Spark plug woes....Any Ford techs here???

[SilverBullet00]

Two months ago I replaced my spark plugs with the stockers I got from the dealership. Everything was fine untill about a month ago when the car was idleing really bad. I checked many things over, but I finally found it was caused by one of my spark plugs backing out. The plug loosend about a 1/16th of a turn but it was loose enough to force some oil in the spark plug well.
So I tightend the plug and all was good, untill today. SAME PROBLEM. I know there was a thread awhile back about using lock-tite on plugs, anyone ever tried using it or had a similar problem as me?

Is it possible my threads are stripped on my head?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Dragstr05]

Who the hell knows. My stang has 66k on the clock with probably the stock plugs. The car is stock right now minus a K&N filter that I got free, so I really dont see the need to change them yet as ford rates the platinum plugs at 100k. If I was modding it, that might be different. Im almost scared to change the plugs...I deffinately dont want stripped heads.

 

[SilverBullet00]

anyone have any suggestions?

 

[TripleBlk]

In case there you do wind up stripping the spark plug threads,
there is a tool , "Back-tap" which spins straight into the plug hole past the damaged area, then engages the undamaged threads. As it is spun back out, it catches the shavings. check out http://www.starproducts.com

It is $ 49.95 (no whining about the price, as it's much cheaper than paying someone to R+R the heads and have the stripped hole repaired)

 

[SilverBullet00]

Well, the plug was loose again. I pulled it out and it has oil all over it, is this normal? I cleaned it up, put new anti-seize on it, and torque it down... i guess I will see what happends..

 

[TripleBlk]

I usually put a shop vac nozzle around the plugs before I pull them - gets the sand, dirt, oil etc. out of the way

 

[Joel's98GT]

do NOT use loc-tite on them, your supposed to use anti-sieze.

and if there is oil in the plig you are leaking it from the valve cover or from the piston rings, more likely the valve cover.

 

[StangPro]

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/ford_spark_plugs.html

 

[streetstang03]

i was just about to post that.

 

[SilverBullet00]

I hope they do a recall. Its weird because I am only having problems with one cylinder. Do you guess think I need to take any kind of action for the oil all over the plug? To I need to change a gasket? Or worse piston rings?

I dont really know much about the rotating assembly..

Also, if I got some MPH stage 2.5 (or any aftermarket head) heads would they have the same problem, not enough threads for the plug?

 

[billfisher]

fear the reaper. i mean stripper. we are all afraid of the dreaded stripped threaded. it's probably not backing out, rather it is jumping threads.

 

[97gtblue]

I usually put a shop vac nozzle around the plugs before I pull them - gets the sand, dirt, oil etc. out of the way

i do the same or use my air compressor and blow it out before i take them out. right now as a matter of fact im in th emiddle of doing that, since i blew my intake up and have to swap it out...

also two of my plugs the tips burnt completely off, whats does that mean??

 

[97vertstang]

how would the valve cover be leaking to cause the threads to come out with oil???the reason i ask my 97 has 99k miles and every 3k miles it needs a quart of oil.i change the plugs today and 2 plugs #2 and #3 had oil in the threads.im hoping its not the rings,if its the valve cover gasket its a lot better.also which are the best plugs i bought the motorcraft platinum(stock ones)the ones it had seem like they were the factory ones, very worn!!!sorry for hijacking the thread.

 

[Venom_Nitrous]

I have the same problem. front cylinder on the driver's side. It always has a black crup on it and my car misses. With nitrous it isn't going to live long. I don't "Nas it" anymore. I am saving for an MPH longblock. I did locktight all my plugs. If it ruins the heads, it ruins the heads. They're history soon anyway.

 

[Red35th]

The plugs that keep backing out on me are no's 3 and 4. No 4 actually blew out of the head while starting the car at the movie theatre. It was then that I found No 3 to be very loose. I don't really know what to do, just check them every 3000 miles and retighten...thanks Ford...