Blown spark plug.

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So I was in Pullman, WA this morning in the old CVPI. Had just gotten breakfast and was pulling out of the parking lot. I stabbed the accelerator and *pop* goes the weasel.
I figured out what it was fairly quickly. I unplugged the injector and coilpack for the affected cylinder. I babied to to a mechanics shop and they told me to take it to Ford and have them fix it. But I managed to talk them into unbolting the coil and removing the remnants from the plug hole.
I then drove it 130 miles back home with no spark plug in the number 2 hole. It was loud! It sounded like I had a rod threatening to come out of the block. Everyone was staring as I went by.
It hardly had any power. Did a lot of manual shifting to try to keep it in a range it would make some power in. Some of the hills it was struggling as bad as the semi-trucks loaded with straw and grain.
It got a lot better after I unplugged the MAF half-way home.
Vine Video

So, Im thinking its time to retire the old girl. What do you guys think?
I looked on ebay for a quick second and I can get a used-once time-sert kit for $300. I figure once I put the insert in I can put it back up for sale and even if I can get $250 for it Im only out $50. I already have a new coil pack and the only thing Ill need is a new spark plug.
But, I don't know if its realistic to fix it.
Otherwise, Im going to strip a bunch of parts off of it and scrap it.
 
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
I then drove it 130 miles back home with no spark plug in the number 2 hole. .


shocked2.gif
 
You realize that you were dumping raw fuel to a cylinder that wasn't using it so it washing down into the oil. My Lincoln blew one and I drove it home, it actually didn't sound that bad. I did two 2000 mile oil changes till I was satisfied the fuel was out. It turned the oil black fast. I am sure the engine is clean now.
 
Originally Posted By: Panzerman
You realize that you were dumping raw fuel to a cylinder that wasn't using it so it washing down into the oil. My Lincoln blew one and I drove it home, it actually didn't sound that bad. I did two 2000 mile oil changes till I was satisfied the fuel was out. It turned the oil black fast. I am sure the engine is clean now.
the injector was unplugged,
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: Panzerman
You realize that you were dumping raw fuel to a cylinder that wasn't using it so it washing down into the oil. My Lincoln blew one and I drove it home, it actually didn't sound that bad. I did two 2000 mile oil changes till I was satisfied the fuel was out. It turned the oil black fast. I am sure the engine is clean now.
the injector was unplugged,


YupYup. I know what Im doing.
 
Plan A is to buy $300 worth of whatever off of eBay to possibly fix it?

How about plan B, take it to the Ford dealer. It might be a lot cheaper to fix than you think.
 
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
The shop couldn't install a helicoil and plug for you?

No, lol. It was two old guys sitting in behind the counter, a van in the bay and no one working on it. The way it sounded to me they just didnt want to work on anything.

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Plan A is to buy $300 worth of whatever off of eBay to possibly fix it?

How about plan B, take it to the Ford dealer. It might be a lot cheaper to fix than you think.


Its a Time-Sert kit 5553.

I can't imagine what the hours of labor is for them to do this at Ford. Granted they'll use a lock'n'stitch insert which is better than the time-sert for heat transfer, but I think I can live with it.
 
Take it to some other mechanics and get prices. Ford dealers do this all the time, it's nothing new to them.

And scrap it? You've spent a lot of money and time on this car, I don't know why it would need retiring?
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Take it to some other mechanics and get prices. Ford dealers do this all the time, it's nothing new to them.

And scrap it? You've spent a lot of money and time on this car, I don't know why it would need retiring?

Yeah, Im going back and forth. I wasn't going to post but I wanted to get some "outside" opinions before I did anything.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Plan A is to buy $300 worth of whatever off of eBay to possibly fix it?

How about plan B, take it to the Ford dealer. It might be a lot cheaper to fix than you think.


I agree with this, and would not discount any local mechanic. You are buying an entire kit, your mechanic has a better kit, and only needs to cover labor and a few dollars for the insert. These cars go a lot farther than 165k.
 
Originally Posted By: edwardh1
what causes this?
new(er) unproven materials used that are not tested?

Spark plugs are only half-thread. So unless you're ultra careful replacing them you can crossthread them super easy.
Even then sometimes it just happens. I put these plugs in myself but...
Ford is working on it now. They were begging for work. Said it'd only cost me an hour plus parts. Made quite the entrance at the service bay.
 
They have done it so much that they have got fast at it.

Some are easier than others.

You will have this happen again. After the 8th time, it will be fine.

Rod
 
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
Originally Posted By: edwardh1
what causes this?
new(er) unproven materials used that are not tested?

Spark plugs are only half-thread. So unless you're ultra careful replacing them you can crossthread them super easy.
Even then sometimes it just happens. I put these plugs in myself but...
Ford is working on it now. They were begging for work. Said it'd only cost me an hour plus parts. Made quite the entrance at the service bay.


Are they doing the (only approved repair) lock-n-stitch insert? That's what I had done on the Expedition and it has been perfect since.

Plug launches in the three-thread Modular heads happen. It is inconvenient but relatively cheap to fix.
 
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
Originally Posted By: edwardh1
what causes this?
new(er) unproven materials used that are not tested?

Spark plugs are only half-thread. So unless you're ultra careful replacing them you can crossthread them super easy.
Even then sometimes it just happens. I put these plugs in myself but...
Ford is working on it now. They were begging for work. Said it'd only cost me an hour plus parts. Made quite the entrance at the service bay.


Are they doing the (only approved repair) lock-n-stitch insert? That's what I had done on the Expedition and it has been perfect since.

Plug launches in the three-thread Modular heads happen. It is inconvenient but relatively cheap to fix.

I would assume so; its a Ford dealer.
They ended up not having any inserts on hand. They had to order some in and they'll be here in the morning. So I should have it back in the morning.
 
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