Hi Scotty! I have a 2010 f150 4x4 with a 5.4. It has 137,000 miles on it and have never changed the plugs. I’m not having trouble but feel as though it is time to change them. Should I take it to Ford or do it myself? If so is there a special tool I will need? I am motor savvy with older motors.
What kind of plugs would you use?
Plugs are usually a reasonable DIY project. 2-3 out of 10 difficulty in most cases. Sometimes the hardest part is getting access, and that varies by car; you may have to move the airbox or battery or that kind of thing (I doubt the Ford 5.4 will be too much trouble, but you will have to look at the details for that specific model). Generally the only special tool you will need is a spark plug socket, which you can get at any auto parts store (or hardware store, or most Walmarts).
I would definitely not go cheap on plugs; +1 to ModMan on NGK, though there are other high quality plugs. The difference between good plugs and cheap plugs isn't so much the performance as the longevity. Good quality iridium plugs can easily go 50-80K miles, often twice as long as cheaper ones. Not only does that offset the cost of the plugs, but the less often you replace the plugs the less opportunities for something to go wrong.
Speaking of, even though the job itself is easy, you can screw up big time if you are in a hurry. Relax and take your time. If you strip the head or crossthread a plug, a cheap simple project can quickly become an expensive disaster.
And finally, make sure you understand the whole "Anti-seize debate". Using anti-seize was SOP for older motors, but seems like the majority opinion is not to use it for high-quality plugs on modern engines (and I think NGK specifically says not to on any of their plugs). If you do use it, use just a very thin, tiny, minimal amount.
PS: at 137K, if they haven't been changed, they need to. And be aware that after all that time they could be a bit frozen. So be VERY CAREFUL taking them out, and know when to quit trying and take it to a pro.
See below from Ford Master Tech Makuloco, and he has all the tools you will need under his YouTube Video. If you are not mechanically inclined and have never done any work on your car (including changing the air filter), then just have a mechanic do it for you. This has the updated design, but the old design on the earlier 5.4 3V were a real nightmare to change out (could break off), and for those that was best left to a pro.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qFgPNft9T7U
