Help identifying a part for engine repair - Blown Spark Plug

[Kiwifrog]

Hi All

During this last year while travelling home in my 2002 Explorer, I had an experience where an engine part failed that literally resulted in the engine sounding immediately like the exhaust had detached so that there was no baffling to the exhaust sound. The running engine became very loud!
On closer inspection at the time I identified the sound as coming largely from the top left rear area of the engine and closer inspection revealed the broken part shown in the attached shots. Can somebody help me identify what this broken part might be please and what has faulted as a result so I can get quotes for repair prior to submitting it to an auto shop?
I was able to still drive home after the fault occurred but the engine light did come on a few minutes into the travel. The engine didn’t appear to miss or fire incorrectly - though it was running very loud so can’t say for sure the firing was 100% correct. It has been sitting several months unused since if that is of consideration for repair. I have not tried to turn it over recently, the battery is on charge presently. I'm assuming th engine will still turn over though.

Model is 2002 non mod Australian build v8 Limited Ford Explorer.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Perana]

busted coil man....pull off engine cover and look for the hole with no coil in it......MAY have blown spark plug out of its seat (given y'all said it got louder)...might have to invest in a spark plug reseat kit...can help ya source parts if'n ya want.....chur

NB: do NOT hold onto that and get someone to wind the motor over.....it's like gettin' fkn tasered

 

[Kiwifrog]

busted coil man....pull off engine cover and look for the hole with no coil in it......MAY have blown spark plug out of its seat (given y'all said it got louder)...might have to invest in a spark plug reseat kit...can help ya source parts if'n ya want.....chur

NB: do NOT hold onto that and get someone to wind the motor over.....it's like gettin' fkn tasered

Thanks! haha, yes I can imagine that’d be like sending a bolt of lightning through the body!

Yes if you can help with suggestions for the parts would be appreciated!

Do you think it’s Ok to replace just one or all 8 at same time? I will sell it after the repair is done - I don’t have space for it in current place. Low km’s - only 130,000 - not getting used enough!

 

[Perana]

should be ok to just fix the one ....but the major is if the spark plug thread has stripped out....i have a few spare coils floatin' around....best bet is pull off the engine cover and take a look

 

[X-LION]

should be ok to just fix the one ....but the major is if the spark plug thread has stripped out....i have a few spare coils floatin' around....best bet is pull off the engine cover and take a look

Hi All

During this last year while travelling home in my 2002 Explorer, I had an experience where an engine part failed that literally resulted in the engine sounding immediately like the exhaust had detached so that there was no baffling to the exhaust sound. The running engine became very loud!
On closer inspection at the time I identified the sound as coming largely from the top left rear area of the engine and closer inspection revealed the broken part shown in the attached shots. Can somebody help me identify what this broken part might be please and what has faulted as a result so I can get quotes for repair prior to submitting it to an auto shop?
I was able to still drive home after the fault occurred but the engine light did come on a few minutes into the travel. The engine didn’t appear to miss or fire incorrectly - though it was running very loud so can’t say for sure the firing was 100% correct. It has been sitting several months unused since if that is of consideration for repair. I have not tried to turn it over recently, the battery is on charge presently. I'm assuming th engine will still turn over though.

Model is 2002 non mod Australian build v8 Limited Ford Explorer.

Thanks in advance.

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View attachment 437683

Kiwifruit, even if you replace the plug and coil it will pop out again. The threads for the plugs does not hold very long and they do pop back out like mine. I have a V8 also. I bought a Calvan plug insert to fix this. In the U.S. the kit cost like $200.00 USD. And it can be done by an amateur like me. I spent countless coils and plugs due to blowouts on the cylinders and not just one particular cylinder. I install new inserts with the Calvan kit and no more blowouts. There are YouTube videos on it and watch them and you can do it with confidence.

 

[mountaineer2004]

^^ I have a 2004 with 289k and the plugs have caused zero problems...i change them myself every 50k and torque them 20 ft-lbs.

Have i simply been lucky?

 

[Perana]

not so much luck....y'all keep on top of maintenance yaself...and torque 'em up proper....see "7p principle" (not the marketing one...
(Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance)

 

[Kiwifrog]

should be ok to just fix the one ....but the major is if the spark plug thread has stripped out....i have a few spare coils floatin' around....best bet is pull off the engine cover and take a look

These are the best shots I could get with top off. 2nd in on left side of engine. I'm not sure what I'm looking at in the cylinder. There's limited space I can get my phone in there so got as close as I could above cylinder. I could try and source and inspection camera to get in the hole?

Thoughts?

 

[Kiwifrog]

Kiwifruit, even if you replace the plug and coil it will pop out again. The threads for the plugs does not hold very long and they do pop back out like mine. I have a V8 also. I bought a Calvan plug insert to fix this. In the U.S. the kit cost like $200.00 USD. And it can be done by an amateur like me. I spent countless coils and plugs due to blowouts on the cylinders and not just one particular cylinder. I install new inserts with the Calvan kit and no more blowouts. There are YouTube videos on it and watch them and you can do it with confidence.

ok, that sounds hopeful! The Explorer has been regularly maintained, serviced about every 10,000kms since I owned it at 60,000kms (130,000 now). The plugs have been replaced (long life) at about 100,000kms. There has been slight engine missing under load in recent years so maybe this is why?


