Spark plug, this is V10......you are clear for launch

[Bigbore500r]

Anyone here have a rapid fire plug launcher? Commonly known as a Pre-2005 Ford V10.....

My buddies launched a plug at the river 2 years ago, required a threaded insert and to have all the plugs checked and re-torqued to spec at the dealer in Bullhead.

Fast forward to this weekend , 3000 scant miles later it launched a plug again - this time stranding him in the Desert with a 32' toy hauler hooked to it. Different plug this time, unrelated to the first.

Anyone have experience with this? What was the ultimate fix? Ford recommends the updated OEM plugs and setting them at an exact torque value, but that is what the dealer did 3000 miles ago and obviously it wasn't successful. Should he just get the correct "Time Sert" kit and have all 9 remaining cylinders done?

Its a great running truck, but deemed completely unreliable at this point - its ridiculous and has cost alot of money in RV towing, and ruined trips due to this plug issue.

Artistic rendering of problem for attention -

 

[rivermobster]

@OCMerrill

 

[rivermobster]

Personally I'd say, trade that stupid gas truck for a diesel, but the gaser crowd will say otherwise...

 

[Bigbore500r]

Personally I'd say, trade that stupid gas truck for a diesel, but the gaser crowd will say otherwise...

Ford diesel? We're trying not to get stranded on trips here Joe....

 

[HST4ME]

Fuck those motors.

 

[BUDMAN]

Not the v10 but one of my 5.4 had 7 out of 8 plugs so this. I’m on such a Fuck You ford kick right now. My 2016 f450 with less than a 100k on the odometer just sucked a valve.

 

[Ladsm]

Get Timeserts installed in the back 2 cylinders and replace all the plugs with Anti-Seize and torque them all, The V-10s can easily get 300k with regular oil changes and plugs every 100K

 

[HST4ME]

I used to do plug repairs on those trucks for dealers on my winter down time. Every one should be sent to the crusher.

 

[4Waters]

Put inserts in all of them

 

[warpt71]

I had a work truck with that motor. Boss man told me to just drive the damn truck back home! It sounded like hell, but, it was not stranded on the side of the road by any means. I think we found that plug in the valley and were able to thread it back in. Proper repair would be to timesert all the plug holes and move on

 

[HST4ME]

and ARP stud all the water soluble exhaust manifold bolts.

 

[Bigbore500r]

So far we have....

1. Crush the truck
2. Fuck Ford

 

[Lunatic Fringe]

So far we have....

1. Crush the truck
2. Fuck Ford

So far we have....

1. Crush the truck
2. Fuck Ford
3. RD SUX

 

[CLdrinker]

Get rid of it and buy a 7.3 Godzilla

 

[sintax]

So far we have....

1. Crush the truck
2. Fuck Ford
3. RD SUX
4. Try different prop
   

Fixed it for you!

Sums it up.

 

[69hondo]

Try a different prop!

 

[69hondo]

Fixed it for you!

Sums it up.

Ah beat me to it. LOL

 

[EmpirE231]

first motorhome was a 2004 gasser w/ v10... I always worried about a damn spark plug flying through that doghouse, and going through my leg as I pegged it @ 6K RPM's flying up the grades lol.... never happened.

 

[monkeyswrench]

I had a 99 F350, nice truck, custom paint and 10" lift...

Carried the time sert kit in the tool box. Never could have the truck down to do it right, but could install a time sert on the side of the 40, and once on the 110

By the time I sold it, had done 4 I think. Had 160k on it.

 

[C-2]

FWIW and reference, I have a 2003 V10 and I researched the heads issue, Ford changed them in November 2002. Anything after that date and you should be okay.

Of course, as luck would have it, my motor was also made in November 2002, lol, but 130K on the clock and no spitting.

This issue has been beat to death on the Ford Truck Forums....lots of good info over there, too.

I've owned the truck for 18-years and it's been pretty solid.

 

[bonesfab]

cummins swap it and be done. There is another option.

 

[Canuck 1]

better option

 

[Bpracing1127]

Dad had it happen to a 2003 ish 5.4 near white water.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Timeserts, antisieze and a torque wrench.

Those early heads only had 3 spark plug threads in them. The updated heads have 9 threads.

Also dispose of the tires if there is a nail in the sidewall.


Fords suck

 

[Bigbore500r]

cummins swap it and be done. There is another option.

 

[DRYHEAT]

So far we have....

1. Crush the truck
2. Fuck Ford

I thought the best option would’ve been to put an LS motor in it. i’m surprised you didn’t think of that first.

 

[Bigbore500r]

I thought the best option would’ve been to put an LS motor in it. i’m surprised you didn’t think of that first.

The issue with that, would be that you need to control the transmission too....opens up a whole other can of ECM / Harness worms.
Plus I wouldn't downsize cubic inches for a tow vehicle, and you'd need a stroker LS to get close to replacing 6.8 liters of plug launcher

 

[DRYHEAT]

The issue with that, would be that you need to control the transmission too....opens up a whole other can of ECM / Harness worms.
Plus I wouldn't downsize cubic inches for a tow vehicle, and you'd need a stroker LS to get close to replacing 6.8 liters of plug launcher

My post was mainly for The benefit of @rivermobster because I know he is a big fan of LS motors.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

The issue with that, would be that you need to control the transmission too....opens up a whole other can of ECM / Harness worms.
Plus I wouldn't downsize cubic inches for a tow vehicle, and you'd need a stroker LS to get close to replacing 6.8 liters of plug launcher

Not when you are down a hole due to a launched piston. You only need to replace 6.12L. Seems like a 6.2 LS3/L92 would be an upgrade in this situation.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

My post was mainly for The benefit of @rivermobster because I know he is a big fan of LS motors.

