GEN 1 Update: Broken Plug ... Isn't Broken

[Ruger]

Well, @Cookie_Monster , you might try and contact the former owner. Not for relief of any kind, but to find out how and when it happened. If he drove it for thousands of miles with one plug firing in that cylinder, I'd want to know. I'd also want to know if he changed the plugs with the engine cold. (I bet he did.)

 

[Cookie_Monster]

Good point @Ruger - I'll do that and see if I can get more history just so I'll know.

By the way - for anyone reading this in the future - while searching around I found this:

Spark Plugs May be Difficult to Remove on Ford F-250 Super Duty

Problem Description

Spark plugs in the Ford F-250 Super Duty can be very difficult to remove.

Ford has issued a service bulletin (08-7-6) to address this issue, which includes a recommended procedure on how to remove the plugs. Failure to follow the recommended procedure can result in the one or more spark plugs breaking off in the cylinder head.

The recommend procedure is as follows. Using this procedure will greatly reduce the chance of breaking a spark plug.

1. Break the spark plugs loose when the engine is warm.
2. Turn each plug 1/8 to 1/4 turn and soak the treads with 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of Motorcraft Carburetor Tune-Up Cleaner or a quality penetrating oil. Do not try to remove the plugs at this time.
3. Let the threads soak for at least 15 minutes.
4. After the soak period, tighten and loosen each spark plug, working it back and forth until the turning effort is reduced. Then, you can remove the spark plug.

There are special tools available to remove the broken spark plugs and repair shops will often charge additional labor for the removal of each broken spark plug.

 

[FordTechOne]

Good point @Ruger - I'll do that and see if I can get more history just so I'll know.

By the way - for anyone reading this in the future - while searching around I found this:

Spark Plugs May be Difficult to Remove on Ford F-250 Super Duty

Problem Description

Spark plugs in the Ford F-250 Super Duty can be very difficult to remove.

Ford has issued a service bulletin (08-7-6) to address this issue, which includes a recommended procedure on how to remove the plugs. Failure to follow the recommended procedure can result in the one or more spark plugs breaking off in the cylinder head.

The recommend procedure is as follows. Using this procedure will greatly reduce the chance of breaking a spark plug.

1. Break the spark plugs loose when the engine is warm.
2. Turn each plug 1/8 to 1/4 turn and soak the treads with 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of Motorcraft Carburetor Tune-Up Cleaner or a quality penetrating oil. Do not try to remove the plugs at this time.
3. Let the threads soak for at least 15 minutes.
4. After the soak period, tighten and loosen each spark plug, working it back and forth until the turning effort is reduced. Then, you can remove the spark plug.

There are special tools available to remove the broken spark plugs and repair shops will often charge additional labor for the removal of each broken spark plug.

That TSB only applies to 3V engines with 2 piece spark plugs. The lower part of the plug could break off in the head during removal. So the threaded top part of the plug would come out, but the extended electrode shell would get stuck. The shell was not threaded in and was soft metal, so the extractor was pretty effective. The steps to turn the plug slightly and apply penetrant still apply, but unfortunately in your case there is no hex to put a socket on.

 

[Cookie_Monster]

@Gryphon313 and @mprice1234 You guys were right!

The hole was full of mud and what I was seeing in the picture was the top of the plug sticking out. Today I was able to take a long pick and dig all the dirt out and it revealed the whole plug underneath! I used a long tube on the end of an air compressor nozzle to blow the debris out and I was then able to get to the plug. I'm so relieved - and feel kind of dumb that I didn't realize what was going on.

How all that mud got in there is a complete mystery. This engine is spotless and the coil boot is still completely in tact.

In the meantime, when I got to the lower plugs on that (drivers) side, three of them had the tips broken off of the porcelain, with the top of the plug and center conductor still inside the plug boot. I'd say it was time to change plugs!

One other thing - I noticed the new Motorcraft wires have a different larger end on the lower side. If the ones I took off were the original plug wires from 2014, Ford has redesigned them.

Glad to get this done today - And thanks for everyone's help. I'm new to Ford, and this group is a fantastic resource.





These are the lower 4 plugs on the drivers side. L-R = F-R




New lower plug boot is the one at the top. Both are Motorcraft.

 

[Nex]

 

[FordTechOne]

@Gryphon313 and @mprice1234 You guys were right!

The hole was full of mud and what I was seeing in the picture was the top of the plug sticking out. Today I was able to take a long pick and dig all the mud out and reveal the whole pug underneath! I was able to blow all the debris out and get the plug out! I'm so relieved - and feel kind of dumb that I didn't realize what was going on.

How all that mud got in there is a complete mystery. This engine is spotless and the coil boot sealing the spark plug hole is still in tact.

In the meantime, when I got to the lower plugs out of that side, three of them had the tips broken off from the porcelain, with the top of the plug and center conductor still inside the plug boot. I'd say it was time to change plugs!

One other thing - I noticed the new Motorcraft wires have a different larger end on the lower side. If these were original plug wires from 2014, Ford has redesigned them.

Glad to get this done today!

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That’s great! Such a relief. As far as the mud…somebody must have been running it hard before you owned it!

 

[thatJeepguy]

That’s great! Such a relief. As far as the mud…somebody must have been running it hard before you owned it!

Was thinking the same thing lol. Up to the mirrors in muddy water .

 

[rschap1]

Congrats !!!

 

[Gryphon313]

@Cookie_Monster Told ya… lol

10 bucks someone pressure washed the engine and a pool of water was left sitting above that coil boot.

Have you driven it yet?

 

[Ruger]

Ah, no wonder it tended to stall. The beast was talking to you!
It occurs to me that you may have uncovered the reason why the original owner traded it away.