Ford 3 valve mod motor spark plugs...

gearmesh, inc. · 12-15-2011, 05:45 PM

You would think that Ford would at least be able to get spark plugs right after going through the mess on the older two valve mod motors with only 3 threads in the aluminum head to hold the spark plugs. Along comes their 3 valve cylinder head design with the extended two piece plug design which happens to be famous for breaking in two during plug removal, leaving the bottom part stuck in the cylinder head.

If anyone has or knows of anyone with the dreaded two piece spark plugs in a 3 valve mod motor and are looking to get them replaced, I can do them. If any of the plugs break during the removal process, I have the extraction tool kit to get the remaining part of a broken plug out and I can do it for a very reasonable cost. Cylinder head removal not required.

Just shoot me a PM if anyone is interested.

DolSVT00 · 12-15-2011, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gearmesh, inc.

You would think that Ford would at least be able to get spark plugs right after going through the mess on the older two valve mod motors with only 3 threads in the aluminum head to hold the spark plugs. Along comes their 3 valve cylinder head design with the extended two piece plug design which happens to be famous for breaking in two during plug removal, leaving the bottom part stuck in the cylinder head.

If anyone has or knows of anyone with the dreaded two piece spark plugs in a 3 valve mod motor and are looking to get them replaced, I can do them. If any of the plugs break during the removal process, I have the extraction tool kit to get the remaining part of a broken plug out and I can do it for a very reasonable cost. Cylinder head removal not required.

Just shoot me a PM if anyone is interested.

Yeah they finally got them right with the Romeo's then fukked em up with the 3v , at least they have them somewhat right with the duratec and cyote

schardbody · 12-15-2011, 09:50 PM

if you do the 3v plugs per the TBS they dont break, atleast none of the hundreds i've done have.

i do have 2 different brands of the broken plug removal tools though as i was prepared for them to flood the shop, thankfully the TSB came out before i seen any.

03SVTCOBRA · 12-15-2011, 10:13 PM

Some of the 03 cobra heads are only 4 thread also. Im pretty sure mine are... then they fixed it in late 03 early 04 cobra with 9 thread heads. Though i havent heard of too much issue with the 4v cobra heads besides the cooling issue early on.

Kwiksilver · 12-15-2011, 10:17 PM

post 07's were supposedly not screwed up. You can look at the sticker on the head and see if you are screwed. If I wanted to change my plugs, Can I do them over there just in case? I have read the tsb and it's not too hard if you take your time, but, just in case?

gearmesh, inc. · 12-16-2011, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schardbody

if you do the 3v plugs per the TBS they dont break, atleast none of the hundreds i've done have.

i do have 2 different brands of the broken plug removal tools though as i was prepared for them to flood the shop, thankfully the TSB came out before i seen any.

I have had pretty good luck getting plugs out in one piece if they are 60K miles or less. The ones with 80K miles or more seem to be the problematic ones. I have even tried Ford's TSB without any noticeable increase in luck. Most of my old buddies at Jones say they haven't had much luck with the TSB, either.

Most of my better success has come from getting them out with a warmed up engine. Replace two, then crank up to keep engine hot, get two more out, etc.

gearmesh, inc. · 12-16-2011, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kwiksilver

post 07's were supposedly not screwed up. You can look at the sticker on the head and see if you are screwed. If I wanted to change my plugs, Can I do them over there just in case? I have read the tsb and it's not too hard if you take your time, but, just in case?

Sure. Just PM me for a time to get together.

schardbody · 12-16-2011, 11:48 AM

thats interesting i've never done ANY with less than 90k miles on them, and i've never done them on a hot or even warm engine, i refuse to but if i have the chance while its warm i'll break them all loose, just that first initial crack, then fill the plug tubes with freeze off (napa carries it), let it sit for atleast 1hour then go to town on them working them out a little back in a hair, out, back in, like a tap.

i've done atleast 200 (plugs not vehicles) and still have yet to have one break using this method.

and i'll add that a coworker of mine has atleast 2 break off in the head on every truck he does no matter what, maybe i'm just that lucky.

gearmesh, inc. · 12-16-2011, 01:33 PM

Thanks for the heads up on the Freeze Off from Napa. All the folks I know along with myself have only tried PB Blaster. After not having much better luck at all with it, the Ford TSB just kind of got passed off. I'll make sure I have some Freeze Off on hand for the next 3 valve plug job.

