I just noticed I missed the first 3 times I SHOULD have replaced the plugs

[Leo]

You guys have me nervous now.  Is the 4.7 Overhead cam Ford engine a "triton"  The one in my Grand Marquis just turned 120,000 and the last time I pulled the plugs was at 100,000.  They looked good so I screwed them back in.  I didn't have any trouble removing them and I didn't antiseize anything.  The car still gets 18-19 in town and 25 ish on the road.  should I worry?

[Kazairl]

You mean a 4.6? The 4.7 is a 289 which is the old Windsor engine.  The 4.6 is considered a Triton engine but doesn't seem to be as prone to having spark plug issues as the the larger 5.4s and V10s. It does still happen occasionally but not near as often.

  I'm not saying EVERY Triton engine will have problems with the spark plugs, but it is a known issue that seems to plague quite a few. Kind of like hydro-locking a C10 . Enough people have had problems with it to keep it in mind but not everyone will have that problem.

[Jeremy Mitchell]

Sometime around 2000 or 2001 they redesigned the Triton heads with additional threads since there were a lot of the 1997-1999 motors that spit the plugs out.  My 1997 5.4 hasn't had it happen yet (174,000 miles knock on wood) but supposedly the chances of having a problem if using the motorcraft plugs is a little less if the plugs are torqued correctly without antiseize.

[B.D.F.]

OFFTOPIC

Well there we are.... now this thread contains information saying to ALWAYS use anti- seize and NEVER use anti- seize. 

Seriously though, having threads that are too short and having combustion pressure actually blow the spark plug out of a head is a very different problem than having a spark plug's threads seize in a head. In fact, these two problems are totally unrelated. If those Fords are actually <shearing> the aluminum threads off to eject the spark plug then I really cannot see how anti- seize, or any thread compound of any type, could change the likelihood of that happening.

Back ONTOPIC:

But let's all remember that ejecting spark plugs is NOT a C-14 problem and this discussion is about Ford Triton engines. Otherwise this could turn into another internet legend about C-14s ejecting spark plugs through the frame and fuel tank only to have them pierce the rider in the butt....

Brian

Sometime around 2000 or 2001 they redesigned the Triton heads with additional threads since there were a lot of the 1997-1999 motors that spit the plugs out.  My 1997 5.4 hasn't had it happen yet (174,000 miles knock on wood) but supposedly the chances of having a problem if using the motorcraft plugs is a little less if the plugs are torqued correctly without antiseize.

[Jeremy Mitchell]

OFFTOPIC

Well there we are.... now this thread contains information saying to ALWAYS use anti- seize and NEVER use anti- seize. 

Seriously though, having threads that are too short and having combustion pressure actually blow the spark plug out of a head is a very different problem than having a spark plug's threads seize in a head. In fact, these two problems are totally unrelated. If those Fords are actually <shearing> the aluminum threads off to eject the spark plug then I really cannot see how anti- seize, or any thread compound of any type, could change the likelihood of that happening.

Back ONTOPIC:

But let's all remember that ejecting spark plugs is NOT a C-14 problem and this discussion is about Ford Triton engines. Otherwise this could turn into another internet legend about C-14s ejecting spark plugs through the frame and fuel tank only to have them pierce the rider in the butt....

Brian

I guess I should have posted a disclaimer saying that I have never heard or seen a C14 shoot a plug.     And I actually have read that the triton motor can shoot a plug without needing a helicoil so they just blew a plug without damaging the threads.  Sorry ...... back on topic.

My plugs with 20,000+ miles looked great (and probably would have been fine for another 20-30,000 miles) but I replaced them for peace of mind since I had everything torn apart for the valve check anyway.

[Kazairl]

Sometime around 2000 or 2001 they redesigned the Triton heads with additional threads since there were a lot of the 1997-1999 motors that spit the plugs out.  My 1997 5.4 hasn't had it happen yet (174,000 miles knock on wood) but supposedly the chances of having a problem if using the motorcraft plugs is a little less if the plugs are torqued correctly without antiseize.

 The redesign helped but didn't fully correct the problem. My step dad's F150 was an 05.

 

OFFTOPIC

Well there we are.... now this thread contains information saying to ALWAYS use anti- seize and NEVER use anti- seize. 

Seriously though, having threads that are too short and having combustion pressure actually blow the spark plug out of a head is a very different problem than having a spark plug's threads seize in a head. In fact, these two problems are totally unrelated. If those Fords are actually <shearing> the aluminum threads off to eject the spark plug then I really cannot see how anti- seize, or any thread compound of any type, could change the likelihood of that happening.

Back ONTOPIC:

But let's all remember that ejecting spark plugs is NOT a C-14 problem and this discussion is about Ford Triton engines. Otherwise this could turn into another internet legend about C-14s ejecting spark plugs through the frame and fuel tank only to have them pierce the rider in the butt....

Brian

That is one heck of a ricochet to have a spark plug hit you in the butt. Unless your riding your C14 backwards, Do you? Is that to protect your family jewels from a spark plug being ejected from the engine?

 Anyways Back ontopic I just felt compelled to bring it up because you said to always use antiseize and it will solve all your problems. Antisieze will solve a myriad of problems to be sure, but not all of them. I had to prove that the great B.D.F. could be mistaken. I'll sleep better tonight knowing I have done that. Or else the Large quantity of alcohol I've imbibed in will do that. I'm not really sure which.

 Have you ever tried to proof read your post when your toasted? It's a lot harder than it looks.

  And back on topic, My bike has 7k miles on it. I shouldn't have to worry about spark plugs anytime soon. I think. Unless it blows them out of the heads. Can that happen? I read on the internet somewhere that it can happen. I don't want that to happen. That would be bad.

[Jeremy Mitchell]