Changed spark plugs today, V8 3.9l...

Ranchero50

Ranchero50

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Just because I wanted to see what I had under the covers. The good is it looks like I have new coils. The bad, the plugs were whacked. No antiseize and wonky gap setting (.041-.064). Oddly enough to plug tips had a dab of clean silicone on the tips. Horrible feeling when the plugs sqeak as you turn them out of the bores.

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For a how to, it was pretty simple. 7mm bolt heads for the coil covers and COP hold down bolts (same exact bolt). I used an assortment of 1/4" drive extensions and a universal for the drivers side lowers except the rear bolt. It's too close to the brake booster so I used a 7mm wrench left handed from behind the valve cover. There's just enough room above the VC to get back there if you push the rubber hoses out of the way.

I used a 5/8" spark plug socket with the rubber thingy to help get the plug in and out. Again an assortment of extensions comes in handy, from 1" to 12". I found two 3" extensions made getting the drivers side out easier.

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Both wells showed signs of water intrusion. I coated the coil cover's rubber seal with grease hoping it'll stay drier.

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BTW, I ended up with a set of Autolite XP Iridium's for $6 each. Autolite is having a sale, $2 off each plug. Just go to their site to download it. Figured $4 each is good enough to not have to mess with it again for a good long time.

Jamie
 
You are a brave man setting your tools on top of the engine cover. I know for a FACT I would bump them and send at least one or two into the abyss, and spend a half hour digging it out. :D
 
Ranchero50 said:
J... No antiseize ...Oddly enough to plug tips had a dab of clean silicone on the tips. Horrible feeling when the plugs sqeak as you turn them out of the bores.
...
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Ford does not recommend anti-seize on the plug threads. I think it has to do with some people putting too much of the copper anti-seize on and it fouling the plug out.

There should be dielectric grease on the boot of the coil and so there will be some on the tip of the plug.

Yes, that sound and feel as the plugs are coming out always makes me nervous (fear that threads are coming out with the plug).
 
I'm so glad our heads are not like the 5.4L F-series heads. The plug threads go past the bottom of the head allowing the last 3 threads to accumulate carbon deposits and then strips the heads when you try to take the plug out. Then if you dont strip the head the bottom of the spark plug gets seized up in the hole, breaks off, and you need a special tool to remove them. What a nightmare. Some engineer thought he had a great idea but is failed miserably. I speak of this from past experience, and not a good experience.

It looks like your coil covers are leaking very bad. You may want to do something about that. IIRC there is an upgraded gasket that you can change on the coil cover to help with this. I dont have that issue, I dont use the coil covers. My Accel COP's seal up the plug well very tight.
 
yeah, most people use way too much antisieze.

I have used antisieze for many years where necessary(plugs, lugnuts, front wheel hub etc) and it takes me a loooong time(years) to use up the small tube(index finger size).

I do put a tiny dab on the threads of all spark plugs, but like I said a tiny dab, about the size of a grain of rice or less and I smear it as evenly on the threads as I can and I avoid the end of the plug threads.

Just my experience,

Jim Henderson
 
Thanks for the comments. Oddly enough, the 3924's are the same plug used in the Edelbrock performers and even my AFR-185 aluminum heads on the 302's. Antisieze was recommended for that application. I use the silver stuff, just brush it on the threads thinly, never had any surprises.
 
hite337 said:
i'm so glad our heads are not like the 5.4l f-series heads. The plug threads go past the bottom of the head allowing the last 3 threads to accumulate carbon deposits and then strips the heads when you try to take the plug out. Then if you dont strip the head the bottom of the spark plug gets seized up in the hole, breaks off, and you need a special tool to remove them. What a nightmare. Some engineer thought he had a great idea but is failed miserably. I speak of this from past experience, and not a good experience.

It looks like your coil covers are leaking very bad. You may want to do something about that. Iirc there is an upgraded gasket that you can change on the coil cover to help with this. I dont have that issue, i dont use the coil covers. My accel cop's seal up the plug well very tight.
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+1000000000000000000000000000
 
hite337 said:
I'm so glad our heads are not like the 5.4L F-series heads.
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Preach! Story time. My truck blew a spark plug out going 70 on a freeway. Sounded like an old tractor driving it another hour back to school, after I unplugged the injector of course. Took it to a place to put in a Time-Sert, it's not easy but something a shop should be able to do. They ended up hitting a valve that was open and bent it. $700 later, the shop covered the other half of the cost, the valve was replaced and all was well. I don't have it anymore but that was the worst vehicle experience of my life.
 
