Holy Crap 2nd Plug in 2 years Blown!!

[GodOSpeed]

I can't frickin belive it!!:mad2: 70015 miles on the odometer! Down she goes again. Man oh man I don't know if I can afford $580 a shot for another 7 holes to get helicoiled and new COPs. I never thought I would say this but I am going to be afraid to take this car on trips. And this is my Trip Car!!
I asked my local service manager if Ford is ever going to give us some relief on this issue on the 32v motors and he gave me the # to customer service. I called and the lady on the phone said that is the 1st time she has ever heard about this issue and that basically nothing will be done until enough people call in and complain about this. But she did say to keep all of my receipts just in case they do. I explained to her that there were only 11XXX of these cars made and even with the old Cobras and Machs and Lincoln Aviators that came with this engine that we will never get to 230,000 complaints about this issue. Or whatever magic # ford deems necessary to announce a recall or own up to the fact that they put out a *****y design on that head and their loyalists are suffering for it.
Well i guess they are never going to know if we don't tell them the # is
1-800-392-3673 have your vin # ready.
In case your wondering the Zex wet kit in my sig was part of a group buy 5 or so years ago and it sits in my closet right next to the suit I never put on either.

[RacerX]

Obviously 3 thread heads. Either detonation or overtightening a plug are the only things that could really cause this. You did check to see if the threads are on the plug I take it? In case it was loose and just backed out?

[GodOSpeed]

It took out the plug, boot, and COP so even if it backed out I am certain it mashed the threads. The plugs have been in there since the car had a few thousand miles on it.

[Paul T. Casey]

Seems like an over-torque issue to me as well. Even at the dealer, the techs get either busy, mad, or tunnel vision (say doing 5 diesels with higher torque values prior to doing yours). That being said, I had #2 plug fail on me back around 32,000 miles. I'll call the number and report it. Then you won't be alone on the list. It's also possible it was a manufacturing defect in your engine. With Quality Control having shifted to more of a SPC basis rather than individual inspections of each step, things often get missed if the downstream paper work looks correct.

[GodOSpeed]

Thanks Paul!

[BODYMAN]

Thats what thing that amazes me about Ford call center they must employee some real sharp people or of course trained to be that way. Oh that is the 1st time I heard of that is complete BS 32V owners have been complaining about this problem since since the begin of 32V exsistence.

[MOTOWN]

^^^Very true this is a well known issue to ford and everyone and there brother who owns one of these mod motors!

[LANDY]

I change my plugs pretty often and never had such problem. I say whoever installed them its his fault.
Forgot i also never torque them.

[MENINBLK]

I've installed two sets of SP505 spark plugs in 125k miles.
I always use a Torque wrench set to 12 inch/lbs
and put anti-seize on the threads of each plug.

I install each plug, torque it and let it rest
and go back and check them all before installing the COPs.

I've never had a plug escape yet.

[justbob]

I change my plugs pretty often and never had such problem. I say whoever installed them its his fault.
Forgot i also never torque them.

Same here Landy.

I only recently bought a torque wrench that goes that low because of hearing all the stories on here...


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[DarthVader215]

that happened to my 00 towncar they have a kit online for 250 bucks you do it yourself. What plugs were you using i was using bousch plus fours and i thought i had defect plugs.

[DarthVader215]

the kit also comes with 8 helicoils amd the tools to do it.

[GetMeMyStogie]

Ford started making the 4v heads with 9 threads late in '04 - they obviously did know about the problem. The lady answering the phone, however, might not have heard of it before. She probably hasn't worked there very long.

[RF Overlord]

I always use a Torque wrench set to 12 inch/lbs.I hope you meant foot/lbs...

[Blackened300a]

I change my plugs pretty often and never had such problem.

That's because you change them all the time. My plugs were in my engine for 3 years and 40k miles before #2 backed out and took the threads, coil, and eventually broke the piston from hanging above the hole and detonated the unburnt gas that was still being injected into the cylinder.

[Marauderjack]

Ford started making the 4v heads with 9 threads late in '04 - they obviously did know about the problem. The lady answering the phone, however, might not have heard of it before. She probably hasn't worked there very long.

Mine was built in October '03 and has heads with more threads.....have not counted them but there are way more than three!!:cool:

[Marauder386]

Mine was built in October '03 and has heads with more threads.....have not counted them but there are way more than three!!:cool:

All the RoadPigs where built between May and July/August 2002 .... I have a mixed bag of 3/4/5 threads ... RoadPig #1 blew out # 8 and it was a 4 thread and this was due to the local dealership overtorque ...

Yep Jack, it was GDTH Summerville Ford ...

of course denial and refusal to make right ... So, I ask, will a newer ,say 04 head replacement fix all this ? And as an ideal thought maybe an extreme Group Buy on the Ford repair kit ?



:cool4: