stealth_GT

Luckily mine did not break, but than again I did mine when on the 07 motor only had 4k miles on it so there wasn't much carbon build up

I originally had an 08 motor, but that one was toast...

Ricardo

This effects all 05-07 and some 08's. The coil boots are black on cars with these plugs. The 08s with the newer one piece plugs have brown coil boots. Most 08s have the newer style and 09 and above are not affected.

I think the TSB was really just a "feel good" that Ford put out. Looking at how much carbon was on the plugs and how hard it was caked (we're talking chunks are still down in the plug hole) I think that the plugs seperated as soon as I had to give them a slight turn to break them loose. Others across the Mustang forums feel the same since the carb cleaner hadn't had the chance to make it down there yet. I run a 93 tune and don't baby the car and still my pistons are absolutely caked with carbon. I'm a believer that injector cleaning is snake oil, but now considering running that or some Sea Foam through the engine.

JCON

Run good, high detergent, gasoline in the car. It's the reason I use only Shell or Sunoco fuels

Nuke

I've yet to change my plugs with 37k miles and I'm dreading it. Although, I run a tank of Techron mix at about every oil change. May that and some crossed fingers...

Ricardo

Ugh, after having my car sit for 3 days now all I can say is F you Ford. If I didn't hate GM for using even more idiot design flaws in their cars, I'd trade it in for a Camaro just to spite Ford for this issue.

Wish Natasha the Service Rep that floats around here would read this and say, "Oh well because you're such a Mustang lover and a devoted Ford customer, we'll pay for the tools you had to buy AND purchase you a new set of one piece Champions because Ford was a bunch of a-holes and used a well known design flaw in the 4.6 heads." Natasha, if you read this you can PM me for my mailing address so Ford can send me a check.

Yeah right...No wonder Ford survived the downturn so well...4.6 owners had to pay for this ****.

Lethaldosage423

thanks for the info.

I changed the plugs on my dads 06 GT when he had 40k and had no problems.

im looking to get an 08 GT with under 30 k miles on her so as soon as i get her ill be changing out the plugs

id hate to wait till i get my whipple, have everything installed except for the new plugs and then find that they all break off

Ricardo

UPDATE:
The Lisle tool was worth every cent. Took me 1 hour to get all 5 out. Used plenty of never seize on the tools for every step to keep fragments and metal shavings stuck to the tool heads. Made sure to vacuum out the plug holes with some 1/4" tubing after every step. Also put anti sieze on the plugs.

The electrodes look beat up because it had to lay them flat on the table and flatten the tips with a hammer to break them loose from the tool. Other than that, the porcelain never broke through the tips and stayed together.


Startup was smokey but after it burned off, it runs smooth as butter.

A few notes from using this tool:
1. Use plenty of never seize on the tool tips during every step to keep porcelain fragments and metal shavings in check and to keep the threads sharp (I had zero dulling after 5 plugs with this method).
2. 1/4" plastic tubing attached to a shop vac should be used after every step because it's easier to keep any fragments and shavings in check. Better than using compressed air and risk blowing anything down the holes into the cylinder.
3. Take your time and follow the directions. The porcelain will not break through the electrode tip and the tip will not break the porcelain so don't worry; crank it down until you feel plenty of resistance.
4. Press down firmly when threading the extractor into the electrode and stop when you feel plenty of resistance.
5. The electrode tips will be hard to remove from the extractor tool after you get them out. Place the tip on a flat surface and give it a few good hits with a hammer (the very tip) and it will twist right off the extractor tool.

JIM5.0

Wow, 4 plugs out of 8 broken. Grats on getting them out actually, 1hour to change the plugs sounds excruciateing

After reading the posts in the other broken plug thread in which the guy only broke 2, that tool sounds like an absolute must for the modulars with this style of plug.

olds350

It's my understanding that any 4.6 engine date coded 12/07 or later will have the update design and do not have the spark plug carbon lock issue.

pascal

Those are the way to go folks.
Those plugs, gap the same if you supercharge later on...