He thinks the Ford mod motor was the pinnacle of internal combustion propulsion.

 

[Bigbore500r]

Not when you are down a hole due to a launched piston. You only need to replace 6.12L. Seems like a 6.2 LS3/L92 would be an upgrade.

Maybe the V10 is just trying to become a V8 and ditch that wierd drone

 

[Kbach]

I had a work truck with that motor. Boss man told me to just drive the damn truck back home! It sounded like hell, but, it was not stranded on the side of the road by any means. I think we found that plug in the valley and were able to thread it back in. Proper repair would be to timesert all the plug holes and move on

Same here. We used to have a watercraft test shop in Havasu when Honda was doing watercraft development. When we finally shut it down we made several trips with our F250 crew cab 4X4 and 30’ enclosed trailer packed to the roof bringing everything back to Torrance.

On our last trip, and definitely most overloaded we launched a plug going up the grade out of Needles. Boss man was in the passenger seat and said “let’s pull the injector connector and drive her home”.

Loudest damn trip I’ve ever made
Truck sounded like chitty-chitty-bang-bang all the way back and got stares from everybody. We just acted like nothing was wrong when somebody would try to wave us down.

Needless to say the leasing company wasn’t too happy and put a head on it and we ran it for a few more yrs before the lease was up.

 

[timstoy]

Ford would replace the head with a Ford remand head under warranty on our PD cars. Out of warranty they would install a tread insert usually at no charge. They had a tech who got real good at changing heads and installing spark plug inserts!

 

[CLdrinker]

cummins swap it and be done. There is another option.

You spelled LS swap wrong

 

[rivermobster]

Ford diesel? We're trying not to get stranded on trips here Joe....

View attachment 1081507

That's the Izusu your talking about.

 

[rivermobster]

Get rid of it and buy a 7.3 Godzilla

Right on que.

 

[Gelcoater]

Just yank the Ford V 10 and drop a Dodge V 10 in it.
Those Mopar V10s don’t puke spark plugs

 

[rivermobster]

Just yank the Ford V 10 and drop a Dodge V 10 in it.
Those Mopar V10s don’t puke spark plugs

I don't care who you are...

 

[500bbc]

310,000 MI on my F250 W V10 when I sold it, never a problem

 

[lbhsbz]

What was the ultimate fix?

View attachment 1081503

a Chevy

 

[Mikes56]

Two words…

Duramax
Diesel

 

[lbhsbz]

Timeserts, antisieze and a torque wrench.

Those early heads only had 3 spark plug threads in them. The updated heads have 9 threads.

Also dispose of the tires if there is a nail in the sidewall.


Fords suck

The ones with 9 threads are the ones that you can't the plugs out half the time....

So...first they come out on their own, then you can't get them out. FFS...this doesn't need to be that hard, unless you're a Ford engineer I guess.

 

[Bigbore500r]

Just yank the Ford V 10 and drop a Dodge V 10 in it.
Those Mopar V10s don’t puke spark plugs

At least something doesn't puke on the old dodges!

 

[Beautiful Noise]

I Have a 1999 F250 crew cab with the V10 that I bought new in April of 1998 it has 124,000 on it ….. Did Maintence at 110,000 had all new Plugs put in …… Never had a issue I hope this doesn’t jink Me now

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

The ones with 9 threads are the ones that you can't the plugs out half the time....

So...first they come out on their own, then you can't get them out. FFS...this doesn't need to be that hard, unless you're a Ford engineer I guess.

This is true.

 

[Pivot]

Loved my v10

 

[dribble]

I cant tell you how many complaints I saw where someone had their pre 2005 Ford Pickup/SUV tuned up and a week later it launched a plug. We had to tell the people that it wasn't the fault of the mechanic and that Ford refuses to admit there's a problem.

 

[rush1]

I've installed a couple of dozen of these over the years with out a failure.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/SER2125
So you tape the reamer onto your socket ,ream the hole ,spin the engine over to clear out any possible shavings use ant seize on your spark plug and install the thread sert onto your spark plug use red Loctite on the outside threads of the thread sert and your done. I have a lot of bread trucks running around repaired this way with out any failures.

 

[Bpracing1127]

One take away from this thread. You people don’t use your trucks at all!!!

 

[Bigbore500r]

I cant tell you how many complaints I saw where someone had their pre 2005 Ford Pickup/SUV tuned up and a week later it launched a plug. We had to tell the people that it wasn't the fault of the mechanic and that Ford refuses to admit there's a problem.

I talked to a buddy who runs a cylinder head shop. His opinion - The initial problem is caused by lack of threads and Fords inadequate factory torque value of 11-13 ftlb which is barely enough. Some trucks are lucky and the plugs stay right, some come loose slowly and begin to burn the seat area where the plug sits and dirty it up. Eventually it ejects a plug. Now it gets an insert and has all the plugs swapped cause “why not, we’re in there…”. But - now multiple plugs have been loose leading up to this tune up….and have caused carbon buildup and shit depositing on the seat area where the tapered spark plug sits. Since there is no crush washer with this type of plug, it is unforgiving and the seat must be perfectly clean or it causes a “false torque” of the plug. Nobody notices or cleans the carbon deposits off the seat areas, and the new plug wiggles loose, ejecting after some time (sometimes a short time…). Makes sense to me? He says you must clean and mmm the seating surfaces (difficult to do cause they are recessed into a 3” deep hole / pocket) and then install the proper plugs with a higher torque value of 28ftlb after the seats have been verified as 100% cleaned and debris free.