As old as this video is, it's still worth watching this. I'm about to tackle my 98 f150 5.4 on cylinder 8, blew clean out the cylinder. My buddy has a 5.4 in a expedition with almost a million miles and cylinder 8 as well.
Hi Ron. I just wanted to say thank you so much for your videos. My sister-in-law has a 1999 Expedition and lives in Northern CA and I'm in SoCal. She had cylinder #3 plug blow out and ruin the coil about 6 months ago and had it repaired in NorCal. While visiting SoCal recently she had #2 plug blow out and ruin the coil also. I decided to change all 8 plugs and coils as the engine has 120,000 miles. I started changing the plugs with cylinder #1 and realized that the threads were stripped and that was the start of installing the inserts with the cal-van kit. I then repaired cylinder #2 and when I took the plug out for cylinder #3, (which was previously repaired) the insert the mechanic used came out with the plug. It was one of those cheap inserts with no shelf on it. Thankfully those were the only 3 I had to install inserts in. Cylinder 4,7 and 8 are the most difficult. The kit obviously didn't come with a clip to use with the tap so what I did was put a zip tie around the tap and was careful when tapping to make sure not to push the zip tie and allow the tap to fall in. Although I bought the cal-van kit, long flexible blow gun and bore-scope I saved a ton of money doing the work myself. If someone else reads this and decides to do the job themselves, DON'T skimp out on the bore-scope. It was a huge help. Once again Ron thanks for the awesome videos! Sorry to be long winded.
Man, honestly how is it holding up. My 5.4 blew a plug out last year and I put a 4.6 in it that I thought was good. Long story short the 4.6 was locked up so now I'm going back to the 5.4 and I am looking into the Cal van set. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. The problem cylinder is #4 but the motor is already out so I've got plenty of room to work on it.
@@codyswilley I would defiantly do all 8 cylinders since the engine is out. Considering the age of this video you probably have addressed the issue. Can't understand why you would go to all the labor changing engines. The 5.4 despite the sparkplug problem are not a bad engine, many have over 250,000 miles on the clock and still run well.
Awesome instruction. I couldn’t get time-cert to ever reply and then found your videos. My #9 blew out at 201k this last week. I got a Lowe’s camera with a 11.4 mm diameter low res but worked well. I have a big shop and many projects in they way. But after watching the videos it didn’t even make sense to move stuff around to get the truck inside. About 1 hour 15 minutes I was done. Most of it was getting the air wand the right length so I could spray chips from the #9 hole. And my little compressor had to recover more than my big shop compressor. Also the Calvan kit has a sticker inside saying each insert was checked for quality. I double confirmed it against the tap thread and prechecked the plug before Inserting it Thanks!!
Several years ago my 2000 F 150 5.4 Triton blew a plug out. Fortunately I found this video , followed it painstakingly carefully and it was totally successful. Lot of miles and a lot of time later it still is great . Completely recommend this method .
I watched and read alot when it happened to my 1999 v10, but your video made the most sense. Did the job 4 days ago with total success. Thanks from this retired carpenter. Great videos. I'll keep the kit and equipment in the RV in case it happens again. Respect.
Ron,thank you for the information. I've never had a problem with my expedition tell light blew a spark plug. It sounded like a tank everybody was giving me the wrong advice.blow motor. Cadillac converter. I got more hope and that I could do this. It went smoothly with the right tools. thank you 🔧
Quick tip I use for what it's worth to ya .. I use a remote starter switch on the hot and solenoid .. I'm sure you know this trick but I usually work alone .. also I cut my threads with a ratchet by hand. It doesn't take long just seems safer to do it that way slow and steady
n7 after a 1500km non stop drive ,80 km from home, bang, at least she limped home, thanks so much ,shiting myself, having a US truck in Australia is a pain to get parts ,but its the best vehicle ive owned, i bloody love it
Thank you. I was about to buy any ole insert sold off the shelf until I watched your videos. I bought the calvan kit. Thanks from Detroit mi. 2004 f-250. 2 valvue
Thanks for the video, glad someone finally put one up with the terrible dorman shade tree repair. My boss decided to take our e350 to a shop for a blown out plug awhile back and that's the fix they put in. It lasted maybe a week, and literally melted the 3 valve plug. I did some homework, found the cal van kit and had him order it, but I didn't know if I'd face more difficulties repairing the half assed repair from "proffesionals".
Well done and very much appreciated! My very first one was #8 on a 5.4, did it all by hand, no power tools, I was too scared. I used the ABN brand insert tool from Amazon, and waited 48 hours for the loctite to set before inserting the plug. So far so good, but your method would have been much better. My second one was #4 on a different 5.4; can't seem to get the customers convinced to pay extra to have the rest of them checked. Both were Expeditions, 1996 & 1997 all with over 190,000 mi. Thank you.
I did one on a Ford Escort Wagon years ago. The place my wife was at told her it needed a head job. I used a rethread kit and a piece of tubing to vacuum out the chips. I had an old timer tell me how to do it. The kit you bought is the right way to do those and being you have done this for years, the whiners can sit and spin.
Thank you Mr. Williams. The plug in my 1998 4.6 (2-valve) broke flush leaving the metal portion stuck in the head, resisting ANY ease-out attempts. Understanding that the process you present here was a viable solution, I was emboldened to (gingerly, in 1/32" dia. steps) drill the metal plug out to 19/32" bore, to use the Cal-Van 11/16" reamer. Having seen your presentation, helped me to get to a solution and restore my truck. Thank you Again.
Hi Ron excellent video! I have a 2001 Excursion I bought in 2012 with 116,000 miles on it. about 2 years ago I blew my first spark plug the mileage was then 144,000 miles. My local mechanic who I have gone to for quite a while explained the insert fix and wanted to put new sparkplugs in the other 9 cylinders I agreed. On September 16 2020 I blew my fourth sparkplug since this tune up 2 years ago. The 3 he put inserts in have been fine. The ones blowing were the new plugs he put in. I talked to him today and I told him about your video I found about the calvan kit.He said he never heard of them but said he would watch it. I love my Excursion its my fishing truck and is still in very good condition except for the damn plugs! He always says I should get rid of it that it will cost too much money if one of the inserts pops out with the sparkplug and ruins the head. I live in the midwest so I can't bring it to you. Hopefully he will watch your video and THANK YOU for your time
Don't sell that truck. Sell the mechanic for telling you to. Most of the inserts I install for customers that have been done before can still be fixed by the calvan kit. But I've seen so many damaged cylinder heads as a result of save a thread inserts I had to make people aware.
@@SandCarServices Will do I got another guy who is very good with Ford trucks but his shop usually has about a 3 week back log but I will stop by there tomorrow
Ron, Im not a machenic, but a electronics engineer, it's still a great video, and this seems a much better fix than the dealers suggested fix . Great video and great videography!