jmtiseo said:
Preach! Story time. My truck blew a spark plug out going 70 on a freeway. Sounded like an old tractor driving it another hour back to school, after I unplugged the injector of course. Took it to a place to put in a Time-Sert, it's not easy but something a shop should be able to do. They ended up hitting a valve that was open and bent it. $700 later, the shop covered the other half of the cost, the valve was replaced and all was well. I don't have it anymore but that was the worst vehicle experience of my life.
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ouch! Time certs are the best way, short of getting a new head, to fix stripped spark plug holes
 
mlara1129 said:
interesting intake set up...info?
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It's custom, just some odds and ends I had laying around the garage. Next to the MAF is a Lowes special 3" schedule 40 PVC plumbing coupling that I turned on my lathe to fit the MAF and the 3.5" chunk of steel elbow from a some cold air kit. The rubber is 3.5" high temp thin stuff from an old turbo setup. I turned a steel pipe nipple down to make a slip fit for the valve cover and just welded a peice of tubing for the other rubber line.

I messed up and painted it flat black vs. semigloss so it stands out more than I'd like. Simple but effective. :)

DSC01427.jpg
 
Ranchero50 said:
It's custom, just some odds and ends I had laying around the garage. Next to the MAF is a Lowes special 3" schedule 40 PVC plumbing coupling that I turned on my lathe to fit the MAF and the 3.5" chunk of steel elbow from a some cold air kit. The rubber is 3.5" high temp thin stuff from an old turbo setup. I turned a steel pipe nipple down to make a slip fit for the valve cover and just welded a peice of tubing for the other rubber line.

I messed up and painted it flat black vs. semigloss so it stands out more than I'd like. Simple but effective. :)
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I think you're missing a muffler clamp or two........
 
Probably a good idea to change the spark plug boots anytime you change the plugs. Available through Delco.
 
I wasn't aware they could be changed separately. Sounds pointless since the boots are probably never the failure point.
 
nelliott500 said:
I wasn't aware they could be changed separately. Sounds pointless since the boots are probably never the failure point.
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They are almost always the failure point! I've fixed several "failed" coils by replacing the boot and the spark plug. Anybody with misfires usually just changes the coil, but it's usually the coil short circuiting to the hex/crimp on the spark plug that causes the misfire. It's possible that the plug becomes arc tracked, so I change the plug and boot as a set when a misfire develops.
 
Gus_Mahn said:
They are almost always the failure point! I've fixed several "failed" coils by replacing the boot and the spark plug. Anybody with misfires usually just changes the coil, but it's usually the coil short circuiting to the hex/crimp on the spark plug that causes the misfire. It's possible that the plug becomes arc tracked, so I change the plug and boot as a set when a misfire develops.
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I can't dispute what you've seen, but I haven't seen it yet. My failures have all been internal coil failures.
 
Ranchero50 said:
It's custom, just some odds and ends I had laying around the garage. Next to the MAF is a Lowes special 3" schedule 40 PVC plumbing coupling that I turned on my lathe to fit the MAF and the 3.5" chunk of steel elbow from a some cold air kit. The rubber is 3.5" high temp thin stuff from an old turbo setup. I turned a steel pipe nipple down to make a slip fit for the valve cover and just welded a peice of tubing for the other rubber line.

I messed up and painted it flat black vs. semigloss so it stands out more than I'd like. Simple but effective. :)

DSC01427.jpg
Click to expand...

Cool. How much to make me one?
 
Ranchero50 said:
It's custom, just some odds and ends I had laying around the garage. Next to the MAF is a Lowes special 3" schedule 40 PVC plumbing coupling that I turned on my lathe to fit the MAF and the 3.5" chunk of steel elbow from a some cold air kit. The rubber is 3.5" high temp thin stuff from an old turbo setup. I turned a steel pipe nipple down to make a slip fit for the valve cover and just welded a peice of tubing for the other rubber line.

I messed up and painted it flat black vs. semigloss so it stands out more than I'd like. Simple but effective. :)

DSC01427.jpg
Click to expand...

I'd bet good money that air is leaking past the joint after the MAF unless you used some kind of sealer. Air can sneak past places just like water can.
 
I do, but i have an extra MAF and a lead on a factory intake box with K&n filter for cheap, so i was thinking of trying something new.

I also wouldn't mind being able to switch up intake set ups once in a while, depending on weather conditions.

Something like this would take 2 minutes to switch up with the k&n intake. I'm planning on color matching my intake so its going to be a pain in the a$$ to put all the stock stuff back on lol so this sort of got the idea rolling.
 
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