Changing Ford Spark Plugs 4.6, 5.4, 6.8 – Ford TSB 08-7-6
July 25, 2009 12:35 pm Auto Tool Comparison, Automotive Specialty Tools, Calvan Specialty Tools, How To Auto Repair
Unique Ford spark plug design can easily break when removed
When changing Ford spark plugs it’s good to be aware of the potential of breaking them in certain models. In this repair article, find out which ones are susceptible to separating when being removed. Learn how to remove them without breaking them and how to remove them if they do break. Denlors Auto Repair blog has had several articles about removing broken sparkplugs in Ford vehicles. In addition to Rotunda Separated Spark Plug Remover, we offer several less expensive options of removal tools. Compared to Ford Rotunda special service tools, we save our customers a lot of money, when removing broken spark plugs.
Which Ones To Look Out For
Affected vehicles include; 4.6, 5.4 and 6.8 3V engines found in many 2004-2008 Ford Mustangs, Expeditions, F150’s, Motor-homes, Explorer Sport Trac, Mercury Mountaineers, Lincoln Navigators and the Lincoln Mark LT. Ford has recently came out with a new TSB that supersedes the first ones, that may prevent breaking the sparkplugs to begin with. We have included TSB links towards the bottom of this repair article, courtesy of the Ford Motor Company.
The Short Version
The updated procedure consists of 7 pages (see the PDF links below) basically says to back the sparkplugs no more than 1/8″ to 1/4″ of a turn. Then use a small amount of carburetor cleaner in the sparkplug well and allow time for the cleaner to make it’s way down to the electrode shield. The idea is to loosen the carbon buildup around the electrode shield to allow sparkplug to be removed without breaking it. The process may need to be repeated several times in order for it to work properly. Furthermore the TSB states that a torque wrench must be used to prevent excess pressure from being applied when working the spark-plug back and forth. If the torque exceeds 33 foot-pounds, the porcelain could break. Caution is also advised to prevent the possibility of putting too much carburetor spray down the well, if this is done excessively the engine can become hydro-locked. I can only imagine the frustration involved in trying to remove these wacky sparkplugs and then ending up with a hydro-locked engine!
How’d That Work Out?
So what happens if the TSB 08-7-6 procedure has been followed when changing the spark plugs and a sparkplug still breaks? As mentioned before we have several options for removing Ford sparkplugs when they break. The first alternative to the Ford rotunda sparkplug removal tool (303-1203) is the Calvan (CAL 39100 – ET391). This tool is basically a copy of the Rotunda 303-1203 at a much lower cost. This tool is used the same as the 303-1203. It can only be used if the porcelain did not stay inside the electrode shield. The porcelain must be removed first to use either of these tools. Ford’s method uses a 303-1398, the Calvan equivalent is the CAL39200. This approach uses pins that are lock-tighted into the center of the porcelain where the electrode pin was. After the Loctite dries a puller is used to remove the broken porcelain.
Lisle Method
Another option is the Lisle 65600 Ford broken spark plug remover. We’ve done an entire auto repair article featuring this tool and it’s different method of dealing with broken spark plug porcelain. That particular repair blog, includes pictures of the tool in use. Also there are some testimonials from guys that used the Lisle tool. Whichever method is used, it’s still a lot better than removing the cylinder head. Hopefully with the new procedure, removing the spark plugs intact may be possible and no specialty tools will be needed to begin with.
Stripped Plug Threads
A few technicians have reported that all this working the plugs back and forth (that the TSB prescribes) gets the plug out sometimes without breaking them - BUT the threads get damaged on some! We have a thread repair kit for replacing damaged threads if that happens. See the link below about stripped spark threads plugs on 3v engines for more information.
Ford TSB for Spark Plug Removal – see all 7 pages below.
Ford TSB 08-7-6 Page 1 Ford TSB 08-7-6 Page 2 Ford TSB 08-7-6 Page 3
Ford TSB 08-7-6 Page 4 Ford TSB 08-7-6 Page 5 Ford TSB 08-7-6 Page 6
More TSB’s can be accessed on-line along with detailed repair information. Use the instructions needed now and log back in for other repair projects at a later date, all for ONE low fee. Visit Mitchell’s eAuto Repair, access the same repair data Mitchell provides professional shops everywhere.
dennisb - Auto Tool Sales :
Date: October 30, 2009 @ 7:12 am
If you haven’t already, see our related articles on Broken spark plug removal and the one on the new Champion one piece design plug.