Ron I watched all of your videos on this process and bought the same kit. Of course the cylinder I had to repair was #8 the hardest one to get to. Once I got the fuel rail out of the way so I could reach the cylinder it took about 50 minutes to Ream, Tap and put in the insert. Was the first time I ever have attempted a repair of that level. Would have never attempted the repair without your wisdom on RUclips. Thanks you saved me thousands of dollars. I am going to do all the other cylinders to prevent future issues.
You are welcome. But just in case any of my followers are reading this. I have never on any Triton engine had to pull fuel rail to install an insert. But I understand how it makes you do-it-yourselfers feel like it gives you more room. Happy to help.
Ron you are really paying it forward. I could have talked to you for an hour. You have given me the confidence to do this repair. Thanks again aka the republican in the Bay Area.
Hey Ron I have a 2003 mustang gt 4.6 2 valve that shot a plug out can I use the Cal Van 39300 to do the repair just curious cause all of these kits only mention the 3 valve 4.6
@@SandCarServices ok thanks so if I didn't live so far away from you I would have had you done it great video very very informational great works thanks so much and have a blessed day
Thanks for the video. Another kit you should get commission on. And it came with the e-clip. Your video was very useful and made the job go pretty smooth. #7 on a 5.4L Expedition 2v. I plan to just do them all and add fresh coil packs and plugs so I shouldn't have to worry about them for a while. I had to order more adapters as #4 on my 6.8L Excursion blew as well. I'm doing the modification, plugs and coils on that when the parts show up. We were to chicken to use the air ratchet for threading. It went very well using the old manual ratchet. Your trick with the air hose to determine when the valves closed was probably the most beneficial. Thanks.
Thanks. Got a v10 van and #3 cylinder plug blew ten minutes out of Albuquerque. I pulled over and disconnected the COP and injector. I’ve driven this thing for at least a thousand miles back to and around California. I’m real tired of sounding like the Beverly Hillbillies or Chitty Chitty bang bang everywhere I go. Money has been tight, but I am getting this done next week, if the bit will fit under the van firewall. Thanks for the vid!
@@SandCarServices Were they stainless steel ?The inserts that I got in my CAL VAN insert kit from TOOL DISCOUNTER,are not stainless steel. I knew that as soon as I opened the kit, because to my knowledge stainless is not black in color and is certainly never magnetic.This kit has the CAL VAN logo and the website on it. It is also labeled the 2 valve 38900 kit. So I see no reason why this kit doesn't have the same inserts that you show in your videos.
Up till now all the cal van inserts I have installed have been stainless steel. One of the owners called me a while back shortly after I posted the quality control video and one of the questions he asked was something about either bluing or anodizing them black. I have not recorded inserts in 6 months and only have 5 left in my box. I guess I'll find out. But steel, stainless steel, makes no difference to me as long as they continue to keep making them the same way with a huge hat on top. That what makes it so much better than a save a thread or a time cert.
Sr first of all tanks so much for taking your time to make this helpfull videos to help all ford fans...i wish i could work with you but i live in chicago and you are in california im a student but i have few years of experience working on cars and i know how hard is sometimes to work on anything in a car..so that why i believe that every ford fan that watches this video should tank you for your time and help..God blees you
Thank you so much Ron. Watching your videos has help me with an issue that I thought wasn't repairable. I love my truck, and when I had this problem, I thought that my truck was ruined. I thought that I had to, either buy a new engine, or just get a new truck. I saw your videos while I was looking up this issue that I had. I thought about even sending my vehicle to you to fix at first because I'm not in your area, but it would've been really expensive for me to do that. So I thought about it, and through out watching your videos I had hope that I can get this done myself. I bought all the tools and the kits that you have, and now I have the job done. My truck is running so great now, thanks to you. It's because of your step-by-step, walk-through repair videos that my truck is now running pristine. So I have to say, "sincerely" thank you so much, for the heads up / on hands / professional advice. Thank you for sharing your experienced "how to" knowledge with the correct tools, and the proper kits to buy. God bless you Ron, and again, "THANK YOU MAN"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi I'm watching from Brooklyn NYC ,thank you for sharing your knowledge .I have 2004 Ford E350 5.4 L and are have some issues with black smoke coming out of the muffler .Having a hard finding a knowledgeable mechanic to diagnose and fix the problem .Do you know of a good mechanic in NYC who can help me ,or do you have an idea what's causing the issues with my van .And do you do work in NYC.
Great video, you are the man! When my first plug blew out, I went ahead and did all the rest just to have it over with. Haven't regretted doing it and its a good selling point for the vehicle as well. Thank you
Great video Ron, saved my old Ford!, I've got a 2000 F150, 146,000 miles, #7 blew on mine, glad I found your video and Cal-Van kit recommendation....and yes Cal-Van should be takeing good care of you for that...so as I'm in there I replaced other plugs as well, 5 of the remaining 7 I removed by hand !! Thanks for the heads up and great instructional!, have a great day and God bless you
Hey Ron. I followed your instructions to the letter and wanted to send you a big THANK YOU!!. I fixed my 03 Crown Vic yesterday and she runs like a top again.
3 things. 1, after tapping, the 1/16 remaining might be by design not only to stop the tap from dropping in, but also help stop the gases from riding up the threads. 2. when i tapped by hand and reached all the way through the bottom of the hole, i could feel it give and get very easy so i knew to stop and back out, then checked w bore scope. (when i test fit the new plug in the insert, the plug was recessed slightly so i didn't want to add another 1/16" in fear the plug would not be in it's normal position and affect firing timing.)3. if you get a spark plug blow out while driving, it sounds bad like a loud motor boat and freaks you out...i suggest turning on emergency blinkers, slowing down and pulling over and stopping asap. Unplug the connector to the related fuel injector and the coil pack to the blown plug to avoid a potential fire. The truck will run very rough and may even stall out when you stop at lights (just restart when light turns green, or put it in neutral and keep giving it a little gas to prevent stalling), but it still should be drivable to get you home or to a shop/nearby parking lot.
A couple tips from my repair. If you have trouble getting all the shavings out like I did, hand rotate engine so that it is at TDC and valves are still closed then try again. With the piston up it did the trick. Second thing is that the tap required about 100 ft lb at the halfway threaded point so if using an air ratchet you will need a really powerful one. I just switched to a torque wrench and did it slowly and worked it back and forth about 3 turns in, 1 turn out. Also, when you buy a boroscope camera, try to get camera head in the 5.5 to 8.5 mm range so it easily fits through the hole .
therockkkkher the plugs begin to loosen and then rattle or move up and down on the threads with each compression and exhaust cycle. That gradually fatigues the threads. From what I have read check torque but don't over torque. I would not do antisieze between plugs and stock head. I plan next month to install inserts in the other 7 cylinders so it's done.
