JayneX
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- Joined
- July 14, 2014
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- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2004 Ford Explorer 4.0
I'm new to this site but need advice from fellow Ford owners since I seem to be getting 3 different answers from 3 different mechanics.
I have a 2004 Explorer with the 4L V6. 145,000 km
Can anyone tell me if the #4 spark plug sits more proud than the 5 & 6? Seems like a silly question, right? Well let me explain why I'm asking...
I changed the spark plugs in a couple of my trucks over the weekend. The last plug I did was the #4 and it felt a bit funny coming out but I didn't think much of it, but when I went to put the new one in I could feel it didn't feel at all like all the others, it was tighter and the threads seemed screwy, like they weren't lining up properly. I could almost literally feel the point where the direction of the plug going in changed slightly. I couldn't get the new plug more than about halfway in without a significant amount of pressure that I didn't think was right, so I didn't push it.
For the sake of ruling out the plug itself I installed it just fine in another hole, and then tried another plug in the #4 with the same result. I then had someone else try it, thinking I just wasn't lining it up right and maybe a new set of hands would do it. They found the same. It should be noted that when I took the new plug back out it was dirty halfway down so I know it wasn't going in all the way - also indicative of how dirty the threads are in the hole. Although the old plug itself, when removed, was in pretty good shape as it turns out.
I called one garage and asked how much it would cost to get the threads chased or tapped or whatever it is you do in this situation to clean out and/or reform the threads and they told me they can't just tap the threads, that it would make the hole too big so they'd have to bore the hole and use a helicoil on it. Cost was in the range of about $250 for parts and labour.
I took the truck to the garage 2 minutes from my house and explained the issue to them and they said they could try chasing the threads but weren't confident it would work and they, too, would have to bore out the hole and use a helicoil - except they said the helicoils have a high failure rate and can ruin the cylinder and then I'd be looking at a much bigger repair, and they didn't think it was worth the risk. He told me to go home and simply force the plug in if I could.
This didn't feel right to me, so I called another mechanic friend of mine and took my truck to him. He took the old plug out and seemed to install the new one without issue and said it was done and fixed (then of course went on to make fun of me for being a typical girl
) I was chatting with his wife and stupidly didn't look for myself, I was just so relieved and took his word for it. But when I got home I looked at it and the #4 plug is definitely sitting proud of the others, by a good 1/2 inch. Which is about to the point I was able to install it myself the day before.
I contacted him and said I didn't think it was in properly, but he's of course just making fun of me and my lack of trust in him because he's the mechanic and I'm just the "silly girl".
So my question is... can any other Explorer owners with the same engine please confirm whether or not the 4 plug sticks out more than the rest? If I truly am just a silly girl I'll eat my words but I'm sure I'm driving around with a plug that's not fully installed.
I have a 2004 Explorer with the 4L V6. 145,000 km
Can anyone tell me if the #4 spark plug sits more proud than the 5 & 6? Seems like a silly question, right? Well let me explain why I'm asking...
I changed the spark plugs in a couple of my trucks over the weekend. The last plug I did was the #4 and it felt a bit funny coming out but I didn't think much of it, but when I went to put the new one in I could feel it didn't feel at all like all the others, it was tighter and the threads seemed screwy, like they weren't lining up properly. I could almost literally feel the point where the direction of the plug going in changed slightly. I couldn't get the new plug more than about halfway in without a significant amount of pressure that I didn't think was right, so I didn't push it.
For the sake of ruling out the plug itself I installed it just fine in another hole, and then tried another plug in the #4 with the same result. I then had someone else try it, thinking I just wasn't lining it up right and maybe a new set of hands would do it. They found the same. It should be noted that when I took the new plug back out it was dirty halfway down so I know it wasn't going in all the way - also indicative of how dirty the threads are in the hole. Although the old plug itself, when removed, was in pretty good shape as it turns out.
I called one garage and asked how much it would cost to get the threads chased or tapped or whatever it is you do in this situation to clean out and/or reform the threads and they told me they can't just tap the threads, that it would make the hole too big so they'd have to bore the hole and use a helicoil on it. Cost was in the range of about $250 for parts and labour.
I took the truck to the garage 2 minutes from my house and explained the issue to them and they said they could try chasing the threads but weren't confident it would work and they, too, would have to bore out the hole and use a helicoil - except they said the helicoils have a high failure rate and can ruin the cylinder and then I'd be looking at a much bigger repair, and they didn't think it was worth the risk. He told me to go home and simply force the plug in if I could.
This didn't feel right to me, so I called another mechanic friend of mine and took my truck to him. He took the old plug out and seemed to install the new one without issue and said it was done and fixed (then of course went on to make fun of me for being a typical girl
) I was chatting with his wife and stupidly didn't look for myself, I was just so relieved and took his word for it. But when I got home I looked at it and the #4 plug is definitely sitting proud of the others, by a good 1/2 inch. Which is about to the point I was able to install it myself the day before. I contacted him and said I didn't think it was in properly, but he's of course just making fun of me and my lack of trust in him because he's the mechanic and I'm just the "silly girl".
So my question is... can any other Explorer owners with the same engine please confirm whether or not the 4 plug sticks out more than the rest? If I truly am just a silly girl I'll eat my words but I'm sure I'm driving around with a plug that's not fully installed.
