igotit4cheap0023

Does anyone have any tips on changing the spark plugs in a 2001 GT? I am installing nitrous and going to a colder plug. This is the first time I will be changing a set of plugs on this type of motor. Thanks

99 GT vert

make sure you touque them to 13 ft-lbs or you take the chance of blowing a plug out

and use anti-sieze

MJH78

ive read 100 people say use anti-seize and 100 people say not to. one of those type of things. i guess the claim on not using it is they say the plug is less likely to "slip" and blow out with no anti seize there.evidently this motor has a history of throwing plugs out of theheads.just what I have read, take it for what it's worth. one thing you do NOT want to do is start the plug in the whole with the ratchet. take the extension OFF of the ratchet and twist the plug in gently while holding the extension with your fingers. this will eliminate the possibility of stripping the threads. once you get it all the way down with your fingers, then add the ratchet and torque it down.

BolognaPony

They arent hard...just dont lose the little bolts for the COPs.

The rear passenger one takes a funky angle so make sure you have a couple different sized extensions.

amoosenamedhank

I actually prefer to take a small hose and put it on the end of the plug and then lower it into the hole and start the threads. It works great.

texas_stang02

^ +1 a 3/8 fuel hose works perfect for this

my only advice is to be sure the engine is cooled down before you even think about getting started. the spark plug threads have a bad enough track record on their own, so changing the plugs while the head is hot will only increase your chances of screwing something up. also, i'm not sure if there are any differences between the '01 and '02 (doubt it), but on my '02 i found that the coils were easier to remove and put back on if i loosened the fuel rails (didn't take them off, just loosened them so i could move em a little bit).

72MachOne99GT

As has been said above, especially the STONE COLD engine part. Don't get anxious and figure "hey, nothing bad can happen right..." It's probably why my head eventually stripped when it did. It was going to happen anyways cause they were damaged, but I'm sure I finished it that time when it was somewhat warm still.

Going on to the anti sieze thing, I've been a believer of using it. Then again, I've learned a few new things in the last few months.

The Haynes manual that I'm using suggests taking a tap of the same size, running it through the majority of the threads, and then using compressed air to blow out anything that might be in there to either affect a torque reading, or chew up threads.

I'm seriously considering saying screw the antisieze and just going straight into the head with a clean reading and hoping the next 30-40K miles don't turn up any head problems. lol

Just take your time. It's not really a hard job at all. I noticed someone else said to watch out for the COP screws. The guy that helped me with my head removal actually lost one down the spark plug hole, could not get it out, and had to remove 80% of the top of his motor to get to it.

techsent

Per Ford's recommendations and the Haynes manual, I would definitely use the anti sieze compound. Also, you may want to buy a locking type extension for the spark plug socket. After tightening one of my plugs, I couldn't get the socket off the plug cause the extension would come loose each time I tried to pull the socket out. The locking extension made everything a breeze...

amoosenamedhank

That's why you don't use a spark plug socket. You use a hose till it's snug and then you use a normal socket and a torque wrench.

techsent

After tightening the plug, I couldn't remove the socket from the plugcause the extension kept slipping out of the end of thesocket connector so I purchased the locking extension (which locks the socket to the enxtension till you push the release button on the extension itself).