HELP!! Broke down on I-95 last night!!

[MustangSally98]

I have an 98 GT convertible with Bosch platinum +4 spark plugs and I was driving along I-95 last night coming home from the military to visit family for the weekend and I noticed a sputtering, but if i punched it, it would go away. So I figured it was an exhaust leak, like I had before with my o/r h pipe. However I was just outside of the baltimore habor tunnel when I heard an extremely loud pop. Then it was like I had no exhaust at all. I figured it was the MAC seal that goes from the stock headers to the h pipe on the pass. side. But my cel started flashing and that's when I pulled over. Come to find out the 2nd cylinder spark plug, boot, and injector plug were all off. I had to drive it to get it off the road to the Maryland House located 2 miles away. Both mechanics from Sunoco and Exxon tried to get it in but it stripped it on the way out. What could have caused this and am I screwed like they said? Was it the fact I had the bosch sp? I put them and and have gone about 10,000 miles w/ no problems. They were torqued to specs and not cross threaded. I wanted to do a PI head swab but I'm 125 miles from base and I can't exactly do one in a rest area! Is my only choice to pull the head and then either re-thread it or replace it? I don't know if it matters but I did my pi intake manifold last week...but was good until this. I've put about 300 miles on it before this happened yesterday with the new swap.
Sorry for the novel but I'm in the works of buying a 2005 taurus and taking out a personal loan to pay off the mustang, drop insurance, fix it, and possibly sell it . It's just for the price I'm paying for it, I'm using it as a commuter car right now it it has 82,500 miles and I do 2,000 a month. Not sure if I can afford both cars yet.
Thanks for your input, I don't wanna come back on saying I'm a former Mustang owner

 

[jstreet0204]

You can probably helicoil the plug to fix it.

 

[MustangSally98]

Would that mean taking the head off?

 

[MustangSally98]

I bought a 2005 Taurus today. My dad works for ford and he got a price of $13,000. Not bad but it's not a mustang!!! I have to fix mine soon, but first I have to get it 125 miles...anybody have any other opinions?

 

[starchman]

Do a search for "helicoil;" here is one I found might help explain:

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=515022&highlight=helicoil

 

[sixstang]

Use a timesert kit, www.timesert.com, it is better then a helicoil. I just did this repair a few weeks ago on my gt. It takes about two hours and is really easy. The kit and the insert should be around 150ish shipped to you. You could pay someone around that for a helicoil, but it is not as strong and if it happens again you are gonna have to pay that again. Get the kit and you won't have to worry about it later, just order another insert (8 dollars).

 

[97gtconv.]

Why are u running bosch +4's. I could be wrong but arent they intended for 4 bangers and imports. Just run some regular spark plugs.

 

[COramprat]

Blowing a plug like that ususally means it was over tightened. Make sure you get the right torque specs...all I do is make sure they are snug...

 

[Black1987Stang]

I would try helicoiling it. I thought the 2005 tauruses were called the ford 500's or am i thinking of 06

 

[Mustang5L5]

Why are u running bosch +4's. I could be wrong but arent they intended for 4 bangers and imports. Just run some regular spark plugs.

Those plugs are a huge waste of money on ANY car, not just domestics. It's all a marketing gimmick. Bosch says they are the best and people beleive them.

The truth is electricity can only use 1 electrode at a time, so the other 3 shield the air/fuel mixture from the spark.

Add to that that Platnium is a very poor conduction of electricity. Copper conducts far better and is 2nd only to Silver.

To make a long story short. A cheap copper 0.99 cent plug would outperform one of those $8 Bosch plugs anyday.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I would try helicoiling it. I thought the 2005 tauruses were called the ford 500's or am i thinking of 06

Ford still makes the Taurus. I think the cheapest they run is around 21K to 29K for a fully loaded SEL sedan. I beleive 2006 or so they will be fleet-only sales and will be discontinued sometime around 2008.