I've always worked the plugs back and forth like you do, too. If you feel one tightening up while screwing it out, reverse direction to try to get some of the buildup to unbind itself and try coming back out again.

schardbody · 12-16-2011, 10:14 PM

pb blaster is ALL the rave and i dont get it, i've never seen it do anything besides make a mess.

freeze off actually eats rust, you can spray it on a horribly rusted bolt or piece of metal and watch it react.

i use about a foot of whatever vacuum hose i have handy lay one end in the plug hole and stick the straw in the other end and just spray until the plug hole is about half full or so or until the hex section of the plug is covered, then break them all loose and let em sit. when you get them out there will be NO buildup on the long part of the plug where it always is, it eats it away completely or softens it enough to where it falls off during removal.

incase you dont know autolite makes a one piece plug for them too, they are about $25 each though. hell a better fix would be skinnier tips so the buildup doesnt catch coming out but i guess nobody is smart enough to do it that way.

gearmesh, inc. · 12-16-2011, 10:30 PM

Champion has a one piece plug out now, too. They are about $17 each and look to be built like a tank in the sleeve area. They have more wall thickness in the extended sleeve than even the updated 1 piece Motorcraft ones.

red99pony · 12-17-2011, 10:06 AM

[QUOTE=schardbody;146608]pb blaster is ALL the rave and i dont get it, i've never seen it do anything besides make a mess.

i have sprayed pb on extremely rusty exhaust bolts i couldn't budge and in an hour come out with ease. i love the stuff myself, with that being said if that other stuff is better i am up for that. i am going to go buy a little and try it out. thanks for the tip.

Kwiksilver · 12-17-2011, 11:40 AM

If you get the right tsb, they changed from lube type to a carb cleaner type. The idea is to dissolve carbon buildup as opposed to lubricating the hole.

schardbody · 12-17-2011, 08:57 PM

you are right kwiksilver, the freeze off is not a lubricant, i'm not sure exactly what it does but it does something chemically to rust, and carbon is purely melted. like i said when you get the first plug out you will be like HOLY fuck it looks brand new!

i leave the freeze off in the cylinders to decarbon the pistons and its a hell of a smoke show, works better than our top end cleaner, i use it to clean pistons, valves, ports, anything metal that needs cleaned it cleans.

we use PB blaster for most everything, well most of the techs do, but i just dont seem to have good results with it. the best penetrating lubricant i've found is schaeffer's penetro 90. but since using freeze off i prefer it for most jobs.

http://www.schaefferoil.com/penetro-oil.html

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...Number=1678522

12-15-2011, 05:45 PM	#1
gearmesh, inc. creepy azz cracka Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Summerville Posts: 1,587	Ford 3 valve mod motor spark plugs... You would think that Ford would at least be able to get spark plugs right after going through the mess on the older two valve mod motors with only 3 threads in the aluminum head to hold the spark plugs. Along comes their 3 valve cylinder head design with the extended two piece plug design which happens to be famous for breaking in two during plug removal, leaving the bottom part stuck in the cylinder head. If anyone has or knows of anyone with the dreaded two piece spark plugs in a 3 valve mod motor and are looking to get them replaced, I can do them. If any of the plugs break during the removal process, I have the extraction tool kit to get the remaining part of a broken plug out and I can do it for a very reasonable cost. Cylinder head removal not required. Just shoot me a PM if anyone is interested. __________________ "I came into this world kicking, screaming,and covered in someone else's blood, I have no problem leaving the same way!" ÔÇ£If you carry a gun, people will call you paranoid. ThatÔÇÖs ridiculous. If I have a gun, what in the hell do I have to be paranoid about?ÔÇØ -Clint Smith, Thunder Ranch.

12-15-2011, 10:13 PM	#4
03SVTCOBRA Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 2,041	Some of the 03 cobra heads are only 4 thread also. Im pretty sure mine are... then they fixed it in late 03 early 04 cobra with 9 thread heads. Though i havent heard of too much issue with the 4v cobra heads besides the cooling issue early on. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

12-15-2011, 10:17 PM	#5
Kwiksilver Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 475	post 07's were supposedly not screwed up. You can look at the sticker on the head and see if you are screwed. If I wanted to change my plugs, Can I do them over there just in case? I have read the tsb and it's not too hard if you take your time, but, just in case? __________________ 66 ford f100 shoptruck. 351 cleveland 4v, CJ heads, holley 750, toploader 4spd, rust.