Victor Sanchez :
Date: November 25, 2009 @ 12:12 am
Hi I just used your 65600 tool to remove the electrode shield on 2 plugs which did not have porcelain broken and it worked great. Now, I have 2 other plugs that broke and the do have a piece of porcelain broken in the shield. I think i prefer to use the calvan 39200 to remove the porcelain instead of pushing it down. Do you have any directions as how to use the Calvan 39200? I couldnt find it anywere online. Thanks.
dennisb - Auto Tool Sales :
Date: November 25, 2009 @ 7:23 am
Victor, Since the Calvan 39200 is like the Rotunda 303-1398, it is used in the same way as it. In the article above, see the 7 page TSB for information, page 4,5 & 6 have to do with the pin and collet method for removing the porcelain.
Victor :
Date: November 25, 2009 @ 1:26 pm
Thanks. My concern with using the 65600 is the strength of the porcelain and the metal strap. I would think that the metal would cause the porcelain to chip, crack or break. Is this likely?
Also, incase it was to chip, would a vacuum suck out the pieces in the chamber?
What happens if any tiny piece is left in the chamber?
Thank you
dennisb - Auto Tool Sales :
Date: November 25, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
Victor, I understand the concern. This was brought up on the “Ford Spark Plug Removal Tool – Picture of Ford’s Bad Design” linked at the bottom of this post. Haven’t had anyone say the porcelain broke while using the 65600. A shop vac may work to pull out broken pieces, I haven’t had anyone comment on that before. Some techs say that loose debris will blow out the exhaust – I would NOT be comfortable trusting that it would just blow out the exhaust, I would worry about valve closing on the debris and causing damage. An inspection scope could be used to check for debris prior to running the vehicle.
Victor :
Date: November 25, 2009 @ 1:50 pm
Great thanks I will suck it up and give it a try. Will post my results late tonight. BTW one of the porcelain thats broken in the head has the thin metal stick attached to it. Does this matter? it broke off with it attached.
dennisb - Auto Tool Sales :
Date: November 25, 2009 @ 1:58 pm
I can’t imagine where the stick came from. Ultimately, it’s your decision how to approach this job. We are still selling 10 or more of the 65600’s a week and have had very few cases reported where someone had problems with it working. It’s not a 100% but well worth the attempt when the alternative is pulling the cylinder head.
Victor :
Date: November 25, 2009 @ 2:03 pm
I think what i mean by metal stick is the electrode. its in the center of the plug and runs all the way to the tip.
The extractor part has so far worked perfectly.
dennisb - On Ford Spark Plug Removal :
Date: November 26, 2009 @ 7:56 am
Yes, that would be the electrode. This is the first time I’ve heard of the electrode staying with the broken piece of porcelain in the cylinder head. In fact, you first mentioned you wanted to use the Calvan 39200 (like the Rotunda method) – that wouldn’t be possible, since the hole in the center of the porcelain is where the pins are normally glued. You may want to contact Lisle, at 712-542-5101 (same # that’s on the 65600 instruction sheet) to see if they have any suggestions, since their directions don’t really cover this scenario.
Another idea, which I don’t recommend because it could cause damage or be dangerous is to run the vehicle with the coil unplugged and out of the way. The compression could blow the electrode out or maybe even the porcelain – it would be necessary to put some sort of scatter shield over the plug to keep it from hitting someone or something. I thought of this because a customer once told me they used super glue to fill the hole, so the compression would blow the broken porcelain out when the engine was started… it worked for them. They did this because at the time the only tool they had was the 303-1203 with no provisions for removing the porcelain. Again I don’t recommend it, but I could imagine someone trying this.
Joe :
Date: November 29, 2009 @ 2:07 pm
Just to comment to Victor. I had 5 plugs break with the electrode still in the porcelain. I used one of those cheap 2 foot long grabbers with the button on one end and 4 prongs that come out on the other. It looks like a long spring. It pulled the electrode out with ease. The electrodes (my case) were not “stuck” in the holes, just resting.
I had someone tell me to ram a shop vac on blower mode in the exhaust. Then on the cylinders with the exhuast valve open he is able to free the procelain enough for in to blow out of the hole.
