2003 expedition, 5.4L, 80k miles. This morning was running a bit rough at low RPM. Started getting worse and CEL came on so went and got the codes read - cyl07 misfire.Have heard about the horrors of plugs blowing out - don't see evidence of that on visual inspect, but rather than take chances, left it at shop and got ride home . So truck sitting at local shop (boone, NC) until Monday when someone can look at it...but I live in Charlotte. - 90 mile tow - uhgh - alternatives... see below

Having searched the net on this issue i'm contemplating telling the shop monday "DO NOT TOUCH IT". I believe i may have extended premium service warranty time left, in which case now i'm wondering "hmm how to get it back to charlotte safely to my local dealer - dale jarrett ford/monroe NC who has done all service to date (oil change just this week in fact) .. not sure if want to trust dealer up here. And if i let someone put any non-ford parts (plugs, etc) into the engine, then i'm screwed if i do get the dreaded plug blow outta the head issue!

DOn't want to blow the plug out - so - considering asking shop here to pull plug cable on #7 and i'll just have to putt putt (90 miles) back to Charlotte. Am i crazy to try that? Should i have them pull #7 and one other and run on 6 instead of 8? Any other suggestions?

Having read a LOT of posts on various boards tonight, could be just water in the plug hole, could be a coil pack, or could it be i'm about to experience the dreaded "blowing out plug!"..

Ironically i was going to take it in soon for the 80K service and get the plugs and such changed anyway... obviously that'll be happening regardless but i can see I need to be VERY VERY tender and careful with it right now.

Thanks for the input!

 

Welcome to the site..

If its at a Ford Dealer, I'd let them at leastlook at it, possibly correct the misfire weather it be a singleplug failing or the coil (COP) on 7.. You don't want to pull the coil connections to cancel cylinders.. Excessive fuel concentration can damage the Cats.. It'd be better to drive it with a misfire.. Not all the Tritons end up with plug loss, and out on the open highway wouldn't be where you'd want it to happen if it were the case.. Most don't misfire before they let go anyway.. Some may develop a 'ticking' sound from the escaping compression before they let go, but not all.. If your trust lies with your servicing dealer, then have the dealer where the trucks at now get it running better, (check it for road ready), then take it in later and have all the plugs changed/diagnosed and the plug threads checked during a regular service interval.. Extended service programs should cover the repair/s..

 

If you look at #7 cylinder which is the second one from the back on passenger side, you will see the heater hoses directly above it. These are known to leak slightly getting the COP (Coil on Plug) wet and making it fail permanently.

Replace the hose clamp and replace the coil.

 

Hey guys - thanks for the input. Yeah i woke up this am and this issue with excess fuel on the cats hit me - duh - shoulda remembered that b/c i have 2 94 SHO's and their thermostats tend to stick open and allow engine to run too cool, dumping excess fuel to cats - badda boom new cats needed. So i replace those thermos pretty regularly.

Anyway -- the car is NOT at a ford dealer at this point. It's a Gemini auto center (http://www.geminicarcare.com/) in Boone NC. They know about the plug blow out issues b/c the told me just last week they rebuilt an F150 5.4 V8 triton b/c plug had fallen INTO the cylinder. But that to me does NOT tell me they know what they are doing - just tells me they've worked on a 5.4 and know how to make some bucks on a big expensive head replacemen. So that is where i am LOATHE to let them to anything complex. I have no data to tell me i can trust them. My local dealer in Monroe (about 90 miles away, mostly all downhill driving, but some interstate driving required) have had same service advisor 9 years and he hasn't done me wrong yet. Plus he knows i work on my own SHO's and thus "know a few things". I ought to just work on the Expy myself but well, time is really tight and having to work a lot right now in the real job.

Anyway -- to summarize it sounds like you guys are suggesting i get the Gemini guys to replace the coil pack, probably make sure that plug is tight and check to make sure no others are loose, fix the heater hose over #7, and then limp it back to someone I can trust.

One more ? -- i've been up here in the mtns in near zero weather a lot in the last month - is it possible that contributed to strain on the heater hose, on the block, etc? It never sat for > 1 day w/o being started and run a bit just to keep er loose.

Thanks again for all the great input from fellow ford owners.

 

If you have 80,000 miles and never tuned it up, then it's about due. I would have the Gemini guys replace the coil and check for the coolant leak if there is one. Then get the vehicle home where you or someone you trust can do the very time-consuming tuneup.

The cold temps may or may not contribute to the coolant leak (if there is one), but the block should be fine. Don't let the "Stipped out spark plug hole" thing bother you unless it actually happens. If the tuneup is done with no problems, then keep on rolling!

 

Hey gang - been meaning to get back in and update on where this ended up to add to the community "knowledge base".

Had the guys in Boone replace the Coil + Plug on #7, went back up to get it.5 minutes down the road, started misfiring again. Got out my code reader, lo and behold, #7 again!

It was a Sunday and the mechanic was out, so i very slowly and gently nursed it back to Charlotte (mostly a downhill drive so not hard to be gentle on it) and took it to Dale Jarrett Ford where work on it is normally done and left it Sunday night.

Monday morning my mechanic calls me and with a few choice words says "hey, they changed the coil and plug, but they did cylinder #8 instead of #7!!!" Needless to say that was thrilling to hear.

So my trusted service guy went ahead and fixed #7 properly and finished the tune up on it and it's running smooth now.

I managed to get the guys in Boone to refund the cost of the service work they did and did flat wrong. Right honorable of them i'd say given the rather blatant error.

However, now we are considering getting rid of this vehicle b/c of the threat of the ASPRS (Automatic Spark Plug Removal System) engaging and leaving me with a $5000+ repair. I have 2 Taurus SHO's with well over 100K miles and well, never spit a plug. before that had an 89 Probe (mazda 4 banger before Ford bought Mazda) i ran to 135K before i sold it. common thread - all Ford's i've had the held up had non-Ford engines! Anyway.... my Grandfather sold ford trucks for 60+ years, so i've always been pretty Ford loyal.

Seems there is no way to tell if you have an engine block that was well, poorly designed in my opinion if it can spit plugs. So some questions to the esteemed experts here:

1) I there a way to find out if you have one of the heads that are prone to this? My manufacture date on the vehicle is 9/2002, bought it 12/2002 for the 2003 model year. IS there something you can tell from looking at the plugs? Other?

2) Would going in say every 3 to 5k miles and making sure the plugs are still torqued to factory specs be a good preventative measure? (I've heard the problem starts with a loose plug that vibrates and that i can see damaging any threads!)

3) Has anyone seen any common factors in those that have experienced a plug spitting? Ie. - going to long w/o changing the plugs, regular pulling of heavy loads, regular running at higher than normal RPMs? The engineer in me can't help but wonder - though frankly an engine of this type s/b engineered to handle regular pulling of loads within the rated load of the vehicle. Reason i ask this is we've babied this vehicle. My wife drives it most of the time and she's light on the gas, and we've never towed with it.Or are we at as much risk ask the next guy of a plug spitting?

Thanks again for the input folks.