Ok I just bought a 08 gt and have been on this site reading horror stories of plugs breaking off. So my question is it seems most guys saying they are breaking are 05-07 owners not so many 08 and 09. So did they change the head design kinda like they did the 03 and 04 lightnings? Also should I go ahead and put some anti seize on my plugs the car only has 8300 miles on it as of today. Any help I'd apperciate.

 

It depends on your car's build date. Ford began installing the redesigned heads half way through 2007. If you do have the old design plugs, I think removing the plugs and putting nickel anti-seize would be a very good idea. With your low miles you shouldn't have any problems getting them out. Hint, put the lube only on the smooth "barrel" part of the plug, not the threads. Be sure NOT to get it on the firing end as this will short out the plug. I stopped the lube maybe 1/4" from the business end of the plug. Good luck Bro.

 

How can I tell if mine is a prior model are not?

 

My whipple instructions indicated that if my car's build date was after 5/27/2008 that I may have the newer spark plug type. I'm assuming that if it was earlier than that it would be the same as the 05-07? Mine was earlier than that but, they seemed to come out just fine. I used liquid wrench on them just in case and was really careful torquing on the wrench. Definitely use anti-seize on the new ones going in. I put the anti-seize on the threads.

 

Mine is an '08 manufactured in July '07 and has the early style plugs. An external difference I have heard is the color of the top of the coil- mine are black. If yours has a different color, you probably have the newer style plugs. Even the Ford parts people had trouble figuring out what I should have.

Frank

 

Well went out on my lunch break. The cop are black on top and the boot is also. Guess I have the old type. But I think people that get in a hurry are the ones breaking them but I could be wrong. Il just take em out before to long and put some anti seize on them.
Thanks fellas

 

My 08 has the old design plugs. The coils say 3L3E on the top of them and that is how I comfirmed them.

 

The easy way is if it uses a 9/16 socket it's the old design. The new plugs are 5/8.

 

Check what number you have on the coils.
If you have the numbering 8L3E you have the new design 12 mm spark plugs.
If you have 3L3E on this is the old 16mm spark plug design.

As far as I know most of the 08 have the new spark plug design, since Ford changed the production somewhere end of 2007.

 

Black ignition coil boots inducate old style plugs
Brown coil boots = new style plugs.
My car has a build date on 02/08 and I have new style.