Thank you! You're video was great. I just completed this repair on a 2002 Ford f150. It worked like a charm and I've never done tap and die before. Your articulated yourself in a manner that a home mechanic such as myself could relate and that was it is very much appreciated. The only suggestion I have, is you say and the instructions say a decent air ratchet. to a lot of people including myself that's a bit ambiguous. I used an Ingersoll Rand with the 70 lb of torque and it did the job just fine. Maybe somewhere in the comments below you could suggest a minimum specs for the type of air ratchet somebody should use. Again, thank you.
Thank you very much I did mine watching your video and it went so smooth zero problems.. SO F... THOSE HATERS THEY ARE EVERYWHERE. YOU JUST KEEP DOING WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU AGAIN
I replace all 8 when I rebuilt my motor. The threads looked weak and I didn't want to have to fix it later. I had two inserts that the outer thread would not fit. I get a tap and die set and fix them from Harbor Freight for the double the cost of two replacements. Now I have a new Tap and Die set for all my needs. I enjoy fixing things for cheap.
Thanks Ron, I'm getting ready to do number 5 on 2 valve 10. I have not tried this but on these trucks fir diagnostics putting the throttle to the floor will not let the truck start. I'm going to try that when setting up BDC with the provided air poper.😊
That’s a 2v? Cuz you used the e clip on the hone and the Calvan official video drills to the pin and all the way through. So which is it? To I drill all the way through or not?
As a Tool and Die Maker, I'd say that a better explaination why the plugs damage the threads and pull out at 30 lbs. torque is cuz the stress of that torque is only spread over 4 1/2 threads as opposed to the much needed full 10 threads as on the plug itself.
Thank you I re-tapped and replace a spark plug and a 2000 Ford expedition for my son he is so happy he got the truck we're only 500 had to spend a couple hundred on the tool kit but it was worth it
I will note that the most recent CalVan kit I received specified to only use the "E-Clip" in the thread tap. "DO NOT USE E-CLIP IN REAMER. Reamer lengths may vary slightly. Use of e-clip in reamer may not allow enough material to be removed to allow insert to be positioned properly. The roll pin acts as the stop for the reamer." - as stated on information within the kit.
thanks for the info, i purchased a used once kit from ebay, came with pretty much the extras for the job(air blower rod, air ratchet, cam, and jb weld) $224 just missing 1 insert. it did not come with the e clip which i have seen on most kits.
The CalVan 38900 kit doesn't come with e-clips, because according to the directions that came with the kit, you are supposed to drill through to the combustion chamber. The stop pin that comes pre-installed into the reamer will prevent the reamer from going past the guide and into the combustion chamber. The e-clip comes with the CalVan 39300 kit designed for 3 valve engines which prevents the reamer from drilling through to the combustion chamber. The guides used are different lengths between the 2 kits.
Great detailed video! On a related note, the force of the ejecting spark plug (#4) not only took out the coil, but pulled one of the wires out of the coil connector plug. Difficult to see at first, but it was only running on 7 cylinders after the repair, so a little diagnosis showed the damaged connector. Easily replaced with a new pig tail from O'Reillys.
for those of us who are cheap you could use the remainder of the JB weld you mixed up to glue the ear back on the coil pack and then reinstall it after it hardened up for a few hours
Ron, you mentioned looking to verify the reamer put the hole in the center. Does it often miss and ream the hole off center? How far off can it be before it's ruined the head? About to go through this for the second time on this truck. Your videos are fantastic and really lay it out there simple and concise. Thanks.
Extremely helpful. I noticed you use the E-clip on the reamer. The instructions don't mention that. The instructions only speak of using the E-clip on the tap and that the e-clip should be placed in the slot closest to the hex end of the tap.
Thank you so much for all the info you saved me a trip to a mechanic that would of punch in the coil that you dont recommend .so I'm gana try to do this my self my trucks been down for a month now and if I have to buy that kit myself to so it right just like your video its worth it I would've taken it to you but im down in texas
Just had my plug blow out on Cylinder #5, was on the scale at the landfill and when I restarted my truck I heard the pop and then what I though was a exhaust leak, like on one of my modified Volkswagens when I blew the flex pipe out. Figured it out pretty quick, kind of a weird easy to fix problem for Ford not to make a solution for on new engines. Unfortunately my a family is very short on cash trying to start my own business currently so I will have to make my old Jetta a farm truck for a bit.
I got one plug broken in a 1.6 ecoboost. Its due to galvanic corrosion. Nothing but threads left, and the plug is a little different than those shielded triton plugs. I blew the porcelain out by way of compression stroke. Ive been developing an attack plan all week, wish me luck, lol 😜
Today I diagnosed an '04 E250 van, 4.6L #2 cylinder plug stripped out. Is this tool able to work in that tight area without removing the body from the frame?
I just did the #4 cylinder in a ford e350 v 10 exactly as the video stated. When I got the tread locker out of the bag cal van sent there was a note in the bag stating not to use the clip on the reamer. (too late) It sounds like they don' want a shelf left at the bottom of the hole. Since I was already threaded down to the groove in the tap which stopped at the shelf, I proceeded to install the insert and plug. It felt soft as I was trying to get to 17 ft. lbs so I stopped turning it any further. Time will tell if it still works. I wish I had read the comments first as I see Ron now recommends not using the clip on the reamer.
Even with the lower shelf on you should get a positive stop while tightening. The reason I stopped using the clip is because in the early days it was feared the hat would not seat all the way down. I still do it both ways. You might want to try tightening it a little more. You might have just felt the spark plug tightening into the insert and thats the softness you felt. Good luck
When these heads are off and planning on a rebuild would you recommend simply doing all 8 just because its off and for piece of mind? .. granted to do all 8 on the engine and pay someone to do it would be a shit load of money but to do with the heads off and porting the heads for racing the cost of 8 inserts is pretty much no big deal. and a lot of the steps you do in the video would not be needed with heads off but since the tool guid is based off valve cover or intake I might mock the heads up on a bare block simply to locate the tool on the valve cover and to keep the head from moving when reaming. Was looking into the seally tool but getting replacement inserts really looks to be a pain because no where do they even give part numbers except in the UK and not ordering inserts from across the globe. Going to use the tool to modify all the heads I port so it should pay for itself immediately.
Thanks Ron you're the Man This is a real video explains all that we need to know step by step no waste time at all ,,Thanks a lot I just did it on my 05 f150 and is back on the road again
Very good. You can get a USB camera that plugs into your phone for about $15. It works very well, I just doing this job the other day on a friends E350..:)
You can have any good saw and tool sharpening shop make that reamer new several times. No need for new one. Fantastic information well presented. Quite a service to part time mechanics.
