Spark plug popped out - just put a new one in?

JonJon · Aug 28, 2006

I was driving to work when I heard a boom. I drove about 0.1 miles the rest of the way to work and parked. I just popped the hood and saw the COP was off of the driver side, first one (farthest from the firewall).

Now my question is whether I should get it towed and torn down to make sure nothing got in in the 0.1 miles I drove OR if I should just drop in a new plug (assuming the threads aren't stripped...) and hope for the best?

Mike97gt · Aug 28, 2006

JonJon said:
I was driving to work when I heard a boom. I drove about 0.1 miles the rest of the way to work and parked. I just popped the hood and saw the COP was off of the driver side, first one (farthest from the firewall).

Now my question is whether I should get it towed and torn down to make sure nothing got in in the 0.1 miles I drove OR if I should just drop in a new plug (assuming the threads aren't stripped...) and hope for the best?

you will not be able to rethread in a new plug, the threads strip out of the head thats what causes the plug to blow out..

There are 2 repair options..

1. have the striped plug well repaired, there are a few kits out there to do this. ( this is what I would do)

2. replace the cylinder head

JonJon · Aug 28, 2006

i am 95% technically inept so I don't think i could or would want to mess with a rethread kit or whatever

do i have to worry about crap that might have fallen into the cylinder though?

I actually rechecked the spark plug hole just now, it LOOKS like the threads are there but how many or how weak they are, I can't say

JonJon · Aug 28, 2006

I just called a performance shop here and he suggested I try threading in another one or they can replace the head. He recommended against the rethread kits and he also couldn't quote me a price...

Kilgore Trout · Aug 28, 2006

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=607458

fastangboi · Aug 28, 2006

Patriot stage 2 heads take care of this problem.

DropTopPony · Aug 28, 2006

fastangboi said:
Patriot stage 2 heads take care of this problem.

and add a few of their own!

Jon
you may have been lucky and the plug backed itself out without stripping any threads at all. Visually inspect the threads and try putting a new plug in. Check the rest of the plugs to make sure they are snug...some people will just have the plug loosen and turn itself out...most are not as lucky and the plug will eject and take the threads with it...if all is good then make sure you check your plugs more often. I started checking mine every 10k miles or so after i read about this happening to people.

stangGT97 · Aug 28, 2006

This is the reason I just bought a torque wrench. Hopefully you got lucky and the threads are intact.

hotmustang331 · Aug 28, 2006

Dang I havnt seen you on here in what over a year? Anyways, the plug may have backed WAY out and then just blew out maybe 1 thread...try and screw it back in, it may go. Besides, it wont hurt anything if they are screwed up...

RochesterGT · Aug 28, 2006

You HAVE TO GET the newly re-designed plugs from motorcraft. Model number AGSF-32C. They have a larger shoulder where they meet the heads preventing spark plug back-out. Autolite also makes the same plug but with a different model number.

the98stang · Aug 28, 2006

Try putting the plug back in. First screw it in hand tight. Then torque it to 7-11 lbs. If it wont go in, you can re-thread the heads. WAY better than replacing the cylinder head. A lot cheaper too.

Mike97gt · Aug 28, 2006

JonJon said:
I just called a performance shop here and he suggested I try threading in another one or they can replace the head. He recommended against the rethread kits and he also couldn't quote me a price...

He wants to raid your wallet..

You can not trust shops or mechanics.. I am one myself and I have seen every type of stealing you can imagine.

I also read your other thread and from what you described there you have that spark plug knocking away for a little while so I highly doubt you will be able to get a plug to stay in there even if you can get it to go back in.

The new style rethread kits work just fine.

If you don't believe me about how shops can mislead you read this thread

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=655274

n0v8or · Aug 29, 2006

I agree with svttech76. On my '03, one of the original plugs somehow worked loose at 4800 miles, resulting in a noticable tick at idle. I was lucky to discover the problem before it popped completely out. I tried a new plug, torqued it carefully to factory spec, and it loosened up again in 100 miles. Two local dealer service managers recomended head replacement for something like $2000. Instead, I paid an independent shop less than $200 to install a Timesert. I have 12K miles on the clock now, and that plug is still nice and tight fter nearly 2 years (I check it 3 times a year, when I change the oil, and the car is not driven during winter).

Mike97gt · Aug 29, 2006

the timesert is a good repair, they don't have the hot spot problems like some of the inserts had.

AmBo · Aug 29, 2006

What generally causes a plug to back out?

Mossberg · Aug 29, 2006

piss poor ford engineering.

Mike97gt · Aug 29, 2006

Mossberg said:
piss poor ford engineering.

+1

AmBo · Aug 29, 2006

I mean is there something that we can do wrong on OUR end that increases the chances of this happening?

Awall99 · Aug 29, 2006

I had a plug pop out on June 20 this year and had ford dealership put a heli coil in the head. The plug came loose 1000 miles later, and the heli coil came out with the plug and stripped the head again. Unfounately this was the bigget heli coil made so now i am forced to change the head with no help from the dealership.

Kilgore Trout · Aug 29, 2006

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=607458

When a spark plug blows out you can just fix it:
-apply a good liberal coating of JB Weld to the plug threads
-drop the plug down the plug well
-get a big drift, shove it down the plug well
-give the drift a few sharp taps with teh brass deadblow persuader
-yer done!

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