Here's the scenario:
Driving home from work last night, hear loud repeating popping noise. Pull over on freeway. Call Ford Roadside Assistance. 25 minutes later L loaded on flatbed, deliver to dearler. Phone call from service rep. this afternoon: "your right side head needs to be replaced because a spark plug blew out. W'ell have it fixed on Thurs."

Now, I've owned 11 vehicles in the 26 years I've been legally eligible to drive on our public roads. Some I bought band new, some I bought well used. I find it ironic the SVT vehicle, the most expensive vehicle I ever bought, is the first to leave me stranded on the side of the road for something as ridiculous as a spark plug coming loose.

I'm done venting. I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

ps. on the bright side I will probably save around $35 in gas in the next couple of days driving the Mazda Protege loaner.

 

sorry man, its a common thing that happens and you know ford knows about it. they just don't seem to be fixing the problem!

I thought I had it happen to me not to long ago, but it was a gasket for the header, thank god!!! even though long tubes arn't really that pleasent to take on and off!

good luck man.

 

Make sure when they replace the head, have them tighten all 8 plugs. Tell them real tight, that will keep it from happening again.

 

And this loose spark plug is Ford's fault, hum, had mine for 3 years + now, and have seen so many post about loose spark plugs or plugs being blown out. HEY PEOPLE, IT'S A KNOWN PROBLEM, check your dumb plugs will ya, and stop whining about your high performance truck breaking. Sheeesssss!!!!!!!!!
Check ya dang plugs , or better yet change them yourself so will know there tight.

NOW THATS VENTING AT IT'S BEST

 

1badtrk

Personally I think your a tad off track. The point is you shouldn't have to worry about somethign as trivial as a plug blowing out, or coming loose. A dealer will not do the check for free, only once something breaks will they do it. So why should one under warranty be expected to check the 'known friggin problem''??

Thats my 2 cents.

Brandon

PS my truck left me stranded (luckily at my house) when one of the fuel pumps died. Add in the fact that the towing company would not let me pay the differance to upgrade to a flat bed. Now I am in limbo trying to get 1300$ worth of damage repaired.

 

1BADTK,
I have to throw my .02 in too.
I disaggree with you. It is a FACTORY STOCK VEHICLE, with a FACTORY WARRANTY 3years/36K, not a high performance vehicle. Yours is, but some of us are still bone stock.
Ford did not manufacture this truck for racing OR with racing in mind. If they did it would be coverd by your warranty. It is meant to be reliable daily transportation.

 

hey I know the first thing I did when I got my 99 was check the plugs.

I checked the axles too cause I sure as hell don't want that falling apart.

I even checked the driveshaft cause you know how that goes!

sry 1badtk, I just had too

 

I agree with Andre here... It's a know problem that only three threads of the plug are in the head. That will lead to easy stripage (is that a word?) if over tighened. So every 10,000 miles when you should change the tiny fuel filter, spend alittle more time checking the torque on your plugs.

 

LOL, on the bright side, you will save more than $35 dollars, because by the time they order the parts, wait for them to arrive, and actually do the repair, you'll probably be in your sporty li'l Protege for more than a couple of days!

later,
chris

 

What the hell is this ****.
Do you realy think FOMOCO did not think these limited edition BIG HRP vehicles would be raced hard and modified right off the line, think again.
Why do you think they do the warrenty work on these modified vehicles, mine included, not just us but cobras too.
I drove an 96 explorer for 6 years and never popped the hood but to get a look at that 302 stuffed in there.
But these are a diffrent breed of trucks.
I knew about the platinum plug deal befor i bought my truck and i do mine myself now.
Man you better check under the hood of your truck and get to know it well or get rid of it.
If you need you should get a honda dude.