I am waiting for the lisle tool, so I haven’t tried the procelain trick yet…good luck, I need too…
Joe :
Date: November 29, 2009 @ 2:11 pm
Oh yeah, with the blower method you need to turn the motor with a to position the exhaust valve correctly for the cylinder you need. I believe you can use a wrench on bottom pully, not sure. I would lean away from using the starter, but if you do, pull the fuel pump fuse first.
Victor :
Date: November 30, 2009 @ 12:41 pm
I want to inform all that I did use the Lisle to push in the last two spark plugs that were broken. One had the electrode pin broken in with the ceramic and the other did not. I pushed them slowly and with caution just enough so i could use the extractor part of the Lisle. I was able to extract both easily but the bottom part of the porcelain did chip a little on the side because the metal strap. I bought several pieces of rubber pipe that is used for water mainly from Lowes, each being a slightly smaller size than the previous to create a funnel. The last tube in the funnel was about one foot in length. I connected the shop vac to the funnel and this made it easy to stick the small tube into the head and suck out anything that was broken from the porcelain. It worked and my parents truck is working better than before the spark plugs were replaced. The tube that I used to make the funnel is located were the water tubes from the freezer are located in the plumbing section of lowes, its sold by the foot not by the inch so it cost me $8 dollars to make.
vic :
Date: February 18, 2010 @ 3:21 pm
hey what kind of sprk plugs do you recomend for my ford f150 5.4 been looking for the champion double platnum but no one seems to have them locally only the outolites
Wendell :
Date: February 21, 2010 @ 1:20 pm
Bought Autolites from RockAuto.com. They also have the Champion plugs. Think I’m goin to buy the Champion also . Might be the safer bet.
Wendell :
Date: February 21, 2010 @ 1:22 pm
Also is everyone in agreement to use Motorcraft carb cleaner no matter what exctraction tool is used?
Jeff Brazier :
Date: March 27, 2010 @ 4:50 pm
Just a thought. Remember to use the Nickel anti-seize when putting your new plugs in. I bought the champions at RockAuto for $12-13 each.
Dave :
Date: April 5, 2010 @ 7:38 pm
Tried to replace spark plugs today. The first one broke and left the tip in the head. Bought the Lisle tool and that took it out but chipped the porcelain when it broke the strap. Took about an hour to vacuum it out. Got the new plug in and works fine. Not really thinking I’m going to take a chance on the others. Looks like the fragile porcelain will chip everytime you break the strap. Hate to pay Ford but it’s cheaper than the alternative.
dennisb - Auto Tool Sales :
Date: April 5, 2010 @ 8:23 pm
Dave, actually the porcelain is very strong when encapsulated in the electrode shield – I would’nt say it breaks EVERY time, I don’t recall hearing that the porcelain broke, except for a very few cases when someone was using the tool. When I used the tool for the demo, there were no chipped pieces at all. See the “Ford Spark Plug Removal Tool – Picture of Ford’s Bad Design” article linked at the bottom of this article for more information. Oh and by the way, some of our best customer’s for the Lisle 65600 are FORD dealers!
Ed Manger :
Date: April 9, 2010 @ 12:21 pm
2005 F-250 with Triton 5.4 has 54,000 miles on it runs great. Should I change the original plugs before the recomended 100,000 and possibly avoid the removal problems or is it the length of time the plugs have been in the cylinders that causes the removal issue? Has anyone changed these plugs without having problems?
Marvin :
Date: April 16, 2010 @ 12:58 pm
I just had to extract 7 out of 8 broken plugs. The 65600 works great! However, I found that if I didn’t push the pocelain tip down quite all the way, it then didn’t shadder the tip so bad. I would like to suggest that the pusher body be redesigned to shorten the push travel.
One plug broke above the joint so I had to do the glue method with the 39200. This also worked very well!
Rick :
Date: May 1, 2010 @ 4:00 pm
ok, so i was gonna get it done (change the plugs) today and the collar came out i was holding it in my hand. Ford dealership swore that i was screwed. had to tow it to them. but the porcelin wasn’t broke , so… I put the collar back in tightened her up and fired it off. no problems, or is there gonna be?
dennisb - Auto Tool Sales :
Date: May 2, 2010 @ 2:51 pm
Rick, you at least saved a tow bill. I would plan on changing the plugs after acquiring a Lisle 65600. Until then I would “let it ride.”