2021 F-150 5.0L 101,000 Mile Spark Plug Change

[Ebrou]

I have 101,000 miles on my 21 F150 XLT 5.0L. I changed put the plugs with Motorcraft SP588 gapped at .041. As I pulled each plug I checked the gap and they were really no different in the gap of. 041.

I have a attached some photos for you to view. They are in the order from front to back and are located on the same side they were pulled from.

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[jhelrey]

Have you owned the truck since new?

 

[Ebrou]

Have you owned the truck since new?

Yes, I ordered and took ownership August 2021.

 

[Mauimaikai]

Do you have the outlet in the bed? I have the 2.7 with the standard outlet and at 60K it recommends changing it

 

[TexasTruck]

They look amazingly similar, nice!

 

[Ebrou]

Do you have the outlet in the bed? I have the 2.7 with the standard outlet and at 60K it recommends changing it

I sure do. It is the 400 watt outlet in the rear of the bed of the truck. I have never used it. Most of my travel is to and from work about 130 miles round trip. And we take it on vacations. The truck has always run great, and because of the mileage it was time to change them. The dealer wanted $700 parts and labor to change the plugs, so I spent the time doing them today. Next on the list will be changing out the two serpentine belts over the coming weekend.

 

[Ebrou]

They look amazingly similar, nice!

The only thing I can't figure out is why the left bank plugs all smell like stale fuel on the threads. The right bank plugs have no smell at all.

 

[Bossharp]

$700.00 parts and labor.. Just to change the plugs? I had a 1977 Super cab with a 460 around 1990 and I think it was under $75.00..

 

[Ebrou]

$700.00 parts and labor.. Just to change the plugs? I had a 1977 Super cab with a 460 around 1990 and I think it was under $75.00..

Yes, ridiculous. Cost me less then $100 and time to change them out. The passenger back was the hardest one to break free the COP from the plug.

All torqued to specs. I did put some dielectric grease on the boot, but refrained from putting anything on the threads.

 

[MountainStang]

Good to see the plugs looked great and glad you saved money over the stealership, 700 is crazy!

 

[sporkfed]

The only thing I can't figure out is why the left bank plugs all smell like stale fuel on the threads. The right bank plugs have no smell at all.

Doesn't look like cylinder deactivation is having any effect, since that would be cylinders 1 and 4 on the left, and 6 and 7 on the right.

 

[NavyChief]

How was that rear passenger one? That one had me making a special tool the last time and I’m about to do it again.

 

[Ebrou]

How was that rear passenger one? That one had me making a special tool the last time and I’m about to do it again.

Took some twisting back and forth and a little pry up from a small pry bar to break free the COP. I used a 3" and a 6" 3/8" extension to put together as I was inserting into the valve cover opening to get to the plug. It was definitely the most challenging one to get out.

I did have to go and buy a 9/16" spark plug socket to remove the plugs. Like most, 5/8 and 13/16 plug sockets is all I have ever owned until now. I'll just keep it for my 200k mile tune up.

 

[Je1279]

I definitely need to remember to reference this thread 85,000 miles from now.

 

[Gros Ventre]

Yes, ridiculous. Cost me less then $100 and time to change them out. The passenger back was the hardest one to break free the COP from the plug.

All torqued to specs. I did put some dielectric grease on the boot, but refrained from putting anything on the threads.

Dielectric on the threads is a bad idea. Dielectric grease is an insulator... You might consider an anti-seize, maybe a copper type, for the threads. Be careful of the torquing as the heads are aluminum and you can strip them out if magilla gorilla does the torquing...

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