Ford V 10

Okay, so I look at Class C (Cab over van) RV's a lot and the hugeeeeeee majority are powered by the Ford V 10. (I currently have a 454 FI Chevy with the 4L80E Overdrive Tranny which I love) I read and heard so many horror stories about that engine and the attempt to bring a Class Action suit against Ford due to spark plugs blowing out of the heads and Im looking for experiences and first hand in depth knowledge of how bad (if so) or maybe what years of manufacture prior to a fix those engines really are and how their gas mileage stacks up against say a Chevy 454 V8.

Ol John T and all

believe the problem is breakage. Ford is well aware of this problem & is why dealer charge for sparkplug change is $600. Sometimes, depending on exactly how the insulator breaks, the head must be removed to fix. In this video, the porcelain come out nicely...doesn't always!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yKIDxSnsTk&feature=endscreen

They can and do blow plugs out of the head. Happened on mine in '01 F350. There are kits now to fix this w/o pulling the head. Cost me something like $125 to have a local shop fix it. (1 plug)

As far as mileage, I've gotten up to 16 mpg, empty. But also consider that I have manual locking hubs, a manual transmission, and 3.73 gears. I'm averaging 2 mpg better than my old truck with a 351 2-bbl., 4-speed manual and 3.73's. You're looking at a 2wd, which would help, but it's also likely an auto.

Bottom line, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Ford with the V10.

I've got a 5.4 engine ('bout the same, just two less cylinders) that blew a plug. I thought about having the dealership do it, but I just bought the Time-Sert kit and did it myself. Luckily I bought the kit, because about a month later another one blew out. In my case, the previous grease monkey had screwed the plugs in too tight. Eventually, it will make the plugs blow out. Actually, it's a combination of not enough cylinder head threads and not putting the plugs in with the proper torque. IMO, the V-10 is a good engine. My brother hasn't had any blow out problems with his V-10.

Can you put a heli-coil in it?

I ran a 2000 F-250 with a V-10 for about 190,000 miles without any major problems. I had a coil spring go bad on 1 cylinder, replaced the starter and replaced the fuel pump. I pull a 25' gooseneck hauling farm equipment. I thought it had plenty of power and got about 14 miles per gallon. I traded it in on a 2011 F-250 6.7 diesel because the cab was rusting out pretty bad and I travel a lot of miles in a years time so the mileage was getting up there. Would I buy another one? You Bet I would.

That's what Ford recomends when the engine isn't in warranty.

John T,
Don't get me started on this Ford plug blowout issue. I bought a F-250 Super Duty with about 50,000 miles on it. V-10 got between 12 and 15 mpg. Sitting at the grocery store and when I started up I heard a loud bang. I thought it had backfired and blew the air intake off. Opened the hood and everything looked good at first. Then I saw a spark plug missing with the bakalite connector laying loose. I limped the few miles home and did some online research. When to the local Ford dealer. They said it was because someone had tightened the plugs too tight and was not under warrenty. Would cost me around $3600 for the new head and labor. The mech said to see if there were some threads and to screw it back in as sometimes they just back out. I did-but had to buy a new plug and the bakalite connector-$150. This fix lasted less than 500 miles till it blew out again. If you google this you will see that this has happened 1000's of times on the Triton motor. After 2003 or 2004 Ford changed the aluminium heads and put in more threads for the plugs. There have been almost no instances of this happening since. Still Ford says their design of the heads back in the late 90's was not at fault. There has not been a recall or any correction offered by Ford. They contend it is an overtightening issue. BS
Helicoils will not work. They have been proven in this case to not be a suitable fix. I bought a kit online that had a DVD, tools and stainless incerts. I am not a grease monkey by any means, but I followed the directions to the letter. I installed the insert and have had no further issues.
There have been deaths attributed to this problem. The plug and connector can hit the fuel lines and cause a fire. In Canada, Ford lost a lawsuit and had to make it right but only after someone died in a fire caused by the plugs blowing out.
I love my F-250. I trust it now that I fixed their design problem. Not great milege but very comfortable. Do some research on this issue. It is sad that they can buy off the government to avoid liability in this case. f*****g lawyers....ooops my bad LOL Email if you want some more info, John.