You mentioned not knowing the reason for the undercut on the inserts. It is difficult to produce a full thread to a shoulder, hence an undercut slightly under the root diameter of the thread is used to allow a threaded device to shoulder out. The other option to achieve a definite shouldering is to countrebore the threaded hole.
I watched your other video and thanks it was good. I have done this now many times. I have and extra step.I use grease to catch the shavings to start with then I blow out the cylinder. That has worked well for me.
7/14/23. I have broken off plug in #2. 05 3 valve 5.4L. The threads are still in hole, a easy out will not remove them. Can I use the Cal-Van 39300 remer to cut through the plug threads? Or should I use a 9/16/14mm drill bit first?
My neighbor said the doorman was good put it in my great e super duty 350 work can just in excellent shape. It blew out leaving the thread part stuck in head. With lock tight on it. How do I get it out with out taking head off. It's the second up from driver side inside vehicle. Thks eddy.
Very good video, one question. I have a motorhome with the 5.4l no problems yet, should I do all 8 before this happens or hope for the best and if one goes, just do that one? It has 38,000 miles 2016
Keep your spark plugs tighten to 20 ft lbs every 30k and you'll be fine. I always used to recommend RV customers to call Denis and order a kit and keep it in the RV so if you have a failure some hole in the wall shop doesn't install the crap ones
Would like to know if you are doing one sparkplug, is it worth doing all of them while you are already under the hood to prevent any others from blowing out later
Your previous video helped me so much. I am so thankful for your video honestly. This happened on Bank 3 in my Grand Marquis. My friend and I got it done in less than a hour. Keep up the great work and best wishes.
Should one just go and fix all holes at ones. Even if not all have blown out. I have a number 10 blow out. Is there anything I should know ? Advise me on anything I would appreciate it.
Great video. However Our Ford dealership has had trouble with the stock spark plugs which are two pieces (!) coming apart. I put E 3 plugs in my two valve 4.6 engine in my Grand Marquis Ultimate Edition. My GT 500 Mustang does not have that problem and does have more than 4 threads holding the plug in thankfully.
On my vehicle on the #2 cylinder the spark plug sheared. And I wasn't home so I was limited on me fixing it. But I changed the engine. Is this what caused the spark plug to shear. The mechanic before me might have cranked the spark plug to 30 or 40 foot pounds and ran it to far down into the piston? This is all moot as the engine has been changed. But might this have been the cause? I have a used engine now should with new plugs and coils should I be pulling pistons and checking or just wait and see if one pops out?
Very informative, thanks Ron. A couple questions. How long can you drive with a blown plug without doing damage? Should that injector be unplugged to stop fuel delivery?
Stop driving asap. You will end up stranded on the side of the road once the plug comes all the way out. Worst case scenario unburnt fuel pushes up past the spark plug and causes a fire underhood. I'm researching this repair on a Land Cruiser - also an Aluminum head design - because mine failed yesterday.
Pretty sure I watched a video where the mechanic said the customer drove 700 miles to get it repaired. It runs ok with everything still connected, but to be safe they usually say to disconnect the electrical connectors for the offending coil pack and injector. When I did that, it went from running a little rough and sounding like a steam engine to not wanting to idle and just running like ass. But it did run. (Just had my second one pop a couple days ago, planning to do the job tomorrow.)
Do the heads need to be out before this procedure? Or can it be done without taking out the heads? Please let me know. I just installed new head gaskets n heads bolts on my 6.8l. Still waiting on few things to get here before shes ready to run. Thanks
I'm repairing a blown out right now. After I tapped the new threads I blew out the debris but looking in the cylinder it looks like a puddle of aluminum on each side. I wouldn't think that the drilling or tapping would have gotten hot enough to liquefy the shavings. Have you had that happen on any of them you've done? I've tried to get a couple of things in there to break it loose if it is in facts puddle of aluminum but couldn't really get anything to get over to the side of the cylinder. I sent some pictures to Cal van this morning. No reply yet. Great videos. Thanks
I have an 03 F150 and the back plug in the passenger side blew. Anything special to know to do this plug with the CalVan kit? It looks like lots of stuff in the way including the fuel rail. Any tips for this ? Thx!
Many years ago I stripped a spark plug hole on a Suzuki 1000 motorcycle. I rigged compressed air to the exhaust. Then rotated engine till air blew out that hole. Exhaust open Intake valve closed. Greased tap and tapped hole. Air blows material out past tap. Grease captures minute particles.
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As old as this video is, it's still worth watching this. I'm about to tackle my 98 f150 5.4 on cylinder 8, blew clean out the cylinder. My buddy has a 5.4 in a expedition with almost a million miles and cylinder 8 as well.
Hi Ron. I just wanted to say thank you so much for your videos. My sister-in-law has a 1999 Expedition and lives in Northern CA and I'm in SoCal. She had cylinder #3 plug blow out and ruin the coil about 6 months ago and had it repaired in NorCal. While visiting SoCal recently she had #2 plug blow out and ruin the coil also. I decided to change all 8 plugs and coils as the engine has 120,000 miles. I started changing the plugs with cylinder #1 and realized that the threads were stripped and that was the start of installing the inserts with the cal-van kit. I then repaired cylinder #2 and when I took the plug out for cylinder #3, (which was previously repaired) the insert the mechanic used came out with the plug. It was one of those cheap inserts with no shelf on it. Thankfully those were the only 3 I had to install inserts in. Cylinder 4,7 and 8 are the most difficult. The kit obviously didn't come with a clip to use with the tap so what I did was put a zip tie around the tap and was careful when tapping to make sure not to push the zip tie and allow the tap to fall in. Although I bought the cal-van kit, long flexible blow gun and bore-scope I saved a ton of money doing the work myself. If someone else reads this and decides to do the job themselves, DON'T skimp out on the bore-scope. It was a huge help. Once again Ron thanks for the awesome videos! Sorry to be long winded.
Man, honestly how is it holding up. My 5.4 blew a plug out last year and I put a 4.6 in it that I thought was good. Long story short the 4.6 was locked up so now I'm going back to the 5.4 and I am looking into the Cal van set. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. The problem cylinder is #4 but the motor is already out so I've got plenty of room to work on it.
@@codyswilley I would defiantly do all 8 cylinders since the engine is out. Considering the age of this video you probably have addressed the issue. Can't understand why you would go to all the labor changing engines. The 5.4 despite the sparkplug problem are not a bad engine, many have over 250,000 miles on the clock and still run well.
Awesome instruction. I couldn’t get time-cert to ever reply and then found your videos.
My #9 blew out at 201k this last week. I got a Lowe’s camera with a 11.4 mm diameter low res but worked well.
