1 Out of 8 Spark Plugs Broken After 96,000 Miles and Performing the TSB
04-01-2008, 07:35 AM
#42
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: DFW
Posts: 463
RE: 1 Out of 8 Spark Plugs Broken After 96,000 Miles and Performing the TSB
No, not yet. I'm trying to find a pair of long reach needle nose pliers so I can pull out the electrode I put back in there. I'll try and pick up a pair from Grainger today.
04-01-2008, 11:23 AM
#43
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 58
RE: 1 Out of 8 Spark Plugs Broken After 96,000 Miles and Performing the TSB
Slightly off topic.... my '06 has a little over 6k miles on it. Should I just pull the plugs now and replace with the one piece plugs or wait? I don't want to go through this!
04-01-2008, 08:08 PM
#45
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Join Date: Dec 2007
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RE: 1 Out of 8 Spark Plugs Broken After 96,000 Miles and Performing the TSB
I had the dealer pull mine at 15k and they all came out okay but the dealer said they were a bit tight. I had them put the originals back in with the anti-sieze. I just pulled them out today (1k later) and put in the Champions. So far all seems good after a test drive.
There wasn't a nice coat of anti-sieze on the plugs like I thought there would be when I pulled them. In fact, I was wondering if the dealer even pulled the plugs but the stuff that was on the plugs was greasy and it smeared when I touched it. But, there sure wasn't a nice even coat of anti-sieze after just a thousand miles so I'm wondering how good the anti-sieze will be on regular plugs after many more miles of driving. Maybe the dealer just did a bad job of putting the anti-sieze on but glad I have the Champions in. I gapped them to .045 and torqued them to 25lb. I put anti-sieze on the Champions, too, just for added piece of mind.
There wasn't a nice coat of anti-sieze on the plugs like I thought there would be when I pulled them. In fact, I was wondering if the dealer even pulled the plugs but the stuff that was on the plugs was greasy and it smeared when I touched it. But, there sure wasn't a nice even coat of anti-sieze after just a thousand miles so I'm wondering how good the anti-sieze will be on regular plugs after many more miles of driving. Maybe the dealer just did a bad job of putting the anti-sieze on but glad I have the Champions in. I gapped them to .045 and torqued them to 25lb. I put anti-sieze on the Champions, too, just for added piece of mind.
04-02-2008, 10:25 PM
#46
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Join Date: May 2006
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Posts: 463
RE: 1 Out of 8 Spark Plugs Broken After 96,000 Miles and Performing the TSB
UPDATE: I was able to remove the ceramic insulator from the metal shield by taking a 12" piece of wire coat hanger, scuffing one of the ends and J.B. Welding it to the ceramic core by placing it through the hole in the center of the core. I made a home-made slide hammer by putting a kink in the other end of the coat hanger after first placing a heavy socket over the wire and then a 1/8" piece of plate steel with a hole drilled in the center to fit over the coat hanger wire.
However...the slide hammer did not work. This thing was stuck! I ended up placing a piece of 2x4 across the top of the battery and the intake manifold and prying against this with a crowbar. With enough tension on the core, it broke free from the metal shield. There was an amazing amount of carbon between the ceramic core and the metal shield (see the second photo of the ceramic core still J.B. Welded to the coat hanger wire). Also, see the last illustration below for a pic of the pry bar mock up.
Lastly...I tried to get the metal sheath out by using an 4 corner easy out. It didn't work. Tonight I gave in and order the "rotunda" tool Ford designed for the metal sheath removal. Oh well...I'll update when I get the sheath out...hopefully what I've done here will help others in the future. Oh yes...there will be others...
[IMG]local://upfiles/38521/BAAFE586BCCE481FA10D4DC1C2BF7A75.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/38521/3ECCCF2937674187A1294A442ADA5358.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/38521/75DDA9FA639A4592A430CC3D959C7948.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/38521/5BD36B57BBFC4DB6A31B1595FFC94F01.jpg[/IMG]
However...the slide hammer did not work. This thing was stuck! I ended up placing a piece of 2x4 across the top of the battery and the intake manifold and prying against this with a crowbar. With enough tension on the core, it broke free from the metal shield. There was an amazing amount of carbon between the ceramic core and the metal shield (see the second photo of the ceramic core still J.B. Welded to the coat hanger wire). Also, see the last illustration below for a pic of the pry bar mock up.
Lastly...I tried to get the metal sheath out by using an 4 corner easy out. It didn't work. Tonight I gave in and order the "rotunda" tool Ford designed for the metal sheath removal. Oh well...I'll update when I get the sheath out...hopefully what I've done here will help others in the future. Oh yes...there will be others...
[IMG]local://upfiles/38521/BAAFE586BCCE481FA10D4DC1C2BF7A75.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/38521/3ECCCF2937674187A1294A442ADA5358.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/38521/75DDA9FA639A4592A430CC3D959C7948.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/38521/5BD36B57BBFC4DB6A31B1595FFC94F01.jpg[/IMG]
04-02-2008, 10:45 PM
#47
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Posts: 813
RE: 1 Out of 8 Spark Plugs Broken After 96,000 Miles and Performing the TSB
i think you did good...you have successfully removed the part that causes the expensive bill...now you just have to do the extraction so i would count this as a success
04-03-2008, 06:32 AM
#48
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Join Date: Dec 2007
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Posts: 84
RE: 1 Out of 8 Spark Plugs Broken After 96,000 Miles and Performing the TSB
Wow, you did great. That rocks. I appreciate your situation a little more after pulling my plugs and really seeing how small it is down there. Very nice job. Hope the rest goes a lot smoother.
04-05-2008, 08:20 PM
#49
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location: DFW
Posts: 463
RE: 1 Out of 8 Spark Plugs Broken After 96,000 Miles and Performing the TSB
Well, I got the Rotunda tool today. Took me about 15 minutes to get the metal sheath out. Finally I'm done. The car is back up and running...very well I might add. Here's the cost of the spark plug change:
Spark Plugs = $60
Motorcraft Nickel Anti-seize = $17
Motorcraft Carb Cleaner = $7
Rotunda tool = $229
______________________________________
Total Cost to Change Spark Plugs = $313 + a whole lot of aggravation!
[IMG]local://upfiles/38521/BAF8ED98A39E405FA2E1D5E223EAAF80.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/38521/67A622CFB5F14ABD9805B4B183BFFB90.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/38521/011EEC3D9B9146EFB67656591E14009E.jpg[/IMG]
Spark Plugs = $60
Motorcraft Nickel Anti-seize = $17
Motorcraft Carb Cleaner = $7
Rotunda tool = $229
______________________________________
Total Cost to Change Spark Plugs = $313 + a whole lot of aggravation!
[IMG]local://upfiles/38521/BAF8ED98A39E405FA2E1D5E223EAAF80.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/38521/67A622CFB5F14ABD9805B4B183BFFB90.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/38521/011EEC3D9B9146EFB67656591E14009E.jpg[/IMG]
04-05-2008, 08:38 PM
#50
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location: DFW
Posts: 463
RE: 1 Out of 8 Spark Plugs Broken After 96,000 Miles and Performing the TSB
Oh...and...thanks to everyone for their advice and support! By far...Mustangforums.com has the best support and feedback for S197 Mustangs...hands down! -Tim