I have an insert kit that has 7 unused inserts if anyone wants to buy it.

John not glad to hear that about the Ford V 10 engine, since I have one in my new to me, in my 02 Jayco Motorhome. I just put over 700 mi on it last week. I would think if I was going to blow a plug it would have happened going up the Grape Vine into Los Angeles. About 100 degrees outside, and around 15 or so miles up a reaL good grade. Like others said there are a lot of these motors out there with no problems. Stan

Sounds like what Ford needed was a good compromise.....somewhere between "they blow out" or "you can't get them out"!!

Thanks, that confirms much of what I read/heard before. While they are rare but some were/are made, for now Ima stickin to a big block V8 Chevy and the 4L80E Overdrive Tranny. Id hate to be way up the Montanna mountains and blow out a plug and per Murphys law thats exactly where it would happen too grrrrrrrrrr

John T

2 valve heads up to 2003 will blow them out . Overtightend or not . Have seen virgins blow them . poor casting design /not enough threads . Couple different style inserts avail . I have standard and an "oversize" that will take care of them if they blow insert out,,and I have seen dozen or so of those in the shop. Usually back cylinders on pass side that blow . kills the coil pack also when they blow. $60-100 for coil . The 2003 and up 3 valve engines break plugs off . They are a pain. sommetimes I luck out , more often then not end up breaking 6 out of 8. Requires special tool to push part of plug down and then nother tool threads itself into plug shell allowing it to be pulled out with yet another tool . I have tried every which way , soaking , overnight , doing them hot, cold , impact , you name it ,,they will still break . Figure 4 hr job on 5.4 . Folks fall over when you tell them what it cost to change plugs on them .

The latest fad that the Ford techs are using to soak them is Mazda Zoom Cleaner. It's sold at a Mazda dealer and it's what they use on the starters and plugs on an RX-8. The Ford gurus say that it is much better than any carb cleaner or penetrating oil available for removing the two-piece Ford spark plugs. YMMV.

Bryan in iowa, have you seen this video of them taking out the plugs on a 5.4 with and impact.Scary but they didnt break any.
Untitled URL Link

something went a muck with the v 10's for it to have 2 more cylinders the ones we've used were one sick gas guzzling engine

(quoted from post at 21:23:06 09/17/12) Okay, so I look at Class C (Cab over van) RV's a lot and the hugeeeeeee majority are powered by the Ford V 10. (I currently have a 454 FI Chevy with the 4L80E Overdrive Tranny which I love) I read and heard so many horror stories about that engine and the attempt to bring a Class Action suit against Ford due to spark plugs blowing out of the heads and Im looking for experiences and first hand in depth knowledge of how bad (if so) or maybe what years of manufacture prior to a fix those engines really are and how their gas mileage stacks up against say a Chevy 454 V8.

Ol John T and all

Click to expand...

If its not a 3 valve engine I have not had issues,,,, Take the seats out and enjoy a day replacing plugs torque to spec....

The Tool if needed it can not be beat for blow out plugs....

I have the procedure to replace the plugs some were in a V10 van I can not find it now.... It does pay good and sit down werk I get 8hr. are you can take yer chit somewhere else I don't need the headache....

http://www.denlorstools.com/home/dt...ls_ford_spark_plug_insert_installer_cal3.html

Make sure all the coils are plunged in good double check them... all the coils get new plug boots.... I don't make'em I just fix'em....

I found it...


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

Yea,,I tried it ,,looked like plug changing salvation,,,but I still broke them ,lol . I did run injector cleaner/ motor Vac service once before plug change and it seemed to help . Once you look at the plug and how it fits in combustion chamber you see how the carbon seizes them in tight . Oh and only use Motocraft plugs !