I have a big shop and many projects in they way. But after watching the videos it didn’t even make sense to move stuff around to get the truck inside. About 1 hour 15 minutes I was done. Most of it was getting the air wand the right length so I could spray chips from the #9 hole. And my little compressor had to recover more than my big shop compressor.
Also the Calvan kit has a sticker inside saying each insert was checked for quality. I double confirmed it against the tap thread and prechecked the plug before Inserting it
Thanks!!
Several years ago my 2000 F 150 5.4 Triton blew a plug out. Fortunately I found this video , followed it painstakingly carefully and it was totally successful. Lot of miles and a lot of time later it still is great . Completely recommend this method .
I watched and read alot when it happened to my 1999 v10, but your video made the most sense. Did the job 4 days ago with total success. Thanks from this retired carpenter. Great videos. I'll keep the kit and equipment in the RV in case it happens again. Respect.
Ron,thank you for the information. I've never had a problem with my expedition tell light blew a spark plug. It sounded like a tank everybody was giving me the wrong advice.blow motor. Cadillac converter. I got more hope and that I could do this. It went smoothly with the right tools. thank you 🔧
Quick tip I use for what it's worth to ya .. I use a remote starter switch on the hot and solenoid .. I'm sure you know this trick but I usually work alone .. also I cut my threads with a ratchet by hand. It doesn't take long just seems safer to do it that way slow and steady
Where are you located
n7 after a 1500km non stop drive ,80 km from home, bang, at least she limped home,
thanks so much ,shiting myself, having a US truck in Australia is a pain to get parts ,but its the best vehicle ive owned, i bloody love it
Thank you. I was about to buy any ole insert sold off the shelf until I watched your videos. I bought the calvan kit. Thanks from Detroit mi. 2004 f-250. 2 valvue
Thanks for the video, glad someone finally put one up with the terrible dorman shade tree repair. My boss decided to take our e350 to a shop for a blown out plug awhile back and that's the fix they put in. It lasted maybe a week, and literally melted the 3 valve plug. I did some homework, found the cal van kit and had him order it, but I didn't know if I'd face more difficulties repairing the half assed repair from "proffesionals".
Well done and very much appreciated! My very first one was #8 on a 5.4, did it all by hand, no power tools, I was too scared. I used the ABN brand insert tool from Amazon, and waited 48 hours for the loctite to set before inserting the plug. So far so good, but your method would have been much better. My second one was #4 on a different 5.4; can't seem to get the customers convinced to pay extra to have the rest of them checked. Both were Expeditions, 1996 & 1997 all with over 190,000 mi.
Thank you.
I did one on a Ford Escort Wagon years ago. The place my wife was at told her it needed a head job. I used a rethread kit and a piece of tubing to vacuum out the chips. I had an old timer tell me how to do it. The kit you bought is the right way to do those and being you have done this for years, the whiners can sit and spin.
Thank you Mr. Williams. The plug in my 1998 4.6 (2-valve) broke flush leaving the metal portion stuck in the head, resisting ANY ease-out attempts. Understanding that the process you present here was a viable solution, I was emboldened to (gingerly, in 1/32" dia. steps) drill the metal plug out to 19/32" bore, to use the Cal-Van 11/16" reamer. Having seen your presentation, helped me to get to a solution and restore my truck. Thank you Again.
Hi Ron excellent video! I have a 2001 Excursion I bought in 2012 with 116,000 miles on it. about 2 years ago I blew my first spark plug the mileage was then 144,000 miles. My local mechanic who I have gone to for quite a while explained the insert fix and wanted to put new sparkplugs in the other 9 cylinders I agreed. On September 16 2020 I blew my fourth sparkplug since this tune up 2 years ago. The 3 he put inserts in have been fine. The ones blowing were the new plugs he put in. I talked to him today and I told him about your video I found about the calvan kit.He said he never heard of them but said he would watch it. I love my Excursion its my fishing truck and is still in very good condition except for the damn plugs! He always says I should get rid of it that it will cost too much money if one of the inserts pops out with the sparkplug and ruins the head. I live in the midwest so I can't bring it to you. Hopefully he will watch your video and THANK YOU for your time
Don't sell that truck. Sell the mechanic for telling you to. Most of the inserts I install for customers that have been done before can still be fixed by the calvan kit. But I've seen so many damaged cylinder heads as a result of save a thread inserts I had to make people aware.
@@SandCarServices Will do I got another guy who is very good with Ford trucks but his shop usually has about a 3 week back log but I will stop by there tomorrow
Ron, Im not a machenic, but a electronics engineer, it's still a great video, and this seems a much better fix than the dealers suggested fix . Great video and great videography!
Ron I watched all of your videos on this process and bought the same kit. Of course the cylinder I had to repair was #8 the hardest one to get to. Once I got the fuel rail out of the way so I could reach the cylinder it took about 50 minutes to Ream, Tap and put in the insert. Was the first time I ever have attempted a repair of that level. Would have never attempted the repair without your wisdom on RUclips. Thanks you saved me thousands of dollars. I am going to do all the other cylinders to prevent future issues.
You are welcome. But just in case any of my followers are reading this. I have never on any Triton engine had to pull fuel rail to install an insert. But I understand how it makes you do-it-yourselfers feel like it gives you more room. Happy to help.
Your videos are not boring, and very informative and much appreciated.
Thank you, and yet people still complain and walk away with information they didn't work or pay for! LoL 🤣
Ron you are really paying it forward. I could have talked to you for an hour. You have given me the confidence to do this repair. Thanks again aka the republican in the Bay Area.
Hey Ron I have a 2003 mustang gt 4.6 2 valve that shot a plug out can I use the Cal Van 39300 to do the repair just curious cause all of these kits only mention the 3 valve 4.6
No the 38300 is 3 valve only. The 38900 is the 2 valve kit
@@SandCarServices ok thanks so if I didn't live so far away from you I would have had you done it great video very very informational great works thanks so much and have a blessed day
Thanks for the video. Another kit you should get commission on. And it came with the e-clip. Your video was very useful and made the job go pretty smooth. #7 on a 5.4L Expedition 2v. I plan to just do them all and add fresh coil packs and plugs so I shouldn't have to worry about them for a while. I had to order more adapters as #4 on my 6.8L Excursion blew as well. I'm doing the modification, plugs and coils on that when the parts show up. We were to chicken to use the air ratchet for threading. It went very well using the old manual ratchet. Your trick with the air hose to determine when the valves closed was probably the most beneficial. Thanks.
Thanks. Got a v10 van and #3 cylinder plug blew ten minutes out of Albuquerque. I pulled over and disconnected the COP and injector. I’ve driven this thing for at least a thousand miles back to and around California. I’m real tired of sounding like the Beverly Hillbillies or Chitty Chitty bang bang everywhere I go. Money has been tight, but I am getting this done next week, if the bit will fit under the van firewall. Thanks for the vid!
