Found sand all over my stock plugs!

[Lightning Tim]

I finally got off my butt and changed out the spark plugs in the Lightning. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but it still sucked. But as I was changing the drivers side plugs I found sand all over the plug and the threads, and the coil pack boot. When I first bought the truck, I looked in the owners manual and it had business cards from a Ford dealer in Florida, so obviously thats were the sand was from. But how did it get all inside the plugs and threads and boot? They were original Ford platnium plugs so they weren't changed. But it looks like they were changed on the beach though.

But I strongly recommend everyone with a Lightning change the plugs to NGK TR6s. I can't believe how much better the truck is running. It was either the plugs or because there is no more sand on the plugs anymore. LOL

Just a heads up!

 

[John Armstrong]

Originally posted by Lightning Tim
I finally got off my butt and changed out the spark plugs in the Lightning. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but it still sucked. But as I was changing the drivers side plugs I found sand all over the plug and the threads, and the coil pack boot. When I first bought the truck, I looked in the owners manual and it had business cards from a Ford dealer in Florida, so obviously thats were the sand was from. But how did it get all inside the plugs and threads and boot? They were original Ford platnium plugs so they weren't changed. But it looks like they were changed on the beach though.

But I strongly recommend everyone with a Lightning change the plugs to NGK TR6s. I can't believe how much better the truck is running. It was either the plugs or because there is no more sand on the plugs anymore. LOL

Just a heads up!

One of the recommendations, if you own an air compressor, is to blow each plug hole out after you remove the coil pack.

A can of air also works also.

 

[FlaSVT]

You'd be surprised at the places you can find sand in a truck that has been in Fla.

 

[easterisland]

I also put new ngk's in a couple of weeks ago. There was sand/grit on the plug threads in the back two cylinders one right one left. I have had the truck only a few months and never travel to Florida. I took care in changing these plugs. ie blow off with compressor, removed coil then blew off again, vacuumed out hole then removed plug. I still found the sand/grit on said threads.

 

[FlaSVT]

Aren't these engines assembled in Canada?

 

[Lightning Tim]

FlaSVT--Your right they are made in Canada.

I work for Ford at KTP and I was told by a repairman that when these blocks are cast, sand is put in to help form the block. Make sense why there is sand in some that haven't been anywhere near the beach.

 

[two fast 4 u]

Ity is not really sand but road dirt. We get it on all kinds of cars. I cant explane how it gets past the wire boots but it dose.