Ford Triton V-10 Spark plugs

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greymouser7

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these break off if I heard correctly

I have to change them out on the company truck.

I was thinking soak them in penetrating oil, run the engine warm, soak them in penetrating oil again and attempt to loosen.

All advise welcome! Thank you!!
 
They can and will break off. Hopefully they have been replaced once and a little anti seize was used on the threads. Good luck.
 
If you break one off dont sweat it! It will blow it out eventually! Probably sooner than later lol. Heli coils are your friend with those Triton's!
 
Sell that POS and get something with conventional plugs, or something with no plugs at all if you need a truck that big. It'll be the best thing you ever do.
 
They don’t actually break. If I understand it correctly Ford did not design the V10 and 5.4 heads with enough thread engagement and over time they loosen up and wiggle around until the threads are gone . Then they shoot out of the hole leaving behind a smooth bore hole and a dent in the hood. Lol
 
They don’t actually break. If I understand it correctly Ford did not design the V10 and 5.4 heads with enough thread engagement and over time they loosen up and wiggle around until the threads are gone . Then they shoot out of the hole leaving behind a smooth bore hole and a dent in the hood. Lol

Yeah, they break. What's so bad is, they can do both. Only ONE company makes one piece plugs for those applications........and guess what? Ford didn't use them!!!!!!! They used Motorcraft. Champion is the only company that makes a one piece plug for those. All the others are a two piece design and that's where they break. Where the two pieces are put together. The three valve Triton is a total POS design. Ford knew it when they produced it.

Now, if it's a two valve motor, it's a good one. They don't have the plug troubles the three valve motors do. The three valve motors are the world's biggest POS.
 
I have personally seen multiple plugs on multiple engines blow out of the heads while running. I agree with rusty POS design!
 
GO to any auto parts store and look at the threads on the three valve motor's plugs. They're "rolled" on the edges of the threads. They don't come to a point like regular plug threads. Almost like the threads are incomplete. It's a wonder they even tighten up.
 
It was one model year that had the plug issue. No amount of penetrating oil is going to help you. If they are gonna break there is no getting around it.
A couple cans of sea foam in the gas may loosen up the soot that locks the plugs in. If i knew what year i could look up the plugs and see if they are actually the extended reach type.
Heres the tools you are gonna need if they break.
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And if you drove a chevy...
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When I was mechanic for Uhaul these triton aluminum head trucks always blow plugs out the side of engine.
Yep!! Both my neighbors are diehard Ford guys one has about 5 Ford f250 5.4s sitting in his yard and he literally has a dump truck full of blow Ford engines most are 5.4s he finally wised up and bought a brand new 3500 dually Chevrolet duramax.
The other neighbor has been thru 4 engines in two trucks in the 8 years iv known him he has one setting in the bed as we speak that just got replaced. All four where 5.4 Tritons and all four blew plugs and cracked heads.
 
We use strictly ford trucks and econline vans at work. I've helped the mechanic repair the threads when a spark plug blows out. They have coil packs so they don't actually "blow out". At least none of them I've seen have. We have changed plugs a few times and had the plug tip break off, probably due to carbon buildup. I'm not sure though.

We've also had three different 5.4's with cam issues. The engine starts making noises that get worse over time. I'm not sure why but the cams go flat! One truck has 240k miles and is in great shape, trans is great, body, suspension, etc. But the cams have been replaced 3 times. Once under warranty. Second time the mechanic replaced them. Third time we had ford replace the cams, followers, rockers, etc. Its now ticking again and has too many miles to bother fixing it.
 
We use strictly ford trucks and econline vans at work. I've helped the mechanic repair the threads when a spark plug blows out. They have coil packs so they don't actually "blow out". At least none of them I've seen have. We have changed plugs a few times and had the plug tip break off, probably due to carbon buildup. I'm not sure though.

We've also had three different 5.4's with cam issues. The engine starts making noises that get worse over time. I'm not sure why but the cams go flat! One truck has 240k miles and is in great shape, trans is great, body, suspension, etc. But the cams have been replaced 3 times. Once under warranty. Second time the mechanic replaced them. Third time we had ford replace the cams, followers, rockers, etc. Its now ticking again and has too many miles to bother fixing it.