 

and yet they market these non high performance vehicles by listing their 0-60 & 1/4 mile times

 

all you guys are full of ****,, big time full of ****,,, who would need to check their spark plugs on their own,, if its a freaking factory problem,,, why not include it in regular free schedualed maintenance. If I spend 32K I will not do so to check my plugs once a week,, what if I had no freaking internet and did not even know of the ****ing spark plug problem, it seems the only way the word is out is due to posting on the boards. Oh yeah,, I should call for freaking tsb's right off the line the day after I get my truck,, **** that,, **** checking plugs,, you dont know how much this crap pisses me off,,, Sure I check my own plugs but only becasue I have to,, its ****ing bull**** that the first time I did 3 of the 8 were finger tight. Granted that was on a stock ****ing truck that had not ever been raced. That my friends is not something anyone who buys a vehicle should know how to do,, it takes descent mechanics sometimes over 2 ****ing hours to change the damn plugs on these trucks. For chrst's sake if its a known problem then ford should have a check plug gauge that shines a ****ing flashy light when you need your plugs changed or tightninged,,, there is a light for everyt ****ing thing else,, even fuel and what idiot doesn't know to add more gas when the gauge gets low,,If I had not read the boards from the get go I would have no ****ing clue to check jack **** on this 32K truck,,,, its bull**** for a stock ****ing truck to leave someone stranded on the road with a blown plug. You people on these boards are full of **** if you think the average Joe should be required to check the ****ing spark plugs the day after they buy it. Helloo,,, anyone out there,, its callled a regular maintenance check by the dealer before they even sell you the damn thing,,, hell I had to wait a ****ing week to get some safety belt bolt fixed before they could sell me my truck,, how about they take some time and educate you about the plugs before you buy it. Most ****ing salesmen know nothing even close to what they should tell you before you buy the truck,, yeah,, lets warn them about the ****ing clunk too,,,, thats a good idea,, in my own opinon no truck should leave a ****ing lot with loose plugs,, and no truck should leave a ****ing lot with that damn clunk. I know how to change my plugs and tighten them,, but there sure as hell are a ton more L owners who don't know how to check the plugs,, and sure as hell dont have interenet,,, I hate you damn people.

~Toasted

 

plus the only shaft I check after I buy my truck is my own after I floor it off the lot.

~toast

 

hey,don't hold it back... tell us how you really feel!

 

Ah yes... the buyer's guide to Lightning pre-delivery inspection:
(Granted this list is compiled from all known delivery issues from '99 onwards!)

1. Visual inspection walk around.

2. Check for loose ground effects.

3. Check for correct front bumper alignment.

4. Check for correct SVT badging.

5. Check for blistering or peeling wheel paint.

6. Check exhaust tips. Too high or too low.

7. Check for correct turn signal lenses, rear tail lights, headlights, or third brake light... corresponding to year of manufacture.

8. Check and confirm that bed is mis-aligned.

9. Check for rear window seal to be oozing from cover.

10. Verify that VIN is in fact a Lightning number.

11. Open driver's door. Confirm that drivers seat cushion will soon be ripped open from thigh bolster wire.

12. Check for floor mats.

13. Confirm that CD changer cartridge is missing.

14. Open hood and check for engine (Okay this is a stretch)

15. Confirm that heater hose is leaking onto coil pack.

16. Check for coolant in intercooler reservoir. Check for cracks in the intercooler.

17. Check for loose spark plugs.

18. Check for hoses rubbing against supercharger belt.

19. Check for loose lower pulley bolts.

20. Check for block heater coolant leakage. (Northern climates only please)

21. Start engine.

22. Confirm piston slap, or knock.

23. Check for oil leakage from passenger side cylinder head. Prepare paper work for new engine order. (The dealer will need one sooner than later)

24. Sit in passenger seat and confirm rattling from exhaust under the floor boards.

25. Press brake pedal. Check that the pedal swing arm is firmly attached.

26. Run transmission through its gears. Confirm that all gears engage and that no unusual noises occur. Prepare paper work for new transmission. (The dealer will need one sooner than later)

27. Put truck on lift.

28. Confirm that lower control arm is sliding in its rear bolt slot.

29. Confirm that front bumper has been scarred along bottom edge.

30. Tighten muffler clamps.

31. Lower spare tire. Confirm early scar marks from rubbing on frame.

32. Shake salesman's hand for delivering your vehicle in such top notch condition.

33. Drive home with a queezy feeling in your gut. You have just entered into a very strange relationship with a truck!

If I've left anything out, please feel free to add to the list. I think that 1BADTK is a little bit off in his expectations of what we should expect in a new vehicle purchase.