12-16-2011, 01:33 PM	#9
gearmesh, inc. creepy azz cracka Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Summerville Posts: 1,587	Thanks for the heads up on the Freeze Off from Napa. All the folks I know along with myself have only tried PB Blaster. After not having much better luck at all with it, the Ford TSB just kind of got passed off. I'll make sure I have some Freeze Off on hand for the next 3 valve plug job. I've always worked the plugs back and forth like you do, too. If you feel one tightening up while screwing it out, reverse direction to try to get some of the buildup to unbind itself and try coming back out again. __________________ "I came into this world kicking, screaming,and covered in someone else's blood, I have no problem leaving the same way!" ÔÇ£If you carry a gun, people will call you paranoid. ThatÔÇÖs ridiculous. If I have a gun, what in the hell do I have to be paranoid about?ÔÇØ -Clint Smith, Thunder Ranch. Last edited by gearmesh, inc.; 12-16-2011 at 01:37 PM.

12-16-2011, 10:30 PM	#11
gearmesh, inc. creepy azz cracka Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Summerville Posts: 1,587	Champion has a one piece plug out now, too. They are about $17 each and look to be built like a tank in the sleeve area. They have more wall thickness in the extended sleeve than even the updated 1 piece Motorcraft ones. __________________ "I came into this world kicking, screaming,and covered in someone else's blood, I have no problem leaving the same way!" ÔÇ£If you carry a gun, people will call you paranoid. ThatÔÇÖs ridiculous. If I have a gun, what in the hell do I have to be paranoid about?ÔÇØ -Clint Smith, Thunder Ranch.

12-15-2011, 09:50 PM	#3
schardbody Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,158	if you do the 3v plugs per the TBS they dont break, atleast none of the hundreds i've done have. i do have 2 different brands of the broken plug removal tools though as i was prepared for them to flood the shop, thankfully the TSB came out before i seen any.

12-16-2011, 11:48 AM	#8
schardbody Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,158	thats interesting i've never done ANY with less than 90k miles on them, and i've never done them on a hot or even warm engine, i refuse to but if i have the chance while its warm i'll break them all loose, just that first initial crack, then fill the plug tubes with freeze off (napa carries it), let it sit for atleast 1hour then go to town on them working them out a little back in a hair, out, back in, like a tap. i've done atleast 200 (plugs not vehicles) and still have yet to have one break using this method. and i'll add that a coworker of mine has atleast 2 break off in the head on every truck he does no matter what, maybe i'm just that lucky.

12-16-2011, 10:14 PM	#10
schardbody Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,158	pb blaster is ALL the rave and i dont get it, i've never seen it do anything besides make a mess. freeze off actually eats rust, you can spray it on a horribly rusted bolt or piece of metal and watch it react. i use about a foot of whatever vacuum hose i have handy lay one end in the plug hole and stick the straw in the other end and just spray until the plug hole is about half full or so or until the hex section of the plug is covered, then break them all loose and let em sit. when you get them out there will be NO buildup on the long part of the plug where it always is, it eats it away completely or softens it enough to where it falls off during removal. incase you dont know autolite makes a one piece plug for them too, they are about $25 each though. hell a better fix would be skinnier tips so the buildup doesnt catch coming out but i guess nobody is smart enough to do it that way.

12-17-2011, 10:06 AM	#12
red99pony Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: goose creek sc Posts: 818	[QUOTE=schardbody;146608]pb blaster is ALL the rave and i dont get it, i've never seen it do anything besides make a mess. i have sprayed pb on extremely rusty exhaust bolts i couldn't budge and in an hour come out with ease. i love the stuff myself, with that being said if that other stuff is better i am up for that. i am going to go buy a little and try it out. thanks for the tip. __________________ 02 lightning all stock 99 mustang gt Tork Tech terminator kit making a little boost

12-17-2011, 11:40 AM	#13
Kwiksilver Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 475	If you get the right tsb, they changed from lube type to a carb cleaner type. The idea is to dissolve carbon buildup as opposed to lubricating the hole. __________________ 66 ford f100 shoptruck. 351 cleveland 4v, CJ heads, holley 750, toploader 4spd, rust.

12-17-2011, 08:57 PM	#14
schardbody Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,158	you are right kwiksilver, the freeze off is not a lubricant, i'm not sure exactly what it does but it does something chemically to rust, and carbon is purely melted. like i said when you get the first plug out you will be like HOLY fuck it looks brand new! i leave the freeze off in the cylinders to decarbon the pistons and its a hell of a smoke show, works better than our top end cleaner, i use it to clean pistons, valves, ports, anything metal that needs cleaned it cleans. we use PB blaster for most everything, well most of the techs do, but i just dont seem to have good results with it. the best penetrating lubricant i've found is schaeffer's penetro 90. but since using freeze off i prefer it for most jobs. http://www.schaefferoil.com/penetro-oil.html http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...Number=1678522