Spark Plug change advice
#1
Spark Plug change advice
I have read several posts and have read through the Ford TSB pertaining to spark plug removal. My car sits through the winter and I thought I would tackle this project soon. I have a couple of questions.
My car hasn't been ran in 2 1/2 months, does that increase a chance for problems since the car has sat in a 40 degree garage for the past 60+ days?
Also is there a product similar to the Motorcraft Carburetor Tune-Up Cleaner? A another brand? I know some suggest PB Blaster, but other warn against the possibility of hydrolock when using PB Blaster.
Any other advice would be great! Thanks!
My car hasn't been ran in 2 1/2 months, does that increase a chance for problems since the car has sat in a 40 degree garage for the past 60+ days?
Also is there a product similar to the Motorcraft Carburetor Tune-Up Cleaner? A another brand? I know some suggest PB Blaster, but other warn against the possibility of hydrolock when using PB Blaster.
Any other advice would be great! Thanks!
#3
PB Blaster is fine. Just don't fill the well up with anything. That would or could cause hydro lock. As the directions from Ford say, just put enough penetrant in to top of the plug hex. You then have to barely crack the plug loose just enough to lift the plug off the tapered seat and allow the penetrant to seep past the seat and get to the carbon to begin loosening it up. If you have a torque wrench, don't apply more than about 30 ft/lbs when removing plugs. They will snap at somewhere around 35 ft/lbs. Good luck.
#4
I used Seafoam Deep Creep and did it over a week turning a small amount at a time and adding a little Deep Creep every day. No plugs broke. I think the Deep Creep helped but going slow was probably the most important thing.
#6
Good point. When I first tried to break the plugs loose (after letting some Deep Creep soak in for awhile), the engine was cold and I think I went up to 35 ft-lbs or more without any plugs breaking loose. I was scared to go higher so I put the COPs back on and started it up, let it run for maybe 5 minutes and tried again and broke all of the plugs loose with less than 30 ft-lbs. I don't know if that was the key, but warm (not hot) worked well for me. That, and going very slow - a little each day...
#7
I used PB Blaster, but didn't get my car up to temp...did it cold. I had three break....two left porcelain inside the spark plug tip and the other just the metal electrode shield remained in the head. I didn't have the Lisle tool, but it is on the way now. Hope the Lisle tool...works as advertised!
#8
I have been the one advocating the running temp technique in the threads, I have changed 4 Mustang's plugs and not broken a one (2 high mileage ones). The steel of the plugs expands slower then the aluminum of the head and the carbon is softer. which in turn allows an easier turning.
#9
I have been the one advocating the running temp technique in the threads, I have changed 4 Mustang's plugs and not broken a one (2 high mileage ones). The steel of the plugs expands slower then the aluminum of the head and the carbon is softer. which in turn allows an easier turning.
this is how i did it. https://mustangforums.com/forum/gt-s...t-115k-mi.html
#10
I did the plugs on an '08 Expedition (3V 5.4) recently; I followed the first few steps of the TSB - cold engine, back out each plug 1/8th turn, spray a small blast of carb cleaner down in the plugwell. I allowed each one to soak about 10 minutes then completed the removal with an electric impact gun. They were factory plugs that had 98K on them, and each one came out flawlessly.
Check out Youtube, lots of vids of people taking them out with an impact.
Check out Youtube, lots of vids of people taking them out with an impact.