98 Expedition - Pull Head or Not?

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98 Expedition 5.4 4x4.
Here is where I am at.
Intake is off, all surrounding everything is also off.
Changing spark plugs and one (2nd from front on passenger side) is stripped out.
Timesert and locknstitch seem a little expensive (450-500.00) for one plug.
I saw one that bdCardinal recommended as well for 250.00.
These could potentially be done with heads on.
I could have someone who has Timesert kit do it for less than 100.00 if I could get him the head.
Question is, how much more work is it from here to get the head off and back on (in my driveway). And would I be needing any special tools?
Trying to decide which way to go with this.
I do plan to keep the vehicle.
[Linked Image]
 
The way you have it makes it much easier than yanking the head which is a big job, cam chains and cover. Do all 8 and be done with it.
 
Originally Posted by Trav
The way you have it makes it much easier than yanking the head which is a big job, cam chains and cover. Do all 8 and be done with it.


I second this. The 5.4 is a good engine, fix those pesky ejecting plugs and ride it until the body rusts before the engine goes
 
LS Swap and never look back.

In all seriousness like Trav said, pulling the head is a pretty big job. I have done 2 of them with friends who were doing other things. Not my favorite by far.

Do all 8 and move on from there. No reason to pull he heads.
 
Pulling the heads on those is no fun with the body on. Like Trav said, everything is right there for you to go to town on.

As for the LS swap, I vote a 4.8, off-brand studs installed one at a time, with 2 Chinese choo-choo spinny boys, and a Holley Terminator X.
 
Originally Posted by bdcardinal


As for the LS swap, I vote a 4.8, off-brand studs installed one at a time, with 2 Chinese choo-choo spinny boys, and a Holley Terminator X.


A CARB! You are dead to me.
laugh.gif
 
Originally Posted by ls1mike
Originally Posted by bdcardinal


As for the LS swap, I vote a 4.8, off-brand studs installed one at a time, with 2 Chinese choo-choo spinny boys, and a Holley Terminator X.


A CARB! You are dead to me.
laugh.gif



No no no, I don't support toilets on an LS. The Terminator X throttle body, but let a racoon tune it.
 
An Expy of that age is not exactly destined for a long future life.
Why didn't you just leave the plugs alone, especially given the known problems these engines have with inadequate threads?
 
Originally Posted by bdcardinal
Originally Posted by ls1mike
Originally Posted by bdcardinal


As for the LS swap, I vote a 4.8, off-brand studs installed one at a time, with 2 Chinese choo-choo spinny boys, and a Holley Terminator X.


A CARB! You are dead to me.
laugh.gif



No no no, I don't support toilets on an LS. The Terminator X throttle body, but let a racoon tune it.


LOL!!
 
There's only two ways I'd do it.

Cheap heli-coil or pull the heads and do the cal-van inserts. If you're going to keep it a few years, it wouldn't be a terrible idea to pull the heads off and replace the cam chains / tensioners and do the inserts.
 
Originally Posted by fdcg27
An Expy of that age is not exactly destined for a long future life.
Why didn't you just leave the plugs alone, especially given the known problems these engines have with inadequate threads?

Believe me, I hesitated for a moment and considered this, but then I thought about what a PITA it is to change the plugs on these when the intake is on, now it is all open and accessible. This spark plug hole in question was loose when I took it out. If I just left it, I would have been stuck on the side of the road sometime in the future with a blown out plug. I would rather deal with it in a controlled circumstance now.
 
Originally Posted by Fitz98
Originally Posted by fdcg27
An Expy of that age is not exactly destined for a long future life.
Why didn't you just leave the plugs alone, especially given the known problems these engines have with inadequate threads?

Believe me, I hesitated for a moment and considered this, but then I thought about what a PITA it is to change the plugs on these when the intake is on, now it is all open and accessible. This spark plug hole in question was loose when I took it out. If I just left it, I would have been stuck on the side of the road sometime in the future with a blown out plug. I would rather deal with it in a controlled circumstance now.


Why would a blown out plug leave you on the side of the road? I've driven V8's with seven and even six working cylinders. Not ideal but will get you home. And is there something special about this truck that you want to spend so much money and effort on? You can buy them on Craigslist for under $2000 all day long.
 
Originally Posted by Fitz98
Thanks guys.
bdcardinal sent me this in another post.
Seems like a good kit, any feedback on this vs locknstitch?
250.00 vs ??? for locknstitch. Time-sert is about 450-500.
CalVan Tools 38900 Two Valve Ford Triton Tool Kit


That is one of the ones I was thinking of also when I said there are cheaper alternatives, they work fine and put a nice insert in. The problem with helicoils is you have to break the tang off for one and its in an open hole which is not the best thing, they work better in blind holes.
 
Originally Posted by atikovi
Originally Posted by Fitz98
Originally Posted by fdcg27
An Expy of that age is not exactly destined for a long future life.
Why didn't you just leave the plugs alone, especially given the known problems these engines have with inadequate threads?

Believe me, I hesitated for a moment and considered this, but then I thought about what a PITA it is to change the plugs on these when the intake is on, now it is all open and accessible. This spark plug hole in question was loose when I took it out. If I just left it, I would have been stuck on the side of the road sometime in the future with a blown out plug. I would rather deal with it in a controlled circumstance now.


Why would a blown out plug leave you on the side of the road? I've driven V8's with seven and even six working cylinders. Not ideal but will get you home. And is there something special about this truck that you want to spend so much money and effort on? You can buy them on Craigslist for under $2000 all day long.


I was with you until you wrote under $2k. Try $4K for anything in decent shape with low enough miles to bother with, or else be in the same boat soon enough.... granted you might negotiate down closer to $3k.

Anything under $2k for a full sized SUV is a mechanic's special at best unless you live in BFE or get lucky at an auction.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Dave9
I was with you until you wrote under $2k. Try $4K for anything in decent shape with low enough miles to bother with, or else be in the same boat soon enough.... granted you might negotiate down closer to $3k.

Anything under $2k for a full sized SUV is a mechanic's special at best unless you live in BFE or get lucky at an auction.
Yep. It has to be REALLY bad on gas to go for that cheap, usually early-mid 90s throttle body injected OHV V8. Anything with port injection is going to be JUST fuel efficient enough for a young kid with no bills.

A low mileage, low rust SUV is going to have awesome resale near any large city.
 
Just to clear the confusion regarding why repair vs get another, I like my truck when it works. I know what it is, I have maintained it, I have serviced it, I have repaired it, I know the repairs that I have done and I feel like once I have this behind me, I will have a good running, relatively dependable vehicle back in service. I can't imagine why I would go from a vehicle that I have had for 10 years and know it's history, into a different used vehicle that I don't know the history. If I have these issues with my truck, what's to say a different vehicle wouldn't have the same issues coming down the road.
I fix it as it needs fixed and will continue to do so until I could afford to get into a newer vehicle.
As stated before, I thank those who have contributed awesome support to help guide me through my repairs and to help me make good educated decisions and repairs.
 
Originally Posted by clinebarger
Helicoil makes inserts for plug thread repair as well, They still kinda suck compared to the more expensive alternatives!!


I didn't know that, is it one of these cheap under $50 kits that doesn't cut the seat just a reamer tap?
 
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