That's those pesky camshaft phasers. They go bad and the cams wear out. It's just a win win engine all the way around. LOL
 
That's those pesky camshaft phasers. They go bad and the cams wear out. It's just a win win engine all the way around. LOL

Total JUNK. They are so gutless as well.
My current company truck is a 2013 with a 5.0. Its a 6 speed auto and 4x4, not built for speed. But damn it's slow as could be. Not much better than a 4.6/5.4
 
GO to any auto parts store and look at the threads on the three valve motor's plugs. They're "rolled" on the edges of the threads. They don't come to a point like regular plug threads. Almost like the threads are incomplete. It's a wonder they even tighten up.
Actually, a rolled thread is much stronger than a machined thread. So there is some other problem with those plugs. The 2-piece design is the biggest problem.
 
Actually, a rolled thread is much stronger than a machined thread. So there is some other problem with those plugs. The 2-piece design is the biggest problem.

I don't buy it. Especially where aluminum heads are concerned. The fact that the engines aren't just breaking plugs, but blowing them out tells me the rolled threads are crap.
 
Actually, a rolled thread is much stronger than a machined thread. So there is some other problem with those plugs. The 2-piece design is the biggest problem.

It's not so much the threads on the plug. Its the threads on the cylinder heads that are a problem. I think the rolled threads aren't "deep" enough to bite into the threads in the aluminum heads. Ends up pulling the threads clean out of the heads.
 
It's not so much the threads on the plug. Its the threads on the cylinder heads that are a problem. I think the rolled threads aren't "deep" enough to bite into the threads in the aluminum heads. Ends up pulling the threads clean out of the heads.

Then that makes rolled threads a weak point, don't it? lol It's funny. MIllions of vehicles runnin around for decades with aluminum heads and standard, non rolled threads don't have a problem blowing plugs out. That's decades and millions. Then along comes the three valve triton with something "different". But yeah, that "ain't" the problem. lol
 
Yeah, they break. What's so bad is, they can do both. Only ONE company makes one piece plugs for those applications........and guess what? Ford didn't use them!!!!!!! They used Motorcraft. Champion is the only company that makes a one piece plug for those. All the others are a two piece design and that's where they break. Where the two pieces are put together. The three valve Triton is a total POS design. Ford knew it when they produced it.

Now, if it's a two valve motor, it's a good one. They don't have the plug troubles the three valve motors do. The three valve motors are the world's biggest POS.
Exactly right! My dad had one, takes a special tool to retrieve the broken plug and if your lucky you dont end up with the piece in the cylinder. Dang things have cams that advance them self's when they wear they start sounding like a diesel! He finally sold it and bought a Dakota. His old 150 went over 300,000 with a 250 6cyl. He is a ford man at heart but that triton did him in.
 
Then that makes rolled threads a weak point, don't it? lol It's funny. MIllions of vehicles runnin around for decades with aluminum heads and standard, non rolled threads don't have a problem blowing plugs out. That's decades and millions. Then along comes the three valve triton with something "different". But yeah, that "ain't" the problem. lol
When the plugs "blow out", I'm assuming the threads on the spark plugs stay intact, and the threads in the aluminum are stripped out? You'll rarely find rolled threads on an internal tread, so that would indicate that the machined/tapped threads in the aluminum heads are where the problem lies, since they are the parts that are failing, not the plugs themselves... no? (bolts with rolled threads are screwed into nuts/holes with machined threads all day long with no failures).
 
When the plugs "blow out", I'm assuming the threads on the spark plugs stay intact, and the threads in the aluminum are stripped out? You'll rarely find rolled threads on an internal tread, so that would indicate that the machined/tapped threads in the aluminum heads are where the problem lies, since they are the parts that are failing, not the plugs themselves... no? (bolts with rolled threads are screwed into nuts/holes with machined threads all day long with no failures).

I know one thing. "I'm glad as hell" I don't have to work on them anymore.
 
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