Ford cylinder heads

[Rockyr49]

Anyone else out there had this problem? My '03 Expedition had a spark plug blow out of the head this week. It's a 5.4L Triron V8. Has over 100 thou on it, but from what I've been able to find out, it's a very common problem on that engine. Seem like the threads in the head are shallow. Some of the posts I've read say it has happened at 30 or even 40,000. Ford says not our problem. New head installed was going to cost me $3300 to $4500 depending on where I had it fixed. I decided to go with a new engine. $6700 installed. According to the dealer, the new ones have been redisigned to correct the problem.
Just wondering what anyone else has heard.

[PSIman]

Why not Helicoil the head???

[Rockyr49]

That was my first thought. But according to Ford and the website consumeraffairs.com, it's been tried many times and doesn't hold. That website has lots of info. Just googled Ford cylinder head problems or Ford spark plug blow out and found out the extent of the problem.

[ger21]

Sounds like something that if you yell enough at the dealer, they'll fix it. An unspoken warranty.

[Rockyr49]

So far not going to happen. I'm yelling at the dealer and everywhere that I can find the Ford name. Gm's for all my life until this truck. If they don't help it will be the last.

[mechanical]

Word on the various auto forums is most of these problems are occuring on heads that the spark plugs have been replaced on. If you had another shop change the spark plugs recently I would return it to them and have them fix the problem they caused.

[Caprirs]

A good place to check out is www.ford-trucks.com in their message forums. This is a notorious issue with the OHC Fords. (I have a '99 F250 V10). Plug changes are very particular and finicky on these because of the aluminum threads. It only takes a little grit or a careless hand to damage the threads. Undertorquing will cause the plug to rattle loose over time and then get blown out. The design theory was that modern plugs last 100K miles so there would only be a couple plug changes over the life of the engine. Shortsightedness on the part of the designers.

If the plugs are original, you might consider legal advice. If someone changed them, Ford won't help.

[Rockyr49]

Ford changed them. Lots and lots of problems with these. Consumeraffairs.com is loaded. But I'll continue to make noise until either they help with the fix or I dump the truck and go back to GM.

[vmax549]

I would go with helicoils. We use them on alum racing heads all the time with no problems. It always has ended the plug problems with us. Most of the time installing the helicoils is the first thing we do to prevent the problem from ever occuring
(:~)= Terry

[tenmetalman]

Originally Posted by Rockyr49 Anyone else out there had this problem? My '03 Expedition had a spark plug blow out of the head this week. It's a 5.4L Triron V8. Has over 100 thou on it, but from what I've been able to find out, it's a very common problem on that engine. Seem like the threads in the head are shallow. Some of the posts I've read say it has happened at 30 or even 40,000. Ford says not our problem. New head installed was going to cost me $3300 to $4500 depending on where I had it fixed. I decided to go with a new engine. $6700 installed. According to the dealer, the new ones have been redisigned to correct the problem. Just wondering what anyone else has heard.

Hey,
Don't give up on your head/engine yet. There are several different type of thread repair systems out there. I would try the heilcoil first, Ive yet to loose a well installed heilcoil.
You can heilcoil, double heilcoil. Install thread inserts that have the correct plug thread on the I.D. and a larger thread on the O.D. of the repair thread. You'd be able to try several different types of fixes and still not spend $500 total. DON'T LET THE DEALER HOSE YOU !!! Look in McMaster Carr or Enco tools, you can find their catologs on the net. stop at a local speed shop, ask around, go to your local Auto Zone. If your in western NC, I'ed give you a hand. In spite of what the dealer has told you you could drive the engine with it making that sucking noise from here to California if you had to and not do any real damage if you kept your speed under 70.
tenmetalman

[gregsnovas]

http://www.timesert.com/html/howtosp.html

http://www.timesert.com/html/triton_repair.html

ive seen this online some time before... ive never used it

talk to some machie shops that work with heads see what the recomend


ive been lurking on this site for months and i have to say kudos to everyone who uses this forum

[nubz69]

Hell if you havn't had the work done yet you should just pull the head and have the plug hole welded, drilled and retapped.