and there is the plug in the socket.

The damn thing just blew out. Here are pictures.

I can replace the plugs and the coil pack. What worries me most is those last 3 threads on that plug are mangled and if I have to get head work done now to repair those threads or if that hole if even fubar beyond any backyard repair???

Can it be as easy as running a thread cleaner down in there and just putting in new plugs and coil pack on that cylinder?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/ShoUrGlow/IMG00005.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/ShoUrGlow/IMG00008.jpg

[94greenbandit]

I have no good ideas for you except you shouldn't be surprised because it is a Ford.

In all seriousness i hope it isn't a big issue for you and it is a simple fix

[MoCkiN U]

edited*

nevermind. not worth it. just stressed.

anyone got good info? been there before?

[94greenbandit]

I wasn't trying to rile you up, like I said I hope you get her fixed.

If you shine a light into the plug hole can you see if it is stripped down there or did you try another plug just to see if it has trouble getting in there

[MoCkiN U]

yeah ignore me. just really stressed. its past 10 no parts shops open and my prized possession is all fubar.

[GTSLOW]

My father inlaws lightning blew a plug like that. I think you can pull the head and have it heli-coiled.

[MoCkiN U]

hoping like hell not to have to pull the head off.

Here is a plug pic

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/ShoUrGlow/IMG_1109.jpg

[94greenbandit]

yeah ignore me. just really stressed. its past 10 no parts shops open and my prized possession is all fubar.

No prob I understand. Keep us updated. See if you can look in there of if you have trouble or its too easy to get another plug in there

[MoCkiN U]

No prob I understand. Keep us updated. See if you can look in there of if you have trouble or its too easy to get another plug in there

I was gonna run another plug down in there but figured better back off, think about it for a second and run a tap through there first??

[BlackLightning]

buy or borrow a lock n stitch kit. you can do it with the head still on to fix it.

http://fulltorque.com/sparkpluginserts.htm

[Reverend Cooper]

First pull all coil packs,use compressed air in the tubes to blow out atny debris,then pull all plugs to see what is going on in the other holes.
if its just the one the insert would be best if the head is not junk. Start there first

[Reverend Cooper]

I was gonna run another plug down in there but figured better back off, think about it for a second and run a tap through there first??

do not run a tap in it,metal filings in the motor are no good

[wrath]

I've never seen a running spark plug look like that with the ground strap bent over the electrode and the threads at the end looking like they've been crushed.

I'd pull all the other ones and have a look at them.

There are not a lot of options for on-the-car thread repair.

[lit666]

I've seen one like that. was from a piece of the piston hitting it and smashing it up.

[Rocket Power]

I blew the plug out of my 5.4 in my F150. I use the Timesert kit recommended by the guys on an F series site. it was about $300 which was better than the $3000 the ford dealer wanted to change the head. You can do it with the head on which is what the f150 guys had done and what I did, since on the trucks you have to remove the cab to take the head off. I resold the kit minus one insert on ebay for $200.
It's been like 45,000 + miles and it still is good.
http://www.timesert.com/

Timesert > helicoil

at the time it was cheaper to buy it straight from the company than anyone else , not sure if that's still the case.

[Holeshot]

^^^ Those work very well. We have something very similar at Napa. There is also a tool that is a reverse tap. meaning it cuts from the inside out taking the shavings out too. I would avoid spraying with any type of thread insert though.

[BAD LS1]

being its a 4v head will that same kit work from a triton 2v though? It pays to torque sparkplugs, the calibrated wrist does not always work. I would think if the threads were jacked you would see the aluminum still in the threads.

[Rocket Power]

being its a 4v head will that same kit work from a triton 2v though? It pays to torque sparkplugs, the calibrated wrist does not always work. I would think if the threads were jacked you would see the aluminum still in the threads.They have kits for all different sized plugs. I called them and got the one that was right for mine. The problem from what I've read was that they only have like 3 or 4 threads in the sparkplug hole, I believe they added more in 04 IIRC but never admitted there was a problem. That's really been the only big problem I've had on my truck with over 140K miles on it.

[MoCkiN U]

OK.

Here's the deal. I pulled the other coils and the plugs and all are fine. Its just on this one cylinder. I didnt make sure to look around the plug before I pulled it last night so thats a oops but the damn thing was running with the plug out of it so heres to hoping that the compression blew the crap out of the hole. LIke rocketpower said this is known to happen in these heads due to the very little thread thats there.

I made a make shift suction tip using a straw and my shop vac to get all the other crumbs from the other cylinders and also ran down in this empty one just in case.

I gotta get this timesert repair kit cause I tried to run a plug down in there gently just to see whats what and nothing....wouldnt take at all. I am really nervous about drilling a hole into a cylinder head so I guess I can ask.

Anyone who has done this before feel like driving down to kenosha and showing me how to do this thing? I will be researching it too but just curious if you have tips/suggestions along the way. Can offer cash and beer.

Would be friday sometime as Im off that day.

[Reverend Cooper]

I've seen one like that. was from a piece of the piston hitting it and smashing it up.

this is true,but more than likely it is from being pushed up and down from compression and banging on the head or plug tube.