When your coils blew out did it also sound like the muffler fell off? Just so I have a comparable experience. When it happened it seemed very much like the sound was coming from the area where the coil has come off.

Can you give me links to YouTube vids mentioned and parts please so I can follow up? Thanks!!!

 

[1sicbronconut]

As a ford technician I've repaired quite a few blown out spark plugs in trucks and Expeditions but I've never seen one go in an Explorer. The Cal vans is the style of kit I use at the Ford dealership and seems to be the go-to for the best repair. Amazon product ASIN B000Z9D6KW

 

[Kiwifrog]

As a ford technician I've repaired quite a few blown out spark plugs in trucks and Expeditions but I've never seen one go in an Explorer. The Cal vans is the style of kit I use at the Ford dealership and seems to be the go-to for the best repair. Amazon product ASIN B000Z9D6KW

ok, thank you.

I found the CalVan instruction video.



Also, this CalVan end user description of what the vehicle sounded like when the plug blew out on his Ford (at 35 second mark)…



..."like an aeroplane engine all the way home - took the coil off with it" sounds identical to my experience so I’d assume the plug has blown out of mine too, seems logical given what’s presented in damage. Would you agree?

The CalVan’s not a task I can confidently perform myself given that I don’t have the experience or necessary tools. I guess the key is to find a shop that would be willing to perform an insert repair as apposed to replacing the cylinder head then?

 

[Perana]

don't stress out too much just yet...photos were good....but from what i could see....spark plug well is full of water....usually WON'T happen if the spark plug has been blown out , i suggest getting the water out ...and a few more pics for a clearer understandin' of what's goin' on...

 

[X-LION]

These are the best shots I could get with top off. 2nd in on left side of engine. I'm not sure what I'm looking at in the cylinder. There's limited space I can get my phone in there so got as close as I could above cylinder. I could try and source and inspection camera to get in the hole?

Thoughts?

View attachment 437748

 

[X-LION]

I see water in the plug holes, maybe your cowl is leaking into the engine areas. The plugs usually affected are plugs 4 and 8 with water dripping onto them. I notice mine when the cowl leaking and I put waterproof tape under the snap clips and cover them and no more water on plugs.

 

[Kiwifrog]

Thanks for everybody’s help so far, much appreciated!

I have an inspection camera on order which hopefully connects to my phone and should arrive early next week. Once that turns up I plan to dry the well with a sponge, air blast to help move off residual water (aerosol can) and get shots in well to post.

The Explorer has spent a reasonably large amount of time outside during it’s life so the cowl may explain why there’s water leaking inside the engine area despite the rest of the engine bay being quite dry (those are only light rain spots in the shot).

Thanks!

 

[mountaineer2004]

I see water in the plug holes, maybe your cowl is leaking into the engine areas. The plugs usually affected are plugs 4 and 8 with water dripping onto them. I notice mine when the cowl leaking and I put waterproof tape under the snap clips and cover them and no more water on plugs.

^ this ...stupid stupid design, same thing happened to me till i siliconed the bottom clips to stop them from leaking.

WTH okayed that design? if you're going with a stupid leaky design like that then provide an engine cover as standard equipment.

 

[X-LION]

^ this ...stupid stupid design, same thing happened to me till i siliconed the bottom clips to stop them from leaking.

WTH okayed that design? if you're going with a stupid leaky design like that then provide an engine cover as standard equipment.

Its a Ford with a two cracks on the applique on the back of my X. That flaw is also outrageous.

 

[Kiwifrog]

don't stress out too much just yet...photos were good....but from what i could see....spark plug well is full of water....usually WON'T happen if the spark plug has been blown out , i suggest getting the water out ...and a few more pics for a clearer understandin' of what's goin' on...

I got an endo camera and took a few shots. It's not the greatest res but gives the general idea. The shots are moving down the cylinder, reading left to right (first being out of cylinder, last being at the hole at bottom of cylinder). As soon as I pass the camera through the hole everything gets black. Camera has quite powerful LEDs and is just under 8mm or about .3” diameter and fits through.

I tried to clear the water as best I can but those lower shots are submerged. I’m reluctant to turn the engine over unless I have too because of where it’s located - unless I’m safe to do so for just as a quick 1 minute burst to the clear water. The manual has things to say about battery connection and restart as attached though so not sure if I’m OK to do quick burst or not? Or maybe the shots show enough? Is the hole were the plug would normally thread in? If so, perhpas clearing the water might show the thread state?? Thanks again!

 

[Perana]

looks like no spark plug at home.....need to suck the water out of the spark plug well and cylinder then rotate engine over by hand....slowly

 

[Mbrooks420]

No need to suck it out or turn it by hand. If the plugs are out roll it over with the starter. The water will purge almost immediately.

You could also blow it out with canned air.