Re: O/T Spark plugs

Posted by Gerald J. on August 10, 2007 at 13:48:15 from (67.0.102.17):

In Reply to: O/T Spark plugs posted by Sean Feeney 2 on August 10, 2007 at 07:54:59:

I have a '98 F-150 with the 4.6 engine. I can only see the tops of the plug connectors for the right bank. The left bank is hidden behind the left bank injector plumbing. Ford garage charges 1.6 hours labor to change the plugs and about $10 a plug for the Motorcraft plugs. Wires get another 0.8 hours charge even though they have to come off for plug changes. The plugs are several inches deep inside the rocker covers from the visible plug connectors. You need a really good socket that won't drop the plugs and that will not let them get cross threaded.

Oh yeah, that rear plug on the right side is about two feet back under the cowl and that much further back than my arms are long.

The factory original plugs were different for each bank having platinum only on one side of the gap but on different sides because the coils fire one bank with the opposite spark polarity of the other bank. The shop manual says replacement plugs with platinum on both sides is just fine and Ford garages only stock that one kind.

Its the larger Triton engines that mostly have the problem with spitting out plugs but aluminum heads and plugs kept in for many years can be a problem with stripped threads.

Ford admits the plugs can need to be replaced at 75K miles if the engine is driven hard.

The Ford garage thought the check engine light came from a contaminated mass air flow sensor and a slow to react exhaust gas oxygen sensor. I wanted a new serpentine belt, plugs, and wires. The total cost was around $1K. Runs fine now, no check engine lights, no running lean.

Gerald J.

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