It's been handled before I even wrote this. 3/8 impact, SeaFoam, hot engine. Did the trick. I used new Motorcraft plugs with copper anti-seize, because other users had reported random misfire with some aftermarket plugs. The truck is still under warranty, so I don't want the dealers to have non-Motorcrap part to blame if there is some other issue.
Ford dealer quoted $850 for spark plug change
- Thread starter DoubleWasp
- Start date
- Status
This is a known design flaw with the two piece spark plug and the rather thin area for threading in the aluminum head. Its a problem on the 5.4 and the 4.6 engines. The ford dealership charged $390 for plug change on a 2006 expedition with the 5.4 engine. I talked to the tech and he said he only broke one.
Runs a lot better now. Don't be afraid to use anti seize (its your friend), Find a place to buy or rent the extraction kit in case you break one off (amazon is like $80), doing it warm even without the impact is much better than the TSB from ford.
Runs a lot better now. Don't be afraid to use anti seize (its your friend), Find a place to buy or rent the extraction kit in case you break one off (amazon is like $80), doing it warm even without the impact is much better than the TSB from ford.
Wow that is an OUTRAGEOUS price quote!
But remember that you can counter offer with what you think is a reasonable price, there are many times when you will offer them much much less than that and they will accept the counter offer.
I would have politely told the SW that the price is way too high and offer 450$ or I'll be going elsewhere. It will surprise you the number of times that they will bite, because some work at a lower price is better than no work for the $tealership.
But remember that you can counter offer with what you think is a reasonable price, there are many times when you will offer them much much less than that and they will accept the counter offer.
I would have politely told the SW that the price is way too high and offer 450$ or I'll be going elsewhere. It will surprise you the number of times that they will bite, because some work at a lower price is better than no work for the $tealership.
Last edited:
JHZR2
Staff member
$850 but they are assuming two bad plugs which cost $200 per in terms of labor and materials to do. OK, so really the job otherwise is $450.
Ill bet retail for eight plugs is around $80. Wires? Coils? Distributor? What's included in addition materials wise?
So $450-80 is $370 in labor. A four hour job? Doubt it. Maybe two hours.
Id offer them 2.5 hours at their rate plus the retail for the plugs and say that youll pay a la carte for any that are seized. If you can stay there to verify seizure, that would be best... Otherwise they may make claims to pad the job back up.
Ill bet retail for eight plugs is around $80. Wires? Coils? Distributor? What's included in addition materials wise?
So $450-80 is $370 in labor. A four hour job? Doubt it. Maybe two hours.
Id offer them 2.5 hours at their rate plus the retail for the plugs and say that youll pay a la carte for any that are seized. If you can stay there to verify seizure, that would be best... Otherwise they may make claims to pad the job back up.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
$850 but they are assuming two bad plugs which cost $200 per in terms of labor and materials to do. OK, so really the job otherwise is $450.
Ill bet retail for eight plugs is around $80. Wires? Coils? Distributor? What's included in addition materials wise?
So $450-80 is $370 in labor. A four hour job? Doubt it. Maybe two hours.
Id offer them 2.5 hours at their rate plus the retail for the plugs and say that youll pay a la carte for any that are seized. If you can stay there to verify seizure, that would be best... Otherwise they may make claims to pad the job back up.
I've done many 2v and 3v plug changes and I can't get a 3v done in less than 4 hours,so I'd call their hour estimate pretty close.
My hemi truck got a 4 figure quote for 16 plugs,and it took me 8 hours to do,so it's almost worth the money spent to be honest.
And if one breaks that 850 will seem cheap when compared to doing it yourself.
Been there,done that.
$850 but they are assuming two bad plugs which cost $200 per in terms of labor and materials to do. OK, so really the job otherwise is $450.
Ill bet retail for eight plugs is around $80. Wires? Coils? Distributor? What's included in addition materials wise?
So $450-80 is $370 in labor. A four hour job? Doubt it. Maybe two hours.
Id offer them 2.5 hours at their rate plus the retail for the plugs and say that youll pay a la carte for any that are seized. If you can stay there to verify seizure, that would be best... Otherwise they may make claims to pad the job back up.
I've done many 2v and 3v plug changes and I can't get a 3v done in less than 4 hours,so I'd call their hour estimate pretty close.
