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1997 E350 6.8L triton V10


cfrank2
01-26-2008, 08:10 PM
i am changing the spark plugs on my van and i was wondering if anyone has any tips or hints to make the job easier to do? also will it hurt if i leave off the 2 black covers that cover the ignition coil injector wiring?

Thank you

WilleyB
02-17-2008, 09:55 AM
How many miles do you have on it? Do you have a good torque wrench? Do you have lots of 3/8 drive extensions and a universal? A decent spark plug socket with the rubber insert to hold the plugs? A piece of hose is better for starting the new plugs into the threads. The heads are aluminum and have only about 5 or 6 threads, don't leave loose, or tighten too much and definately do not get the plug cross threaded.
Get a new set of Spark Plug Boots its worthwhile doing especially if they are older and have in excess of 30,000 miles. I haven't done mine yet but here is a proceedure from one who did it sucessfully

Blow out the dirt arround the COP.
Remove the 7mm screw holding the COP.
Pull up and remove the COP.
Press the tab and unplug the COP.
Blow out the spark plug hole.
Inspect the plug using a mirror.
Blow out again if necessary.
Loosen the plug using the spark plug socket and rachet.
Blow out again.
Inspect again.
Unscrew and remove plug
Lightly coat the plug threads with anti-seize. ( this is controversial, I would not do)
Put the new plug in the spark plug socket. (I would use a piece of hose better sense of feel)
Carefully start the plug. Make sure it is not cross threaded.
Torque the plug to 132 in lb.
Pull the spark plug boot off the COP.
Put ignition grease on the inner surface of both ends of the new boot and iinstall the boot on the COP.
Seat the boot and COP on top of the new plug.
Put anti-seize on the COP screw.
Secure the COP with the screw.
Repeat 9 more times.Cheers Willis

Jack4161
03-07-2010, 07:56 AM
Lightly coat the plug threads with anti-seize. ( this is controversial, I would not do)

Great answer overall but using anti-sieze sparingly on spark plugs is an excellent way to keep from eventually pulling and replacing a head down the road. All you need is a little bit of crud build up on the bottom end of the spark plug thread and then when you remove it next time and the threads are dry it will destroy the aluminum thread in the head as you remove it. Seen too many people go through this.

I have been using anti-sieze since 1963 on threads and gasket mating surfaces e.g. thermostat housings etc. Start out with a clean smooth surface and you will never have a leak and save a lot of time the next time you need to do a repair.

I used to use it on boiler sight gauges mating glass and steel with a thin gasket at 600 lbs pressure and never had a leak. so you really don't need sealing compound on gaskets. just a clean smooth mating surface a gasket and some anti-sieze.

WilleyB
03-08-2010, 06:06 PM
Great answer overall but using anti-sieze sparingly on spark plugs is an excellent way to keep from eventually pulling and replacing a head down the road. All you need is a little bit of crud build up on the bottom end of the spark plug thread and then when you remove it next time and the threads are dry it will destroy the aluminum thread in the head as you remove it. Seen too many people go through this.

I have been using anti-sieze since 1963 on threads and gasket mating surfaces e.g. thermostat housings etc. Start out with a clean smooth surface and you will never have a leak and save a lot of time the next time you need to do a repair.

I used to use it on boiler sight gauges mating glass and steel with a thin gasket at 600 lbs pressure and never had a leak. so you really don't need sealing compound on gaskets. just a clean smooth mating surface a gasket and some anti-sieze.
Hi Jack, wow! a lot of water under the bridge since I posted that. You are 100% correct about using the anti-seize (it should be the copper based for the Ford)
The list came from a person on the Ford forum but after many discussions later it was confirmed that torquing the plugs to 168 lb. inch (14 lb ft) using the paste, was the equivalent to torquing them to 45 lb foot dry (no anti seize) so 14 ft lb of torque without the paste would be looking for trouble and one would likely get it as the plug came loose.

Cheers
Willey

Jack4161
03-12-2010, 11:10 AM
Willey,

I wish I had known of this plug blowout problem before I bought my camper. It hasn't happened yet but it worries me. It is incredible that they could design an engine so poorly. Maybe they need to design a spark plug with a castelated nut to keep it in place. :banghead:

About torquing..I never torqued anything in my life on an automoblie (other than a head) and just went by feel but the crap metal they use these days pretty much requires a torque wrench for everything.

IMO aviation metallurgy is pretty advanced but the automotive stuff stinks.

Cheers,
Jack

WilleyB
03-13-2010, 07:12 PM
Willey,

I wish I had known of this plug blowout problem before I bought my camper. It hasn't happened yet but it worries me. It is incredible that they could design an engine so poorly. Maybe they need to design a spark plug with a castelated nut to keep it in place. :banghead:

About torquing..I never torqued anything in my life on an automoblie (other than a head) and just went by feel but the crap metal they use these days pretty much requires a torque wrench for everything.

IMO aviation metallurgy is pretty advanced but the automotive stuff stinks.

