Does this look typical? (blown plug)

[1wild-horse]

not enough thread depth, overtorque, fatigue of the aluminum. Could be any of those reasons. I've repaired heads that have blown out original plugs with 60k on the clock. but Ive also seen replacement plugs blow out... and the plug gets beat up from banging around in the s.p. well just like Blueline said. The 2v motors have a small bolt holding the coil down and there's enough force to break the plastic tab off the side of the coil. And it splits the boot open like a hot dog in the microwave.

 

[Bdubbs]

not enough thread depth, overtorque, fatigue of the aluminum. Could be any of those reasons. I've repaired heads that have blown out original plugs with 60k on the clock. but Ive also seen replacement plugs blow out... and the plug gets beat up from banging around in the s.p. well just like Blueline said. The 2v motors have a small bolt holding the coil down and there's enough force to break the plastic tab off the side of the coil. And it splits the boot open like a hot dog in the microwave.

Dang thats really sucks. I guess I'll have to check the plugs again and make sure there tight. I actually use a inch/lb torque wrench and tq them to specs, because I don't trust myself.

 

[Ironhand]

I would let the cylinder dry out for a while and use a strong vacuum cleaner with a pointed tip to try and such as much of those shavings out as possible.

Typically detention will cause that ground strap to "melt" off. Happened to me once.

Dont drive it, start it, or rotate the engine in any manor. It will only make things worse inside that cylinder.

 

[T800]

Can someone explain to me what cause's this?

I agree with everythin that has been posted thus far. My honest opinion is that due to the lack of thread depth, once a plug that may not have been properly torqued comes loose...you are left with just a couple threads holding the plug in.

The ticking was a tell-tale indicator and I have read other posts that cited this issue just before losing the plug. I feel that if I had identified the ticking as a leak at the cylinder and not due to exhaust leak or a pulley, etc. I could have torqued it down and been fine. It's just too fine a line with only 4 threads to work with.

I could be wrong...it's happened before, just can't remember when. :-D

 

[T800]

Update.

After calling many of the "performance" shops around here, including one that you locals to my area know of(who by the way pushed to replace the entire head+labor $3-4K). <---no prizes for guessing who THAT was.

Called Ford of Bellevue, service guy knew right off what I was talking about, said they use the LocknStitch aluminum insert. Quoted me $62.50 + cost of the insert itself. Dropping the car off Wednesday @07:30. Will let you guys know how it goes. I will definitely put it to the test!

Thanks for all the advice and good wishes. The community here is top notch.

 

[95PGTTech]

My honest suggestions from the other information you have posted would normally to do a compression and leakdown test to confirm a diagnosis on the bottom end without needing removal of the head. I have never had any luck with a boroscope. Unfortunately probably not possible with the damage to the cylinder head threads.

Based on the way the plug is smashed in, I'd likely suspect ring lands, a piece of which did in the electrode. Absolutely do not drive the car, even with spark and fuel disabled to the cylinder. If the ring lands aren't toast and a piece of that thread gets on top of one of the rings it will be like running a razor up and down the cylinder wall. If the ring lands are gone and catastrophic damage has not been done at this point, running the cylinder would be like taking an angle grinder to the cylinder wall.

 

[T800]

Agreed. As soon as that insert is in, I'm going to get a compression/leak down test done.

Good advice, thanks.

 

[SecondhandSnake]

If you were going to just do the insert I wish I would have known sooner. I've got the timesert kit I'm willing to rent out. It worked like a charm on my engine, although my threads were just slightly stripped.

Best of luck.

 

[T800]

If you were going to just do the insert I wish I would have known sooner. I've got the timesert kit I'm willing to rent out. It worked like a charm on my engine, although my threads were just slightly stripped.

Best of luck.

Wow, thanks buddy. That's a stand up offer.

With the dealership coming in at $62.50 for the labor(1/2hr) I had to go for it.

FYI one of our local "performance" shops just called me back(5hrs later) and quoted me in a voicemail, 2hrs to do the insert and if they had to remove the plenum(which they would)...that would be another 2-3!!!!

Said their rate was $98hr, which is normal...but $400-500 to remove the plenum and install an insert? I had to listen to the voicemail twice!! :nonono:

 

[mikeshimek]

thats a great deal, i blew one out and took it to bills in marysville and i think i was 160 for the insert out the door. good luck, my cousin used to write service at bell lincon merc and a bunch of his techs went to bell ford when merc closed. my car only goes there now.

