Today I started to change my plugs and wires out, I have one side done.. what a pain to do, there is such little space to work.

I took a picture of the plugs, what do you all thing of these.
These are at 65k miles. Please evaluate!

 

looks like a huge gap to me. Everything else looks normal.



Little tip: remove the inner fenders. And pull 'em through the fender with the front of the truck on stands. I find/found that easiest when I was still stock.

 

I did this on the drivers side, It sucked to get it back in because I took it all the way out, I think the passanger side I am going to do it as well, if not i'll just keep working like a rat. I've got a million extensions, swivels, knuckles, and reducers. i just dont want to deal with that damn plastic again, It took me like 2 hours to get back in place, I don't know why... maybe because it was 10pm already haha.

 

haha. I know EXACTLY what you mean....crazy combos of universals and even a setup of 1/4" with reducers and tons of different extentions and what not...

yeah...that passenger side I think removing it is required to get to that very back plug because of the heater box. Shoot...i'm bodylifted now and still remove the innerfenders! lol. Inner fenders are kind of a pain to put back in, and even kind of a pain to remove.

Don't forget a little dab of anti-seize on the threads and I like to dunk the wire side of the plug with dialectic grease.

I had

 

i found removing my wheel was the ticket as well as stands!

 

I was once told that its not good to use anti-seize on the threads of a spark plug because it serves as a "insulator" and it can prevent the plug from grounding to the block. I was told that it was better to just use a little oil off the dipstick for the threads. I dont know how true it is but I have never had any problems doing it that way.

 

I'll have to see in the morning, it's 12:23pm here... haha its too late to start up with the noise. I hope i don't have to take out that tub, it was the worst haha.

Now, I am changing the plugs and wires for two reasons:

1. the engine has been idleing rough.
2. I live in the land of salt, and I don't want them rusting in (they were kind of hard to actually get out).

Now my next question is, if the truck's tach keeps bouncing during idle, could there be something else begging to be changed? The RPM's go up and down about from 650-800 from time to time.

 

possibly the IAC needs a cleaning or replacement

not sure why these plugs are difficult to replace, i did my dads 04 in about an hour, plugs and wires, with the wheels on. at work on a 4.0 i remove the wheels on the hoist and do it that way

 

hmm... I've never heard of that. The threads ground the plug to the block and the insulator is the ceramic. There's the washer on the plug and that land the plug tightens against so...idk. I've done it on all my rigs and never had any issues.

 

Before I changed my plugs I called the Ford dealer and asked about using anti-seize. They said not to with my 3.0. Also, some plugs are intended to be used without anti-seize...
http://www.ngkplugpro.ca/content/con...SparkPlugs.pdf

However, lots of people use anti-seize without problems, so I doubt it will do any harm if you don't overdo it. People probably only have problems with anti-seize when they use way too much of it.

 

I still don't get why everyone says its such a pain. It's very easy on these trucks. Also turn your vent selector to "off". See if the idle bounces around then.

 

always use anti sieze on aluminum head engines. dont put the anti sieze on the taper of the thread because that is where the plug seats and dissipates its heat from

 

I finally got the rest of the plugs and wires in. The truck seems to accelerate alot better without so much hesitation. The idle is better, it does not bounce and much, i will have to keep my eyes on it. I did put anti-sieze on the threads of the spark plugs, becuase the ones before were fairly hard to get out for a spark plug. I found going through the wheel wells was the only way to get this task done. i noticed on the plugs that were on the passanger side of the engine had 0 platnium left, so i think it was definitally time to change out the plugs and wires.

The manual for the truck says to change plugs and wires at 100k miles, and personally maybe it is just where i live but this would have been disasterous if I waited until 100k miles, plus the engine was begging for a tune up.

Now my next question is what could cause the truck to not want to shift smoothly? The truck before and after the wires and plugs has been going through this fit of wanting to like slingshot into the next gear, kind of almost if its going to miss and slip. It's not a firm shifting feeling??

How can i clean the Idle air control?

 

If you look at that book, I think it suggests trans fluid flushes every 30k...

 

I have 15k miles on my last transmission flush... now not saying that shop didn't add maple syrup for tranny fluid... since they installed the brake clips on my fathers 06 F350 diesel in the rear BACKWARDS... causing me to have to go back and effin redo the whole rear brakes... calipers, parking brakes AND parking brake backing plate, rotors, axle seals.... It did turn out great though... and man are those free floating axles easier to change the seals on... not so expensive.... except the wheel seals are... 60$ a pop. haha.

 

i want to change my plugs out tomorrow. can someone tell me a plug to go with? what one people feel work the best in the 4.0? thanks!