Cheers,
Jack

Hi Jack, there really isn't a great problem. I did a search on this last year and found out a lot of 4 cylinder cars had the same problem. There was a few GM products and Toyota's, they all have lots of threads in the heads for plugs, it's just one of those aluminum head things. Lack of maintenance or Improper installation is the most likely cause. Mine blew out #3 spark plug in the fall of 2007. I had it repaired and all the plugs replaced. Didn't do much with it in 2008 (didn't understand the problem and didn't trust the engine).. However this past year knowing better we set out again on a 8000 mile trip with the belief we wouldn't have problems, and we didn't. I checked the torque on the plugs before we left (they were all good) and now knowing the sound that will happen days before the plug will blow, I doubt I'll ever worry about that again. It's a good engine. When you consider the number of these Triton V10's that have been sold and the small percentage plug blow out's it's a minor problem.
The warning sound is like an exhaust leak varying with the RPM of the engine. I'm quite deaf so I don't hear it, my wife has great hearing so I will pay attention from now on if she ever says she hears the sound again.
Enjoy your rig and stop worrying about something that isn't likely to happen. Check the spark plug torque every 30,000 miles and change the plugs at each 90,000. There are a couple of these engines with over 500,000 miles on them on the Ford forum. Mine has 120,000 miles on it and I don't intend trading it any time soon, maybe never and maybe I'll be buried before it dies.
Torque wrenches today are easy to use, just set the torque value you want on the vernier dial. Apply tightening pressure to the part being torqued, when the torque wrench clicks that's it, the torque is reached, (set or checked) time to move on to the next item to be torqued.

I posted a procedure for checking the V10 Spark plug torque on an E350 somewhere (most likely the ford forum,) I'll copy it and post it here also.

Now for your peace of mind, when the plug blew on ours, it was a Sunday and on a secondary highway in the boondocks. There was little else to do but keep driving. We had about 250 miles to go for a Ford dealer and a place to stay while being repaired, so I figured 9 cylinders would get us there and it did. There was lots of power, we did 55 mph and locked out the overdrive on the steep hills. The engine run reasonably smooth but boy was it loud, just like if the muffler fell off.
Two quick questions
1/ How many miles on your rig?
2/ When were the plugs changed last?

Cheers
Willey

Jack4161
03-14-2010, 04:39 PM
Two quick questions
1/ How many miles on your rig?
2/ When were the plugs changed last?

Cheers
Willey

Willey,

Thanks for this info. I was over to the storage place to check the mileage. It is 52600 and I don't know what if anything was ever done to it. Would you suggest changing the plugs now. I do have to check/clean the MAF and check for a vacuum leak due to some codes P171 and p174.

Cheers and thanks again

Jack

WilleyB
03-14-2010, 09:30 PM
Willey,

Thanks for this info. I was over to the storage place to check the mileage. It is 52600 and I don't know what if anything was ever done to it. Would you suggest changing the plugs now. I do have to check/clean the MAF and check for a vacuum leak due to some codes P171 and p174.

Cheers and thanks again

Jack

Hi Jack, no I wouldn't change the plugs until 90,000 miles, but I would check the torque on each. 168 inch lb or 14 foot Lb. as I believe it should be checked at 60,000. Most likely the plugs in your unit are the original plugs from Ford.

Once you've done a torque check on the plugs, it won't seem like such a foreboding task to replace them.

Have you read up on cleaning the MAF? (important), and for vacuum leaks check those elbow and joiners most likely places for leaks.

What is your E350, a Van Excursion or a motor home?

Cheers
Willey

Jack4161
03-15-2010, 08:51 AM
What is your E350, a Van Excursion or a motor home?




Hi Willey,

Mine is a 1998 26 ft Dutchmen Express motorhome. Vehicle is a 1997 E350Triton V10 6.8 L. I presume not uncommon for them to get a vehicle new from Ford one year and when the motorhome is installed the motorhome is a newer model year after the retrofit.

Cheers and thanks for all this info and advice.

Jack

WilleyB
03-15-2010, 07:31 PM
Mine is a 1998 26 ft Dutchmen Express motorhome

OK! the following will apply.
I haven't changed mine (they were done summer of 2007 after the plug blowout) but I have checked the Torque on each, and it's not hard to do, but it is time consuming.

Take the passenger seat out (4 bolts) put it back in the coach, now you have lots of room for your body comfort. If you are left handed maybe the driver seat would be better (I'm not sure about that as I'm right handed)
Remove the dog house. Unbolt the transmission filler pipe and carefully pull it toward yourself and move it to the right side out of the way.
Start unhooking the injector and COP harness (small screwdriver to release the clips) on cylinders 3;4;5;
Remove the air filter assembly for access to the front plugs on each side, then the unhook injector and COP harness on cylinders 1 and 2 along with the harness guide rails, and move the harness and guide rail (left) out toward the fender.
#5 plug is the best place to start as you'll be able to see everything as you do the work. Number 2 and 3 plugs are mostly by feel.
Start at # 5 plug and remove the COP, 7mm wrench, I have a small 1/4 inch drive socket set that works well, I've also used a 7mm box end spanner. As you remove the C.O.P.'s line them up out of the way so that when you have finished each side, each COP will be replaced in the location it was removed from.
# 3; 4; 5 spark plugs are done from inside the cab, 1 and 2 are done from under the hood
I use a 4 1/2 inch spark plug socket, (this protrudes about 1/2 inch above the head when on the spark plug)
a short wobble extension (try to keep it straight when torquing)
#2 and 3 are the difficult ones and # 6; 7; 8; 9; 10 are easy lots of room #6 is more easily reached from under the hood.
When reinstalling the C.O.P.'s put a little dielectric paste on the end of the boot this seals out water and prevents arcing (misfires)
When installing spark plugs use the copper anti seize (only a little on the threads none on the seat)

I have a lot more on changing spark plugs, when you want the information let me know. An air compressor or air supply for blowing out the accumulated dirt around the spark plugs is just about compulsory to keep dirt out of the cylinders.

Cheers
Willey

Jack4161
03-16-2010, 12:08 AM
Willey,

Thanks for all this info
Cheers

jack

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