My hemi truck got a 4 figure quote for 16 plugs,and it took me 8 hours to do,so it's almost worth the money spent to be honest.
And if one breaks that 850 will seem cheap when compared to doing it yourself.
Been there,done that.
JHZR2
Staff member
WOW. I guess I just dont get it. My 4.3 V6 (only vee engine Ill own because of the stupidity of spark plugs. I really hope they have an inline 4 diesel minivan before I buy one new) takes maybe 60 minutes including taking wheels off for simplicity sake. I get it, two more cylinders, but also full size pickup.
I guess Im not seeing where the time demand is coming from. Interesting though!
I guess Im not seeing where the time demand is coming from. Interesting though!
The ticket for making the plug change on your truck easier is that the one really difficult plug, which I think is #3? You intentionally break the ceramic insulator off of it, using a magnetic spark plug socket, which has a rigid collar for the insulator, and then attach the appropriate sized wobbly impact socket, and it will fit right in there, and just take it right out. I suppose you could use a regular ratchet as well with a wobbly socket, but that is it, right there. Done so many that way, I forget that it's even supposed to be hard.
Quote:
Id offer them 2.5 hours at their rate plus the retail for the plugs and say that youll pay a la carte for any that are seized. If you can stay there to verify seizure, that would be best... Otherwise they may make claims to pad the job back up.
Isn't that a huge problem? If you can't trust them not to cheat you, what is the point taking your vehicle to them? Now if they know they can get extra $200 for every broken spark plug, don't thy have incentive to break them off (assuming $200 is very generous to remove the broken plug from the engine)?
Id offer them 2.5 hours at their rate plus the retail for the plugs and say that youll pay a la carte for any that are seized. If you can stay there to verify seizure, that would be best... Otherwise they may make claims to pad the job back up.
Isn't that a huge problem? If you can't trust them not to cheat you, what is the point taking your vehicle to them? Now if they know they can get extra $200 for every broken spark plug, don't thy have incentive to break them off (assuming $200 is very generous to remove the broken plug from the engine)?
I guess there is a pending class action lawsuit on these. Our techs quote 3-4 hours plus .5 for each plug that breaks. We quote the straight Ford MSRP of $19.16 each for the updated plugs. BTW our door rate for labor is $120 an hour and we have a month or so waiting list for people to come in for work.
The best thing to soak them in was Mazda Zoom cleaner, but we can't get it anymore for some reason. This was to clean out the rotor housings on RX-8s, another better idea.
The best thing to soak them in was Mazda Zoom cleaner, but we can't get it anymore for some reason. This was to clean out the rotor housings on RX-8s, another better idea.
So best case at bdcardinal's dealership, you are looking at $513.28 + taxes and any other fees. That assumes three hours and no broken plugs. Put it at four hours + 2 broken plugs and you are at 753.28 + tax and other fees...
I'll just reiterate, it is what it is. Plenty of knowledge out there on the issue, and ways to deal with it. My preference on these is to take it to a Ford Dealership since they have been there and done that. Less likely to have an issue that way, I guess...
I'll believe it when I see it on a class action lawsuit... In the end I'll likely get a check for $5 anyways...
In terms of why these take time, take a look at pictures of the engine bay on these in an F150. The engine is pretty far back under the cowl, making access interesting on the plugs way in the back. I own an '04 F150 with the 5.4 and an '07 Explorer with the 4.6 3V (that also has problems with plugs breaking when you try to remove them), and in terms of work on top of the engine, I'd rather work on the explorer despite the smaller engine bay, since its all out in the open, not buried so far back...
I'll just reiterate, it is what it is. Plenty of knowledge out there on the issue, and ways to deal with it. My preference on these is to take it to a Ford Dealership since they have been there and done that. Less likely to have an issue that way, I guess...
I'll believe it when I see it on a class action lawsuit... In the end I'll likely get a check for $5 anyways...
In terms of why these take time, take a look at pictures of the engine bay on these in an F150. The engine is pretty far back under the cowl, making access interesting on the plugs way in the back. I own an '04 F150 with the 5.4 and an '07 Explorer with the 4.6 3V (that also has problems with plugs breaking when you try to remove them), and in terms of work on top of the engine, I'd rather work on the explorer despite the smaller engine bay, since its all out in the open, not buried so far back...
- Status
