Blown a plug :shock:

[Coreyned]

Ok so I am going to go ahead and just upgrade my heads to these patriot stage 2 heads,http://www.americanmuscle.com/patriot-stageii-2v-0104-romeo.html
It seems to be alot of work to try and do myself and I dont want to mess anything up so I was going to have a place put them in for me, does anyone know a good place in south fl to havr them put in for a good price?

 

[san~man]

Patriot has had issues in the past. You may want to search the net REALLY well to see if they've fixed those problems before you drop the cash on them.

 

[Skidzz]

This scares the crap out of me. I check the torque on my plugs everytime I change the oil. This is off topic a little, but is spark blowout common in the 4v's too?

 

[hotstang_46]

Patriots problems are behind them now. I have not seen or heard of an example any current issue......I certainly have been nothing but happy with mine.


since your in there you should do cams

 

[san~man]

This is off topic a little, but is spark blowout common in the 4v's too?

No, 2V 4.6 and 5.4 motors.

2V head's spark plug design just plain sucks.

 

[Coreyned]

Oh, what was the issues they had? and if I run into this issue would americanmuscle.com replace the heads? or repair. and I dont have the money to go ahead and get cams, I will probabaly get them later on but then it would cost extra to have someone take apart the engine again. Any idea on some good-cheap cams?
Does anyone know a good place in South florida to do this install? Someone told me about Mustang Specialty but cant seem to find the website.

 

[BobHyatt]

heli-coil, etc

While you can certainly do this yourself, it is a _major_ job. You need to remove the head, because you don't want all the metal shavings to go on top of the piston as you drill the hole out and then tap it for the heli-coil..

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

This whole subject sucks. It seems some have some haven't. I am still on the fence...

 

[Mustang92]

Oh, what was the issues they had? and if I run into this issue would americanmuscle.com replace the heads? or repair. and I dont have the money to go ahead and get cams, I will probabaly get them later on but then it would cost extra to have someone take apart the engine again. Any idea on some good-cheap cams?
Does anyone know a good place in South florida to do this install? Someone told me about Mustang Specialty but cant seem to find the website.

http://www.mustangspecialtiesinc.com/

Bill

 

[bdcardinal]

This scares the crap out of me. I check the torque on my plugs everytime I change the oil. This is off topic a little, but is spark blowout common in the 4v's too?

its not common, but they are not immune. weve had maybe 2 or 3 4vs with plugs blown out in about a year vs 20 or so 2vs.

 

[Coreyned]

thanks for the website, called them and asked for a quote to install the heads and buy gasket and bolts from them they told me $1300 . thats more then the heads cost and more then the FORD dealer at $1100...? someone told me about UPR in s. FL so i am going to find out about them.

 

[Coreyned]

does any1 know where i can get a manual to switch the heads? from stock to the patriot stage 2 heads?

 

[SilverBullet00]

Either a haynes or a chiltons will work. OR find a write up on a PI swap for a 96-98 car will get you most of the way there. if you dont have LT headers, its really not hard IMO. If you just take your time and label everything you will get it.


BTW- does the blow out happen from the plug LOOSENING or from OVER torqueing it? 13ft lb's doesnt seem like enough...

 

[Coreyned]

actually came loose, it was all fine then me and friend changed the plugs and tightened them WITHOUT a torque wrench, guess it was bad idea. The bullitt has stiff suspention and i live on a rocky dirt road so it bumps alot, my gf complains how its a ****ty ride cuz the bumps but its good for racing. it was fine for a month or two then the plug poped out, seemed that it popped out easy and not noisy as if it loosened and came out, so we put a new plug in and it seemed that the plug did not rotate clockwise that much as we tighened it but it was tight as if it was in place. then it popped out about a week after this time it was loud and it broke the screw that keeps the spark plug wires in place

 

[mrvax]

Once I had a spark plug back out of the threads b/c I under tightened it using the hand only method as Mustang92 describes.

Then last May, I actually blew out a plug! Thought it was the end of the world. Had auto shops estimating millions of dollars for the fix.

So, I took it to an old mechanic that was also a machinist & he worked in his back yard. I told him my concerns about metal shavings and he knows how to use grease to trap most of that crap.

So, long story short: he put in an insert, chased all my other plug threads, replaced all the plugs and it runs fine. Cost $250.

 

[Pearl02]

The antiseeze is there to prevent the plugs from getting seized in the motor. When they are taken out after being in there a long time, the plug is seized to the threads in the head and when they are coming out, the threads are weakened. Then you put the plug back in, and a few miles later they back out, or blow out. People literally say to use a dab of antiseize. So..don't use the brush they supply you with, use a tooth brush and just barely put any on there. That way, next time you pull them out, they won't be seized in there.

I am on the fence with antiseize because I haven't changed them in a 2V motor. I had thetuner change plugs on my 96 Cobra when it got supercharged. I didn't have any problems. I recently called them so ask if they have had any problems with them blowing out, and he said they have never had one blow out of a Mustang. (They have been in business since 1990 and supercharge and build Mustangs everyday.) But they have heard of it in trucks. They don't use torque wrenches either, they just change them like any other plug. I am still on the fence....maybe I should just have them do it when I get it dynoed and tuned...then they will be responsible.

I'm setting next to you on the fence. Before I changed my plugs I was worried about getting them torque properly. Then I took the plugs and realize just how tight the plugs was in. According to the torque gauge they all seem to torqued down between 20 and 22 pounds. I put the plugs in a 13 pounds and that seem to loose. I just put them in like a normal plug. I just nugged them up. I recheck my plugs twice a year. I guess I'll find out if should have torqued them to 13 pounds if I have to take them back out again. I think we stress to much about this. Just check them every now and then. Pearl.

 

[mrvax]

I've been told the main cause of the plugs blowing out is that Ford did not put enough threads in the heads. There may only be about 6 full threads when other heads have maybe 12 that hold in the plugs. It's that bad. What idiots they had to be to do something so dumb.

 

[6902Stangs]

I just had my second blow plug blow. I'd stick with the 13lb idea, since mine were changed and torqued like every other head in the history of motors. They were not the finger-tight 13lbs. This is dumb. Mmm, Fox Lake...

 

[BobHyatt]

I'll add my 2 cents. Don't use any anti-seize. Just use copper plugs for a buck and change each and change them once a year very carefully on a stone cold engine. Torque them to 13 lb/ft. If you're nervous, retorque after a thousand.

I never understood the concept of lubing something that has an issue of coming out on it's own.

It is simple. Steel threads that are not perfectly smooth, in contact with aluminum threads that are soft. The steel will roll up tiny pieces of aluminum and start a galling action that will ruin the threads over time. Anti-seize contains suspended soft metal particles that prevent this galling. If you don't put it on, you are asking for trouble, and all too often you will get what you ask for with these things...

It is not recommended just as a lark...

 

[BobHyatt]

I've been told the main cause of the plugs blowing out is that Ford did not put enough threads in the heads. There may only be about 6 full threads when other heads have maybe 12 that hold in the plugs. It's that bad. What idiots they had to be to do something so dumb.

There aren't 6 on any I have tried. Try this. Take your plug, socket and extension and insert it into the well. turn and lift up until you reach the point where the plug threads have just barely engaged the threads in the head. Now count the turns in including what is needed to get to 15 foot pounds of torque. On the 4.6 my son drives, the answer is 4.25 turns. Just over 4 threads. On a spark plug that has 3x that many threads...

This also tends to make the plugs run hotter than rated because there is a trapped air space between the rest of the threads and the block (no direct contact) and the plug seat where it contacts the head. One of the poorest engineering decisions I have seen.