 

[T800]

thats a great deal, i blew one out and took it to bills in marysville and i think i was 160 for the insert out the door. good luck, my cousin used to write service at bell lincon merc and a bunch of his techs went to bell ford when merc closed. my car only goes there now.

Good to know! Yeah it seems REALLY cheap...that's what I'm afraid of. My brother had to remind me I need a new coil and plug I was so excited over the labor price!!

How is your car doing now? How many mile since the insert? Rag on it much? Sorry for all the questions, but I am a Doubting Thomas whan it comes to stuff like this and always figure I am screwed.

 

[346CamaroSS]

Was that a shop on Lake City way that quoted 4k, or somewhere down south?

 

[P49Y-CY]

Update.

After calling many of the "performance" shops around here, including one that you locals to my area know of(who by the way pushed to replace the entire head+labor $3-4K). <---no prizes for guessing who THAT was.

Called Ford of Bellevue, service guy knew right off what I was talking about, said they use the LocknStitch aluminum insert. Quoted me $62.50 + cost of the insert itself. Dropping the car off Wednesday @07:30. Will let you guys know how it goes. I will definitely put it to the test!

Thanks for all the advice and good wishes. The community here is top notch.

best of luck with it!

i will share my experience real quick. plug blew out, was stupid and drove 200 miles home, but at least should have disconnected the fuel injector.

the plug looked almost identical to your pics. a new plug would not thread. i bought a tapered thead chaser and chased the threads (using grease to catch any debris). carefully threaded and torqued a new plug, crossed myfingers, and started car. there was a huge puff of blue smoke, and i changed the oil right away, but surprisingly the motor has been running fine ever since. i realize i got REAL lucky with this. i was prepared to do a timesert, but figured i would try it this way first. it could be a ticking time bomb, but so far so good.

this is a very, very common problem on modular fords for you guys that this has never happened to. warning signs are a slight ticking noise beforehand that could be mistaken for exhaust noise. also need to make sure to keep a regular eye on all plug torque. i sure will from now on.

 

[JaKaL]

Good luck neighbor, I have my fingers crossed that the patient makes a full recovery.

 

[T800]

Was that a shop on Lake City way that quoted 4k, or somewhere down south?

It was a big shop "further South", you know the one. The shop that wanted $200 for the insert job +$200-300 bucks just to remove the plenum was on Lake City Way. Wish I would have kept the voicemail...would have made for some comedy.

Good luck neighbor, I have my fingers crossed that the patient makes a full recovery.

Thanks Lee. Hope yours doesn't get infected being in such close proximity! :-D

 

[T800]

UPDATE: Dropped car off last night, work was done today, will pick up in the a.m. Long story short...was a 2hr job(instead of the 1/2hr quoted) still WAY cheaper than anywhere else that was capable of doing the work.

Here's the million dollar answer: Cylinder, post leakdown, at 100% :rockon:

He said that 5 of the 8 were at 100%. The other 3 where at 2%, 4%, and 6%. Pretty sure he said #7 was the 6% which seems typical. The motor has 75k on it and what I want to know: Is that #7 worth doing anything about?

Edit: Want to say thanks to everybody for the good wishes and good advice! I was sweatin' it.

 

[95PGTTech]

When I worked at Ford, on compression you'd need a 25% difference in a single cylinder to be concerned, a 10% leakdown. Ford would not warranty an engine less than 20% leakdown on a single cylinder unless an adjuster came out and make a special exemption. Those numbers are very good.

 

[T800]

When I worked at Ford, on compression you'd need a 25% difference in a single cylinder to be concerned, a 10% leakdown. Ford would not warranty an engine less than 20% leakdown on a single cylinder unless an adjuster came out and make a special exemption. Those numbers are very good.

Good info. Thanks, I am pretty stoked that the motor turned out to be A-OK.

 

[346CamaroSS]

yeah, I love all the guys that jump in and say "Cylinders toast" WTF? Internet mechanics at its finest.

 

[95PGTTech]

yeah, I love all the guys that jump in and say "Cylinders toast" WTF? Internet mechanics at its finest.

While as a professional technician I understand the sentiment about the internet, uneducated posting, and ill-informed posters, this was certainly one of those cases of "expect the worst, hope for the best." The fact that he made out so well is the EXTREME MINORITY. Based on the pictures and comments he previously posted, I would have expected catastrophic failure more times than not.

I would check my mileage versus factory maintenance, update the car to-date with FRPP-spec materials, and say ten prayers to the gods above that this Terminator made it.