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My Spark Plug Experience

  • Thread starter Thread starter bridge4d
  • Start date Start date Feb 10, 2006

bridge4d

New Member
Oct 27, 2005
11
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0
Houston, TX
Feb 10, 2006
#1
  • Feb 10, 2006
  • #1
I'm planning on changing the plugs on my '01 Expedition tomorrow morning (not a 'stang I realize but, a ford engine none the less) so, I go to Autozone and get 8 Motorcraft plugs and some anti-seize. Once I get back home I get curious as to the condition of the old plugs and decide to pull the most accessible one on the front passenger side. Just as I'm pulling the plug out I notice a T-tap of all things sitting on the head cover right next to the spark plug opening. Now I know what I should have done...put the plug back in and then remove the errant t-tap (which was obviously dropped there by the teenager who installed my remote starter. He used a t-tap for the tach wire on that cylinder's coil lead). Given that Murphy's Law rules my household, I decide to continue to remove the plug. I then go over to the work bench and get some needle nose pliers and go after the t-tap...with an open combustion chamber just millimeters away. And what happens next will haunt me for the rest of my years. I go to grab the t-tap with the pliers and, as you probably guessed, dropped it into the combustion chamber. It was one of those "Oh crap, what have I done " moments. Back to Autozone for one of those grapple tools. After 30 minutes of blindly grabbing in the chamber I managed to get a hold of the t-tap. However, the tap was perpendicular to the grapple tool and was too wide to make it back through the plug opening...so it tore in half. Another 30 minutes to grab the other half. All told, the whole experience took 3 hours. 1 plug down, 7 to go!
 

Mike97gt

it doe snot
Founding Member
Jan 26, 1999
10,633
7
89
the people's republic of massachusetts
Feb 10, 2006
#2
  • Feb 10, 2006
  • #2
that sucks. i know that feeling. but in a way your lucky it could have been a lot worse had you started that motor up. trust me i have done it and had to replace a head
 
K

Kilgore Trout

Fried or Broiled ?
10 Year Member
Mar 30, 2005
4,749
95
134
Feb 11, 2006
#3
  • Feb 11, 2006
  • #3
You should completely blow out all debris from the plug well before pulling a plug.
 

mrvax

Stay thirsty my friends
Founding Member
Nov 29, 1999
5,225
3
79
SN Moderator: Orlando, Fl.
Feb 11, 2006
#4
  • Feb 11, 2006
  • #4
Kilgore Trout said:
You should completely blow out all debris from the plug well before pulling a plug.
Click to expand...

KT is right. Before a plug gets pulled, blow out that well with compressed or canned air!
 
C

cooter_11

Member
Apr 22, 2005
138
0
16
GA
Feb 11, 2006
#5
  • Feb 11, 2006
  • #5
Hey man shiot happens! Like svtteck said, it could be worse. Sometimes you have to learn the hard way.
 
M

Mindstatic Pro

New Member
Jan 15, 2006
107
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0
INDY
Feb 12, 2006
#6
  • Feb 12, 2006
  • #6
cooter_11 said:
Sometimes you have to learn the hard way.
Click to expand...

Bet you wont let that happen again though. Hows the pay at NASA by the way?
 
C

CrazyHorn

New Member
Jun 14, 2004
184
1
0
Gatineau
Feb 12, 2006
#7
  • Feb 12, 2006
  • #7
What type of canned air do you guys use ?
 
M

Mindstatic Pro

New Member
Jan 15, 2006
107
0
0
INDY
Feb 12, 2006
#8
  • Feb 12, 2006
  • #8
Just any brand air duster you can find at walmart or most department stores. They are usually found around the electronics.
 
C

cooter_11

Member
Apr 22, 2005
138
0
16
GA
Feb 12, 2006
#9
  • Feb 12, 2006
  • #9
Mindstatic Pro said:
Bet you wont let that happen again though.
Click to expand...

Usually when you learn the hard way, you never forget it
 

Mike97gt

it doe snot
Founding Member
Jan 26, 1999
10,633
7
89
the people's republic of massachusetts
Feb 12, 2006
#10
  • Feb 12, 2006
  • #10
i had a 24 valve 3.0 taurus that i was replaceing the intake gaskets on a while back, and i think some debris got down into the open inake ports. probally somthing small and plastic. when i started that car it took about 20 minutes or so of running it to get it to smooth out.
 

bridge4d

New Member
Oct 27, 2005
11
0
0
Houston, TX
Feb 12, 2006
#11
  • Feb 12, 2006
  • #11
Mindstatic Pro said:
Bet you wont let that happen again though. Hows the pay at NASA by the way?
Click to expand...
You got that right! Mr. Prez only got 3.5% increase for next years budget...which translates into a cost of living increase. Other than that it doesn't suck

Once I got all the plugs out I ended up braking the pintle caps on two of the injectors My local Ford dealer told me I'd have to replace the injector for $116 each! If anyone else runs into this you can replace the caps with Borg Warner PN 27-4081 at your local auto shop. It's an injector seal kit that includes new o-rings and the caps. $3 for each kit.
 
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