Cal-Van owes you another free reamer!, i just ordered a kit after watching a couple of your videos. Thanks for the info.
Your welcome. Funny they finally sent me some free stuff but half of the inserts they sent me were defective! LOL
@@SandCarServices Were they stainless steel ?The inserts that I got in my CAL VAN insert kit from TOOL DISCOUNTER,are not stainless steel. I knew that as soon as I opened the kit, because to my knowledge stainless is not black in color and is certainly never magnetic.This kit has the CAL VAN logo and the website on it. It is also labeled the 2 valve 38900 kit. So I see no reason why this kit doesn't have the same inserts that you show in your videos.
Up till now all the cal van inserts I have installed have been stainless steel. One of the owners called me a while back shortly after I posted the quality control video and one of the questions he asked was something about either bluing or anodizing them black. I have not recorded inserts in 6 months and only have 5 left in my box. I guess I'll find out. But steel, stainless steel, makes no difference to me as long as they continue to keep making them the same way with a huge hat on top. That what makes it so much better than a save a thread or a time cert.
Sr first of all tanks so much for taking your time to make this helpfull videos to help all ford fans...i wish i could work with you but i live in chicago and you are in california im a student but i have few years of experience working on cars and i know how hard is sometimes to work on anything in a car..so that why i believe that every ford fan that watches this video should tank you for your time and help..God blees you
Thank you so much Ron. Watching your videos has help me with an issue that I thought wasn't repairable. I love my truck, and when I had this problem, I thought that my truck was ruined. I thought that I had to, either buy a new engine, or just get a new truck. I saw your videos while I was looking up this issue that I had. I thought about even sending my vehicle to you to fix at first because I'm not in your area, but it would've been really expensive for me to do that. So I thought about it, and through out watching your videos I had hope that I can get this done myself. I bought all the tools and the kits that you have, and now I have the job done. My truck is running so great now, thanks to you. It's because of your step-by-step, walk-through repair videos that my truck is now running pristine. So I have to say, "sincerely" thank you so much, for the heads up / on hands / professional advice. Thank you for sharing your experienced "how to" knowledge with the correct tools, and the proper kits to buy. God bless you Ron, and again, "THANK YOU MAN"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
pjeffc123 I am Feeling the Same Right Now! I Now have Hope !
Hi I'm watching from Brooklyn NYC ,thank you for sharing your knowledge .I have 2004 Ford E350 5.4 L and are have some issues with black smoke coming out of the muffler .Having a hard finding a knowledgeable mechanic to diagnose and fix the problem .Do you know of a good mechanic in NYC who can help me ,or do you have an idea what's causing the issues with my van .And do you do work in NYC.
Great video, you are the man! When my first plug blew out, I went ahead and did all the rest just to have it over with. Haven't regretted doing it and its a good selling point for the vehicle as well. Thank you
I considered doing this (Honda 1.5) but didn't want to throw more variables in mid fix, nicely done
Great video Ron, saved my old Ford!, I've got a 2000 F150, 146,000 miles, #7 blew on mine, glad I found your video and Cal-Van kit recommendation....and yes Cal-Van should be takeing good care of you for that...so as I'm in there I replaced other plugs as well, 5 of the remaining 7 I removed by hand !! Thanks for the heads up and great instructional!, have a great day and God bless you
Hey Ron. I followed your instructions to the letter and wanted to send you a big THANK YOU!!. I fixed my 03 Crown Vic yesterday and she runs like a top again.
I wish I lived near you, I'd have you do my truck in a heartbeat. Since I'm in Va I'll have to do it myself. Thank you for the wonderful video. 😊
3 things. 1, after tapping, the 1/16 remaining might be by design not only to stop the tap from dropping in, but also help stop the gases from riding up the threads. 2. when i tapped by hand and reached all the way through the bottom of the hole, i could feel it give and get very easy so i knew to stop and back out, then checked w bore scope. (when i test fit the new plug in the insert, the plug was recessed slightly so i didn't want to add another 1/16" in fear the plug would not be in it's normal position and affect firing timing.)3. if you get a spark plug blow out while driving, it sounds bad like a loud motor boat and freaks you out...i suggest turning on emergency blinkers, slowing down and pulling over and stopping asap. Unplug the connector to the related fuel injector and the coil pack to the blown plug to avoid a potential fire. The truck will run very rough and may even stall out when you stop at lights (just restart when light turns green, or put it in neutral and keep giving it a little gas to prevent stalling), but it still should be drivable to get you home or to a shop/nearby parking lot.
A couple tips from my repair. If you have trouble getting all the shavings out like I did, hand rotate engine so that it is at TDC and valves are still closed then try again. With the piston up it did the trick. Second thing is that the tap required about 100 ft lb at the halfway threaded point so if using an air ratchet you will need a really powerful one. I just switched to a torque wrench and did it slowly and worked it back and forth about 3 turns in, 1 turn out. Also, when you buy a boroscope camera, try to get camera head in the 5.5 to 8.5 mm range so it easily fits through the hole .
therockkkkher it was cylinder #3 at 73k miles on an F250. It is a 2002
therockkkkher they were original.
therockkkkher the plugs begin to loosen and then rattle or move up and down on the threads with each compression and exhaust cycle. That gradually fatigues the threads. From what I have read check torque but don't over torque. I would not do antisieze between plugs and stock head. I plan next month to install inserts in the other 7 cylinders so it's done.
Hey Ron how do I reach you I have a 6.8 2000 excursion
Thank you! You're video was great. I just completed this repair on a 2002 Ford f150. It worked like a charm and I've never done tap and die before. Your articulated yourself in a manner that a home mechanic such as myself could relate and that was it is very much appreciated.
The only suggestion I have, is you say and the instructions say a decent air ratchet. to a lot of people including myself that's a bit ambiguous. I used an Ingersoll Rand with the 70 lb of torque and it did the job just fine. Maybe somewhere in the comments below you could suggest a minimum specs for the type of air ratchet somebody should use.
Again, thank you.
About to head out in the garage and install an insert in my 99 F250 #2. Your video helped ease my concerns. Thanks!
Thanks from NYC. Fingers crossed I get this right. I've studied your detailed videos on this all week.
Thank you very much I did mine watching your video and it went so smooth zero problems.. SO F... THOSE HATERS THEY ARE EVERYWHERE. YOU JUST KEEP DOING WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU AGAIN
Thx. I just used a Cal Van insert on my 2001 V-10 Excursion. Job went well with zero drama.