[BlackLightning]

Make sure to do an aluminum insert if you go the insert route. There have been some lightning guys with steel inserts who have had detonation problems from it being a hot spot and it ate away all around the insert on the head. Foxlake said the same thing regarding the steel inserts causing hot spots in the cylinder on a FI engine. It might be fine NA but nitrous or any boost and I would definitely stay away from steel inserts.

Also with the lock n stitch kit there is no chance of the insert coming out like some of the timeserts have during a plug change. Nvr_Spds on SVTP works at lock n stitch and at one point was talking about renting a kit out so might be worth a shot to contact him.

install directions http://fulltorque.com/pdf/Ford%20Triton%20Instructions.pdf

[Car Guy]

this is true,but more than likely it is from being pushed up and down from compression and banging on the head or plug tube.

This is what I was thinking, unless there is another more serious problem......

[MoCkiN U]

I'll be doing some sort of insert. I dont have the money for a new head or even a used head that has the tendency to have the same issue. Cant find any prices on the locknstitch kit yet. Sent a pm to that dude too

[MoCkiN U]

This is what I was thinking, unless there is another more serious problem......

car has been running fine. no audible issues, no sluggish throttle responce, no detonating. Oil pressure gauge hasnt moved. Air fuel has been consistent until last night LOL

That thing was having fits

[73MACH]

That really sucks!!!! Hope you are able to fix her up without too much out of pocket expense. Good luck!

[Reverend Cooper]

i wouldnt use a steel insert on it either FWIW

[-stew-]

You might want to try and rig up some thing to measure the piston height at TDC and compare that to a few other cylinders. That bent electrode is scary. Also I'd check compression. Just my two cents.

[MoCkiN U]

the bent electrode I am finding is very common on this issue. Typically something goes wrong with the tune and pops the plug out. While its red hot and bouncing around from the comression pushing it around the tip bends down. Will have them check out a ton of stuff just to make sure but its going to a buddies shop tomorrow. Wish me luck!

[Reverend Cooper]

it will be fine

[MoCkiN U]

im sure your right bud. just freaked a little. Its in great hands now though. I think thats the first time seeing my car on a flat bed. Hope its the last until I put a aluminator on it or something of the sort

[94greenbandit]

Glad to hear she is gonna be taken care of.

What is an aluminator

[STANMAN]

Glad to hear she is gonna be taken care of.

What is an aluminator

FRPP motor.

[03Mach1]

Hi, sorry to hear about your problem. Can I ask how many miles on the engine, and were these the original spark plugs? I have heard about this on the registry, seems to happen with original and replacement plugs. Makes me want to check mine out. Seems the '04 models had more threads in the cylinder heads to solve this problem. Hope you are able to get it fixed quickly. Thanks.

Mike

[MoCkiN U]

75Kish and yes these are the motorcraft ones. from what I found 04 models dont have the issue of losing the plug if it fouls out.

Bought NGK 55IXs to go in for replacment and a new coil of course

[03Mach1]

Do those NGK's have more threads on them than the Motorcrafts?

[MoCkiN U]

have the same amount. The issue is the 03 head we have has only 4 total threads that actually contacts the plug so when it goes bad like this we dont have an option except repair the hole or a new head if its really bad.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/ShoUrGlow/IMG_1109.jpg

[03Mach1]

Yeah, I suppose all that can be done to prevent this is to replace and retorque them every so many miles/years with some anti-seize... Let me know how it works out for you. Good luck!

[MoCkiN U]

http://www.mach1registry.org/forums/showthread.php?t=90572&highlight=spark+plug

That post on the reg has an exact story of mine just earlier this year. Everything the same. Cruising along and POP it goes and the coil is identical to mine. Too bad Ford never owned up to it but did change the heads in 04.

Just really want to know what the hell caused it. Maybe need to get it looked over by a tuner just to see what the WOT numbers are today for air/fuel and such

[03Mach1]

I don't know if it's just the heat cycles that cause the plug to loosen over time or maybe they didn't install them properly (anti-seize and torque) from day one, but if that was the case you would think it would have blown out a long time ago. Maybe the main problem is the total thread count in the head, obviously a few more wouldn't hurt, and it seems they took car of that in '04. That link you showed me, those plugs look like longer reach, they look to have twice the threads as yours, so I wasn't sure if that was an '04 that those blew out of and that's why I asked. Seems nobody has a definite answer on this problem as it is fairly hit and miss.

[MoCkiN U]

Hey.....

good observation. Those are NGKs that blew out of his and I didnt open mine to even look and compare so I assumed so yeah they are longer as they will get put in tomorrow. Guess changing the plugs isnt the fix but yeah agreed its hit and miss. Hopefully your car is more miss than hit and you never see this happen

[MoCkiN U]

car is back home running strong. fixed by one of our bcm members (jesse) 95gt. Its all good again. Now gotta focus on getting my rear tire fixed. Have fluke mickey thompson tire. The damned tread pattern is tearing off the tire. Not cut, no touching or rubbing, the tread is simply ripping/tearing away. wierdest thing its on the inside of the tread wall. when I get replaced will take a picture of it

[94greenbandit]

That is great to hear. So what is it exactly that you guys did

[MoCkiN U]

a helicoil was put in. Should be good to go. lots of cars out there have them with the same platform i have. it does mean no more nitrous for me so Im going to be creating a FS thread soon for all my bottles and stuff.

If for any reason the helicoil doesnt hold marv said he can still put this triton repair on it and be good to go better than stock.