I took my 02 in yesterday to get the tires rotated and an oil change. The service manager was outside and asked me how I liked my L. I told him I really liked it but the spitting plug issue was always in the back of my mind. He gave me a stuid look and asked me what I was talking about. I told him the story we all know an he started laughing. He said he had never heard of an L or any 5.4 for that matter blowing a spark plug. He said someone was filling me full of %$#@. I told him about this board and several others boards who had reported the problem and he just laughed it off and said nitrous and over boosting might do that but in stock trucks that just won't happen. He basically told me I was nuts and paranoid. If I ever blow a plug, this dude is not going to like where my size 12 ends up.

I called an SVT dealer in a town 35 miles from me (Chattanooga, TN.)and I got basically the same response. This dealer offered to sell me an extended warranty to cover my worries. Are most dealers like this about the subject?

 

It's common, but not an epedemic. So many dealerships may not have seen the issue - now talk to the TECHS and you may get different responses.

Also, you can't expect the dealership to admit to ANY issues with their vehicles?!

 

My brother is a manager at a local ford dealer. He also can not find anyone who has heard of the spitting plug issue. He has contacts at many area dealers and has never heard anyone speak of this. The only place I have heard of this problem is on this board. Just FYI.

 

Please call Ramey Ford Johnson City, TN (423) 282-3000. They had my L for over a month for the plug issue.

 

I found that the Sales related folks don't seem to know about this issue.

Now the head techs know about it, but act as if it is a rare occurance.

I will say that I own 6 of these "plug spitting" 5.4's, and none have spit yet. I am constantly looking for it though. Reading all the plug threads here has made e a bit paranoid about it.

One thing....My Lightning is the only one out of the six with a super charger. Maybe the risk is lower with the normally aspirated 5.4's. Which would explain why it is not a common knowledge break down at most of the dealerships.



Rocks

 

A large dealership in LA that I use frequently said they've seen it on normally aspirated 5.4's, but no L's.

BD

 

this is not an issue with 03+ trucks. only the earlier ones with only 4 threads in the heads.

 

FWIW, I saw this problem occasionally when I was at Ford. often enough that everybody in the shop knew about it, and I'm sure the manager did as well. I found loose plugs on my '01 truck, and I replaced several Lightning heads for launched plugs. I know of one Navigator we did there, and I did a head on a 96 cobra for the same problem.

Since I've moved to the Lincoln Mercury dealer, I haven't seen even one vehicle come through the shop with this problem.

In fact I was looking at the board at work this morning with my service manager, and he read this very post and said, "What, is that a common problem on Lightnings?"

he had never heard of it either.

just my .02

later,
chris

 

I would have looked at him and asked him why they think Ford udated the heads in 03. Oh wait he probably wouldnt be aware of that either. I hate uninformed people. For god sakes it is their job. They should know the products they support in and out.

With that said it happens all the time. I cant tell you how many times I went to a dealer and knew more about the car then the sales person.

 

That's right on...I often have brought in info I got on line that they did not know a thing about...And it was from Ford...I would get this dumb look and you just knew they did not have a clue what you were talking about...

 

I hate stupid people. I hate even more when stupid people laugh at you to hide thier own stupidity. I would have punched him right in the F'ing throat just for being stupid!!! I bet the **** sucker was wearing a cheap suit too!!!

Maybe I'm just PO'd cause I had plans on installing a lift on my jeep today, and the stupid UPS guy hasn't been here yet. (though he did drive by) I'm going to punch him right in the F'ing throat too!!!!!!!!!!!

 

My My ... such animosity ... LOL ... I am waiting for the FEDEX guy
to drop off my Hoosiers ... They NEVER seem to come soon enuff

 

They are probably telling their tech's to shut-up about it, it'll break FORD and hurt your profit sharing !

 

FEDEX BITES !! They delivred my chitt 50 miles away in another town & County !

 

I had a KB on my Y2k F150 5.4L and never spit a plug. My dealer has replaced a few heads for spittig plugs on N/A 5.4's.