I replace all 8 when I rebuilt my motor. The threads looked weak and I didn't want to have to fix it later. I had two inserts that the outer thread would not fit. I get a tap and die set and fix them from Harbor Freight for the double the cost of two replacements. Now I have a new Tap and Die set for all my needs. I enjoy fixing things for cheap.
Thanks Ron, I'm getting ready to do number 5 on 2 valve 10. I have not tried this but on these trucks fir diagnostics putting the throttle to the floor will not let the truck start. I'm going to try that when setting up BDC with the provided air poper.😊
That’s a 2v? Cuz you used the e clip on the hone and the Calvan official video drills to the pin and all the way through.
So which is it? To I drill all the way through or not?
Awesome job. You did great explanation on your first video too. I had my spark plug blow on my 2003 Ford explorer 4.6L V8.
As a Tool and Die Maker, I'd say
that a better explaination why
the plugs damage the threads
and pull out at 30 lbs. torque is
cuz the stress of that torque is
only spread over 4 1/2 threads
as opposed to the much needed
full 10 threads as on the plug itself.
Thank you I re-tapped and replace a spark plug and a 2000 Ford expedition for my son he is so happy he got the truck we're only 500 had to spend a couple hundred on the tool kit but it was worth it
Did you keep the shelf on the bottom of the head from not letting the reamer go all the way through?
Great video and explanation. Only critique is add a section on removing an old helicoil prior to the calvan repair.
I will note that the most recent CalVan kit I received specified to only use the "E-Clip" in the thread tap. "DO NOT USE E-CLIP IN REAMER. Reamer lengths may vary slightly. Use of e-clip in reamer may not allow enough material to be removed to allow insert to be positioned properly. The roll pin acts as the stop for the reamer." - as stated on information within the kit.
thanks for the info, i purchased a used once kit from ebay, came with pretty much the extras for the job(air blower rod, air ratchet, cam, and jb weld) $224 just missing 1 insert. it did not come with the e clip which i have seen on most kits.
The CalVan 38900 kit doesn't come with e-clips, because according to the directions that came with the kit, you are supposed to drill through to the combustion chamber. The stop pin that comes pre-installed into the reamer will prevent the reamer from going past the guide and into the combustion chamber. The e-clip comes with the CalVan 39300 kit designed for 3 valve engines which prevents the reamer from drilling through to the combustion chamber. The guides used are different lengths between the 2 kits.
Dang Ron! You are one detailed and meticulous dude.. Awsome vid!👍
Great detailed video! On a related note, the force of the ejecting spark plug (#4) not only took out the coil, but pulled one of the wires out of the coil connector plug. Difficult to see at first, but it was only running on 7 cylinders after the repair, so a little diagnosis showed the damaged connector. Easily replaced with a new pig tail from O'Reillys.
for those of us who are cheap you could use the remainder of the JB weld you mixed up to glue the ear back on the coil pack and then reinstall it after it hardened up for a few hours
I don’t even own a Ford but would help a friend perform the fix since I’ve been working on cars since 1973 and would enjoy the challenge.
Ron, you mentioned looking to verify the reamer put the hole in the center. Does it often miss and ream the hole off center? How far off can it be before it's ruined the head?
About to go through this for the second time on this truck. Your videos are fantastic and really lay it out there simple and concise. Thanks.
Extremely helpful. I noticed you use the E-clip on the reamer. The instructions don't mention that. The instructions only speak of using the E-clip on the tap and that the e-clip should be placed in the slot closest to the hex end of the tap.
Thank you so much for all the info you saved me a trip to a mechanic that would of punch in the coil that you dont recommend .so I'm gana try to do this my self my trucks been down for a month now and if I have to buy that kit myself to so it right just like your video its worth it I would've taken it to you but im down in texas
Just had my plug blow out on Cylinder #5, was on the scale at the landfill and when I restarted my truck I heard the pop and then what I though was a exhaust leak, like on one of my modified Volkswagens when I blew the flex pipe out. Figured it out pretty quick, kind of a weird easy to fix problem for Ford not to make a solution for on new engines. Unfortunately my a family is very short on cash trying to start my own business currently so I will have to make my old Jetta a farm truck for a bit.
Thanks again for your time to show us a great repair my 2000 excursion appreciates it
I got one plug broken in a 1.6 ecoboost. Its due to galvanic corrosion. Nothing but threads left, and the plug is a little different than those shielded triton plugs. I blew the porcelain out by way of compression stroke. Ive been developing an attack plan all week, wish me luck, lol 😜
Mr. Williams, thank you for taking the time to share some of your valuable knowledge.
Thanks for the great video.was able to do the job with ease after watching you
Today I diagnosed an '04 E250 van, 4.6L #2 cylinder plug stripped out. Is this tool able to work in that tight area without removing the body from the frame?
The info in your videos is great but the whistle breathing from your helpers nose drives me bananas. 😂
I just did the #4 cylinder in a ford e350 v 10 exactly as the video stated. When I got the tread locker out of the bag cal van sent there was a note in the bag stating not to use the clip on the reamer. (too late) It sounds like they don' want a shelf left at the bottom of the hole. Since I was already threaded down to the groove in the tap which stopped at the shelf, I proceeded to install the insert and plug. It felt soft as I was trying to get to 17 ft. lbs so I stopped turning it any further. Time will tell if it still works. I wish I had read the comments first as I see Ron now recommends not using the clip on the reamer.
Even with the lower shelf on you should get a positive stop while tightening. The reason I stopped using the clip is because in the early days it was feared the hat would not seat all the way down. I still do it both ways. You might want to try tightening it a little more. You might have just felt the spark plug tightening into the insert and thats the softness you felt. Good luck
When these heads are off and planning on a rebuild would you recommend simply doing all 8 just because its off and for piece of mind? .. granted to do all 8 on the engine and pay someone to do it would be a shit load of money but to do with the heads off and porting the heads for racing the cost of 8 inserts is pretty much no big deal. and a lot of the steps you do in the video would not be needed with heads off but since the tool guid is based off valve cover or intake I might mock the heads up on a bare block simply to locate the tool on the valve cover and to keep the head from moving when reaming. Was looking into the seally tool but getting replacement inserts really looks to be a pain because no where do they even give part numbers except in the UK and not ordering inserts from across the globe. Going to use the tool to modify all the heads I port so it should pay for itself immediately.
3:35 to 4:05, damn right brother!!! People you recommend them to, should let them know it’s you who sends them their way.
Thanks Ron you're the Man This is a real video explains all that we need to know step by step no waste time at all ,,Thanks a lot I just did it on my 05 f150 and is back on the road again
You are welcome
Very good. You can get a USB camera that plugs into your phone for about $15. It works very well, I just doing this job the other day on a friends E350..:)
You can have any good saw and tool sharpening shop make that reamer new several times. No need for new one. Fantastic information well presented. Quite a service to part time mechanics.
