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borrow a spark plug tool

dankeenan

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May 21, 2008
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180
I need to change the spark plugs on my 2008 Ford F-150 and want to have the tool on hand just in case. Does anyone have a tool I can borrow or rent?
 
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wnstwolf

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Nov 7, 2007
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837
Location
New York and PA
Funny one can take this to the extream.. If that is a 3-valve engine, do not believe it is, the tool you will need is a Heli-coil. I would expect the tool your looking for the the proper size socket correct? A friend of mine has a 2008 f-250 with the v-10 and at 60k miles went to replace plugs and found out a huge defect with the 3 valve engines!!!
 

crabjoe

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Jul 15, 2012
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197
Location
Ceciltucky, MD
I need to change the spark plugs on my 2008 Ford F-150 and want to have the tool on hand just in case. Does anyone have a tool I can borrow or rent?

What tool are you talking about? As far as I know, all you need is a spark plug socket, extensions, swivel adapters, socket wrench and torque wrench. A piece of fuel hose works well to start the new plugs too.

Make sure you use a torque wrench when installing the new plugs and you don't cross thread the new plugs.

Good luck!!
 

jeffk14

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Aug 17, 2010
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Location
GA
Funny one can take this to the extream.. If that is a 3-valve engine, do not believe it is, the tool you will need is a Heli-coil. I would expect the tool your looking for the the proper size socket correct? A friend of mine has a 2008 f-250 with the v-10 and at 60k miles went to replace plugs and found out a huge defect with the 3 valve engines!!!

First of all, it IS a 3-valve. The earlier 2-vavle engines were the ones that blew out plugs.

The tool needed to get out the broken plugs on these 3-valve engines is this one:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00267PZUK/?tag=atomicindus08-20
 

signcrafter

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May 9, 2012
Messages
12,318
What the heck kind of tip is that on the plugs? Are they breaking off, causing the need for this new tool?

It's a two piece plug that snaps off. Came out in 03 or 04 when ford went to the 3 valve heads. There are many TSBs about it and tips and tricks as to minimize the number of broken plugs. Some say they can do it without breaking any, some break almost all of them.
 

wnstwolf

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Nov 7, 2007
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837
Location
New York and PA
Thanks Signcrafter I was pretty sure his v-10 was 3-valve and he broke all 10 of them the truck may have been older than 08.... I had no idea what he did due to all his sobbing and such. boy was that a mess! Did not know that Lisle tool existed. not using it and trying to get the bottom of the plug out will damage the threads hence the helicoil reference. Nice to see OP only needs the long extension socket. Would NAPA or Autozone have one in the loan a tool pile?
 
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jeffk14

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Aug 17, 2010
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GA
Thanks Signcrafter I was pretty sure his v-10 was 3-valve and he broke all 10 of them the truck may have been older than 08.... I had no idea what he did due to all his sobbing and such. boy was that a mess! Did not know that Lisle tool existed. not using it and trying to get the bottom of the plug out will damage the threads hence the helicoil reference. Nice to see OP only needs the long extension socket. Would NAPA or Autozone have one in the loan a tool pile?

They didn't when I did mine 2 years ago, so I bought the kit. BTW, I broke 5 out of 8.:sad:

The Lisle kit worked well though. AFTER I did mine, I read numerous posts where Ford techs used 3/8 impacts to shock the plugs loose. A few of these techs reported that they rarely broke a plug when using the impact.

With that said, I personally would not start the job without the Lisle kit on-hand, just in case.
 

Falcon67

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Jun 11, 2009
Messages
18,371
Location
Merkel, TX
They didn't when I did mine 2 years ago, so I bought the kit. BTW, I broke 5 out of 8.:sad:

The Lisle kit worked well though. AFTER I did mine, I read numerous posts where Ford techs used 3/8 impacts to shock the plugs loose. A few of these techs reported that they rarely broke a plug when using the impact.

