Gator,

Thanks for the link, an email has been sent. BTW how did a Gator get all the way to Jersey anyway ?

 

Gator,

It looks like Colleti does not want to here from us, my message was rejected. Thanks anyway.

 

So what is the complaint count up too?? How is the progress?

Vinny
02 Red L

 

I had a plug lauch just after turning 37k miles before i knew any info that other people had been having the same problems.I thought it was cuased by a mechanic who had replaced my plugs so i took it back to him to fix well he installed a helicoil tapersert whcih according to ford is unacceptable . Well a year after installing the insert my plug loosened up and when it was tighted back in with lock tite it was in to far which caused it the plug to hit the picton whcich in turn then broke my head all this ocurred over about 1-1/2 years time well 10 months ago it all came to a boiling head when the cylinder head broke a chunk off into the engine so i had to pay 6k for a new engine at only 60k miles.

Richard D.

 

Richard D,

Sorry to hear about your problems. I got a price of $4000.00 to install a engine. were you able to get the new type heads(more threads) on the new engine ?
Here is a link that has all the info you need, because...yes ... you might blow another plug out of the new engine.
living with ford's spark plug blow out

 

4 grand to install an engine??? Where is this being done and what is actually being replaced. I know you aren't getting a whole complete engine, nevermind even a shortblock installed for that amount???

 

4000.00 is a good deal it cost me a tad bit over 6000.00 to have my engine replaced.I have a 4x4 so they had to remove Transfer case transmission tries inner fender flares to get to the exhaust headers remove the hood very labor intensive.Plus they remove intake and reuse it so you pay for that labor. It aint cheap and i had mine done at Ford Dealer so it got done right.

Richard D.

 

I didn't get into excatly what was to be installed since I don't need one yet. But I see you can buy a new 5.4l 2v for $2900.00 .
here is the link:
link to new 5,4L 2V engine

It seems $4000.00 installed would be about right.
This estimate I got is from a rebuilder / installer in NY

 

Well first off i didnt have time to shope around i needed my truck fixed and fixed now and Ford was the one who could get it dont the fastest which ended up being about 1 week .

Here is the break down of what it cost me:

Parts which included 5.4 engine some new coil packs anti freeze oil filter upper and lower radiator hoses since mine were 5 years old $3795.93

Oil and grease: 9.17
Lab mechanical 2079.40
Tax:280.63

As you can see it adds up fast

Richard D.

 

As soon as you mentioned "done by ford dealer" I could under stand why the install was so high, Plus the fact that yours was 4 wheel drive. I had a ford dealer remove one head and install one steel spark plug insert and that cost $1700.00 but they did it right the first time and got it done in 3 days.

 

Looking back on my whole ordeal i wish that is what i had originally done but at the time I had no idea the trucks had been blowing plugs i thought it was from the mechanic that replced my plugs becasue he had installed the 4.6 plugs into my 5.4 so i assumed that was the casue and still believe it was a contributing factor in what happen to me.It funny you say Ford removed your head and installed ainsert becasue i have aprintout from Ford that says that type of repair is unacceptable and teh only proper reair for stripped threads is to install a new head period.

Richard D.

 

Yes, the service manager showed me the ford memo that say's that. But I think that is if it's under warranty. The service manager was straight with me, He said heli coils are unreliable but a steel insert is very reliable and alot of upper end autos install steel inserts when the engine is being built.
It's funny, I am thinking maybe I should have had a rebuilt engine installed , my truck had 130,000 miles on it. I guess we are always second guessing our decisions.
Did the new head (more threads) come up when they were ordering you new engine ? It's possible you got the new head if the engine was built new. There is a date and part number that you can check for to see if you got the new head design.

 

The engine was a reman not new unable to get brand new engines. And the heads came with the engine so i don't kow about a specific part number for the head .

Richard D.

 

I was just curious. If you replace your own spark plugs, and then you have one blow out. If it is under warranty, will ford still replace the head for you? Even though you replaced the spark plugs last and didn't have ford do it?

Also, couldn't you just install Lock tite, and really make sure they dont come loose ?

 

offroad-

If you replaced the plugs with the Ford Motorcraft plugs (or whatever came stock on your vehicle) then how could Ford tell if you replaced them - short of them maybe looking fairly new?

If you use lock-tite and a plug blows, then Ford will know that you have done work on it and may give you a hard time about warranty work or may not do it at all, siteing that the lock-tite was what caused the blow-out.

Steve