You mentioned not knowing the reason for the undercut on the inserts. It is difficult to produce a full thread to a shoulder, hence an undercut slightly under the root diameter of the thread is used to allow a threaded device to shoulder out. The other option to achieve a definite shouldering is to countrebore the threaded hole.
I just used Time Sert Big Sert on the 3.0 Duratec engine that blew a previously repaired plug.
I watched your other video and thanks it was good. I have done this now many times. I have and extra step.I use grease to catch the shavings to start with then I blow out the cylinder. That has worked well for me.
7/14/23. I have broken off plug in #2. 05 3 valve 5.4L. The threads are still in hole, a easy out will not remove them. Can I use the Cal-Van 39300 remer to cut through the plug threads? Or should I use a 9/16/14mm drill bit first?
Ron if this is a common thing qhy soant ford make a thicker spark plug to go in to the new thread instead of putting the cal van insert
"My assistant this, my assistant that" 😂
Bro, I would put the camera down
When you install plugs in a good head, you say torque to 17ft/lbs. do you use anti seize? What is procedure for installing into insert? Same?
I agree. They should be replacing your bits at no cost.
Can a blown thread be repaired more than twice? Looking to see if I can fix an issue with an 04 5.4l. Haven't had the chance to look at the truck yet.
Ron this vid. gets a lot of views but not so many likes. You get one from me bud.
Help I have a 99E 350 super duty 5.4 two valves , I’m wondering if the 38900 calvan set is the one I need for this van ?
Thank you Ron you are the man.
My neighbor said the doorman was good put it in my great e super duty 350 work can just in excellent shape. It blew out leaving the thread part stuck in head. With lock tight on it. How do I get it out with out taking head off. It's the second up from driver side inside vehicle. Thks eddy.
Very good video, one question. I have a motorhome with the 5.4l no problems yet, should I do all 8 before this happens or hope for the best and if one goes, just do that one?
It has 38,000 miles 2016
Keep your spark plugs tighten to 20 ft lbs every 30k and you'll be fine. I always used to recommend RV customers to call Denis and order a kit and keep it in the RV so if you have a failure some hole in the wall shop doesn't install the crap ones
Would like to know if you are doing one sparkplug, is it worth doing all of them while you are already under the hood to prevent any others from blowing out later
Your previous video helped me so much. I am so thankful for your video honestly. This happened on Bank 3 in my Grand Marquis. My friend and I got it done in less than a hour. Keep up the great work and best wishes.
Also I completely agree that Calvan should do you some sort of favor. lol
I’m a big fan of yours question: what’s a three valve differ and how hard is a 5.4 van to do
You can find a video i did on the difference between a 2 and 3 valve on my channel. And the vans can be done but are a pain sometimes
Thank you for the help! Is there anything special that you need too do before starting the engine?
Should one just go and fix all holes at ones. Even if not all have blown out. I have a number 10 blow out. Is there anything I should know ? Advise me on anything I would appreciate it.
Great video. However Our Ford dealership has had trouble with the stock spark plugs which are two pieces (!) coming apart. I put E 3 plugs in my two valve 4.6 engine in my Grand Marquis Ultimate Edition. My GT 500 Mustang does not have that problem and does have more than 4 threads holding the plug in thankfully.
On my vehicle on the #2 cylinder the spark plug sheared. And I wasn't home so I was limited on me fixing it. But I changed the engine. Is this what caused the spark plug to shear. The mechanic before me might have cranked the spark plug to 30 or 40 foot pounds and ran it to far down into the piston? This is all moot as the engine has been changed. But might this have been the cause? I have a used engine now should with new plugs and coils should I be pulling pistons and checking or just wait and see if one pops out?
Very informative, thanks Ron. A couple questions. How long can you drive with a blown plug without doing damage? Should that injector be unplugged to stop fuel delivery?
Stop driving asap. You will end up stranded on the side of the road once the plug comes all the way out. Worst case scenario unburnt fuel pushes up past the spark plug and causes a fire underhood. I'm researching this repair on a Land Cruiser - also an Aluminum head design - because mine failed yesterday.
Pretty sure I watched a video where the mechanic said the customer drove 700 miles to get it repaired. It runs ok with everything still connected, but to be safe they usually say to disconnect the electrical connectors for the offending coil pack and injector. When I did that, it went from running a little rough and sounding like a steam engine to not wanting to idle and just running like ass. But it did run. (Just had my second one pop a couple days ago, planning to do the job tomorrow.)
I drove 80+ miles to get home when mine blew. Loud and rough but no fires.
👍👍👍 thank you for the video, everything you explained very well. thanks for all the info .👍👍
I have an 06 mercury with a steel insert in it does not work & can’t get it out do you have any suggestions
Worked great
Thank you for this video!
What do you do when you have a spark plug that's strip in side the cylinder ... And I do have the calvan kit .. oh the plug will not come out ..
Do the heads need to be out before this procedure? Or can it be done without taking out the heads? Please let me know. I just installed new head gaskets n heads bolts on my 6.8l.
Still waiting on few things to get here before shes ready to run. Thanks
I have an 01 Ford F150 the #3 spark plug & coil keep blowing... What am I doing wrong & why is it only that one that keeps blowing?
I'm repairing a blown out right now. After I tapped the new threads I blew out the debris but looking in the cylinder it looks like a puddle of aluminum on each side. I wouldn't think that the drilling or tapping would have gotten hot enough to liquefy the shavings. Have you had that happen on any of them you've done? I've tried to get a couple of things in there to break it loose if it is in facts puddle of aluminum but couldn't really get anything to get over to the side of the cylinder. I sent some pictures to Cal van this morning. No reply yet. Great videos.
Thanks
I have an 03 F150 and the back plug in the passenger side blew. Anything special to know to do this plug with the CalVan kit? It looks like lots of stuff in the way including the fuel rail. Any tips for this ? Thx!
How long to you let the insert set up (dry) before it's ready to drive ?
Many years ago I stripped a spark plug hole on a Suzuki 1000 motorcycle. I rigged compressed air to the exhaust. Then rotated engine till air blew out that hole. Exhaust open Intake valve closed. Greased tap and tapped hole. Air blows material out past tap. Grease captures minute particles.
Ron excellent video! Very informative and helpful,thank you for your time and effort in!
Can use these in 5.4that spark plug has not blown thanks
Will this work on a 2006 model? 4.6 litre v8
2 valve
Calvan told me they have only tested up to a 2003. Thanks!
What is tap/insert diameter? Stripped aluminium threads with extraction tool and hope this CalVan adapter will fix.
OUTSIDE OF REAMER IS APROX 11/16" OUTER DIAMETER
Is there a oversized cal van kit for a 5.4 Ford spark plug