5.0 #4 spark plug wire routing?!?

[beach]

Changing plugs and wires and now notice how tough the #4 plug wire is. Is there any way to reroute it? B/c the factory routing is dumb and I cannot get it out, I can't get those electrical clips out even with a long flat head as leverage, there's one like under the intake area and I think one or two in the rear of the engine that I don't see how you could access as no way my hand is getting down there and I'm not even big. Just spent like an hour and half trying to figure out the #4 wire :thumbdwn:

So years ago I was going to do this but was rushing for a trip so paid a shop, I remember they said they did the plugs and gave me the wires I bought back then b/c they said the factory wires were fine. Now I'm wondering if they said that b/c they took one look at the #r routing and said f' that lol.

Searched but only found one thing about the 4th plug but didn't really help or explain.

Edit - looks like my other issue is all the plugs seem frozen and not budging even after soaking in PB multiple times beforehand.

 

[SoNic67]

Did you take the well and wheel's plastic liner off for access?

 

[beach]

Did you take the well and wheel's plastic liner off for access?

Yeah that's off. But the #4 plug wire is routed between the intake manifold and block. It's almost 5pm and still haven't figured it out, but my other issue now is all the plugs seem to be frozen even after PB soaking.

 

[beach]

I don't see why I can route the #4 plug wire along the same route as 1/2/3 and just tie it off or something. New wire has a rubber boot with heat shield and then heat wrap along the middle, won't touch the manifold so not sure why you can't just route in the direction of the others vs the stupid way Ford did it from the factory.

 

[SoNic67]

That plug wire fell on my engine of from the broken supports and touched the hot exhaust manifold. Melted to the core... Now is routed differently, but is so much longer than needed.
As for the spark plugs being seized... if your truck is rusted like mine, good luck not breaking them!

 

[beach]

That plug wire fell on my engine of from the broken supports and touched the hot exhaust manifold. Melted to the core... Now is routed differently, but is so much longer than needed.
As for the spark plugs being seized... if your truck is rusted like mine, good luck not breaking them!

New wires are the Autolite Professional Series, their not numbered though so had to take all the wires out vs one by one and measure against the new ones to see which is which. The one matching the 4th wire is a bit longer then stock, could easily route it the direction of the other wires and tie it off to them. The stock routing is completely stupid, have no clue how anyone could do the 4th wire the way Ford did without removing the whole upper of the engine.

Been soaking the plugs in PB. Just ran it and let it idle till warmed up, and then took the plug boots off and blasted with PB again. I was already turning pretty hard and didn't want to snap anything. I've done plugs before even longer then this (done 5 years ago) and they still came right out on other vehicles we've had no prob. Seems this is a common issue with the 5.0 trucks, ughh:roll:

My coil packs were pretty rusted, sanded and cleaned both surfaces and even with the old plugs old wire for 4th plug, ran so much better. Started almost immediately, idled super smooth, sounded smooth, no more stuttering/misfire when accelerating.