I asked a friend that happens to be a Ford Senior Master Tech about that impact deal and his response was "Don't even think about it."

Better read the TSB on thos motors before you ever touch it. I'm going to do mine and I'll expect it to take 2-3 days to complete because of the soaking requirement.

Be glad Leslie makes the tool - the Ford extract tools run upwards of $600 for those motors.
 

jeffk14

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GA
I asked a friend that happens to be a Ford Senior Master Tech about that impact deal and his response was "Don't even think about it."

Better read the TSB on thos motors before you ever touch it. I'm going to do mine and I'll expect it to take 2-3 days to complete because of the soaking requirement.

Be glad Leslie makes the tool - the Ford extract tools run upwards of $600 for those motors.

There are (were) actually three revisions of the TSB. I read them all and soaked the **** out of mine. Didn't help. The only TSB item I didn't follow was the engine de-carbonizing treatment before the job.

As for the Ford extract tool kit, in addition to being very expensive, I've read where it's much harder to use and not nearly as effective as the Lisle kit.
 

Falcon67

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Jun 11, 2009
Messages
18,371
Location
Merkel, TX
There is a carbon dissolver that Mazda sells that is supposed to be excellent for the job. The guys at the Lincoln-Mazda place call it the "zoom-zoom" cleaner.
 

MrMark

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Jan 25, 2010
Messages
4,626
Location
Southern Cal.
I asked a friend that happens to be a Ford Senior Master Tech about that impact deal and his response was "Don't even think about it."

Better read the TSB on thos motors before you ever touch it. I'm going to do mine and I'll expect it to take 2-3 days to complete because of the soaking requirement.

Be glad Leslie makes the tool - the Ford extract tools run upwards of $600 for those motors.

I wonder why he said that. There was a video posted of a ford tech (senior type guy) using an impact and it looked very easy. He said he gets every one and he showed at least 8 coming out easy peasy.
 

MrMark

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Jan 25, 2010
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4,626
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Southern Cal.
There is a carbon dissolver that Mazda sells that is supposed to be excellent for the job. The guys at the Lincoln-Mazda place call it the "zoom-zoom" cleaner.

If you get that I would be interested in a pic or the name of the stuff. How do you put it in? **** in through brake booster vac port on intake?
 

Cougar

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Joined
Mar 22, 2011
Messages
3,326
Location
Wisconsin A little south of the Frozen Tundra
I read, before changing the plugs to run a tank or two of gas with Seafoam added.
When I get up the nerve to try changing the plugs I'm going to try that.

Someone told me to plan spending a weekend to change the plugs.
That's nuts.
 

Beytill

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Joined
Aug 5, 2011
Messages
159
Location
Flatlands of Il.
In '08 they started to install the new heads with the new spark plugs. What color are your coil boots? If they are brown, don't worry about breaking plugs. You have the new heads and the plugs come out without any problems. If you have black boots you have the old heads. I broke every plug on my '06.
 

srmofo

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Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Messages
6,161
Location
SW ohio
Everytime this subject comes up, I get a laugh. Its not that big of a deal. Just get the tool and keep it on hand. If you have never done them, you will need it. Its a little unnerving hearing the crunch of the porcelain, but other than that, its a cake job.

I usually get almost all of them out without breaking. Run a decarb first, This gets it warm. I use an impact to break them loose, soak them down, let it cool down, and then use a ratchet to work them back and forth. Its my method, it works for me.
 

bgott

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Joined
Oct 31, 2005
Messages
3,512
Location
Houston, TX.
I've broken one or two plugs on every one I've done. Once I got used to using the Lisle tool it doesn't bother me anymore, we charge an hour for each broken plug and I can beat that. If you have to use that tool you have to remember to run it all the way in until it stops, porcelain pusher and puller screw, or it won't work. The puller screw and the nut that pulls it out are both left-hand thread.
 

Guns R Tools

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May 23, 2011
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