Thread: How To: Spark plug change-2004-2008 5.4 3V V8

Originally Posted by kozal01

Glad I could help! Good luck getting the broken ones out. Let us know how it goes!

The Lisle tool worked very good. Ran across a Ford Bulletin on the 5.4 sparkplug service. They give pretty much the same advice for doing the job as you, except for one. They advised against warming the engine up. I had already started removing my plugs before I read their "service bulletin". So I did warm mine up, and the first three came out in one piece. So warming it up didn't hurt. By the time I got to the 4th one, the engine had already cooled down. I think my biggest mistake was loosening the plug more than the 1/4 turn as suggested. I probably went 1 full turn. My plugs weren't corroded, only one had a little on it. It was one of the three which broke. I did push one down too much with the tool and broke the firing tip, falling into the cylinder. Before I put any plugs in, I got one of the cheapo clear gloves and covered it with grease and held my hand near the cylinder plug hole and had the wife to spin the engine over. Caught enough particles in the grease I was fairly certain everything came out. I was very afraid of something being caught under a valve, but either way would require head removal. Guess I got lucky, it runs good . Thanks again for your help.

New info!! Try using a smaller impact driver to get the plugs out. Supposedly it takes them out a lot easier without breaking them. I just replaced mine today in about an hr and a half and only broke one spark plug. My truck is an 05 with 103000 miles on it. And the tool that ford sells is junk. Go to advanced auto and buy their tool for about $100 it doesn't involve gluing a piece to get the rest of the spark plug out. It pushes the ceramic forward some so you can use the other piece in the tool set to screw into the metal piece surrounding the ceramic and back it out no problem. The one I broke today came out within 10mins of being broke. And that was just using the tools in the kit no hang ups.

2005 XLT 5.4L V8, flow master catback duals

What size impact driver did u use exactly?

Well it needs to be big enough to get the plugs out but its jot like you're trying to take lug nuts off. I have a rather medium to large hand due to finger length and the impact was slightly bigger then my fist.

2005 XLT 5.4L V8, flow master catback duals

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Sorry I can't exactly tell ya what size but then again I don't think its the size that matter just don't go too big

2005 XLT 5.4L V8, flow master catback duals

I apologize I read it but that's been a few weeks ago. Ha

2005 XLT 5.4L V8, flow master catback duals

my truck is an '04 4.6L V8 and my question is whether the spark plug issues are the same with the 4.6 as they are with the 5.4? as well, if anyone has done a spark plug swap on an '04 4.6L, how they did it and what plugs they recommend? thanks!

I have a 03 5.4 but I have done them twice on an 04 4.6. And had an 03 4.6 cobra. Use motorcraft plugs. And it's not to bad. Not as easy as a 6 but not to bad.

does the 4.6 also use the two piece plugs? and should i invest in the lisle tool or something similar?

Use the motorcraft spark plugs and get them from Ford, a little bit more than just plain old universal plugs, but that'll insure you get the right one. As for the tools it up to you, it might make it a little easier but it's still gunna take some time. It's basically the same as the 5.4L, just a little smaller but still cramped up. By the way I have an 05 4.6L, so same setup.