Ford v 10 engine

A couple posts down it was mentioned if your truck has the Ford 10 watch out for shooting plugs, and broken exhaust manifold bolts. I am leaving in a few days for a short trip with my 02 Ford motorhome with the E 450 V 10. I didn't want to hear about the plug and manifold issues. Now I will be loosing sleep before I leave( kidding) I guess it does happen. Mine has 35k now, probably about the time for it to happen. I doubt I will be changing plugs in the near future. If it works don't fix it is my motto. A lot of people install new inserts for the plugs, and even replace the manifold studs. Any of you had plug, or manifold stud issues with your V 10? Stan

Yo 37 Chief, NOT to worry mate......... I have a Class C (Van cabover style) E 450 Super Duty RV Motorhome with the V10, BEST motorhome Ive ever owned having owned them for 30 some years in Chevy (350, 454) Dodge (318, 360, 413, 440) and Ford powered (460 and V10) RV's.......It runs sooooooooooo smooth and perfect never throws any fault codes in 30K miles other then the time one plug fouled... I have the 5R 110 Overdrive Tranny with the Tow/Haul feature its the best Ford Tranny I ever owned in a truck

FAR AS I KNOW NO WARRANTY that blowing out the spark plugs was cured way long ago but I cant tell you the year or which engines were affected and now cured ANY FORD EXPERTS TELL US ????????????????????? My 2006 V10 is fine no blowing out spark plug problems

FAR AS I KNOW NO WARRANTY but what I have observed/heard/read at least, the broken manifold bolts occurred in the big box bus style Class A's not so much like in my Class C Van Cabover Style E 450 Super Duty. I read/heard NO WARRANTY its happens in some big box bus style Class A's due the how the engine is boxed in and doesn't get the same airflow pattern as in the Van style Class C's ANY FORD EXPERTS HAVE INFO ON THAT???????????? I also read/heard the engine can get so hot up a hill and then when it starts down and cools rapid that's when its stressed ???????????

Ive always been a Chevy man but having owned several Class C's (see above) my Ford V10 is the best Class C RV Motorhome Ive ever owned performs flawlessly so sweet n smooth n even NOT throwing trouble codes like so many of my Chevys did

Thats MY OWN personal experience and observation Im sure others have had different but I Love my V10

John T One Happy Ford powered Camper

The shop I work in has the correct rotunda tool to install the inserts, and we fix quite a few in not only the v-10s, but the 5.4s also.
Some fleet trucks have blown a few different plugs out, yet some trucks never do???

My 2002 F250 with V10 has 235,000 miles on it. No plug or manifold stud issues. Only repair work I've done on it is new alternator and fan clutch. Been happy with it. Drive on and don't worry. Even if it does blow a plug, it's not going to strand you. Remove the plug and coil, pull the wire on the injector and drive it to a repair shop. Will make a lot of noise but it will get you out of the woods.

If you want the lowdown on Ford V10s, I recommend the site at the attached link. You can find anything you want to know there. There are differences in the years and the application. The pickups were updated to different parts before the van bodies.

My 08 F350 had manifold stud issues, it was already started when I bought it. Got worse over time. The manifolds were seriously warped. I fixed it and no problems in 20k since. Mine came with the plugs that dont come out, so cant comment on the ones that come out on their own.
Ford Truck Enthusiast Forum V10s

I personally know two guys whose Ford pickups blew out spark plugs, one of them in my driveway. I don't know if your '02 is one of the affected years, but if it is it would be a good idea to have an insert preemptively installed in the problem hole before taking any long trips. I guess it's an acceptable risk to drive as-is if the route you're taking is always a short tow away from a competent Ford mechanic. Personally, though, I'd do everything I could to avoid a breakdown outside Trona or some equally desirable resort.

My youngest daughter had a ford exploder 20 years ago that shoot two plugs out if it. just saying!!

I've fixed a bunch of these through the years, more 5.4's than 6.8's and a few 4.6's. I don't think you can be proactive about blowing plugs unless you were willing to do inserts in all 10. The best inserts are expensive, and there is labor involved to install too. Blowing a plug on the road might be alarming but won't leave you stranded.

The broken manifold studs is not just a 6.8L problem, it happens to chevy, ford and dodge, honestly I've replaced more studs on chevy then dodge, then ford. The studs are just too small and maybe a little to do with inferior metals. I wouldn't worry about this problem, if it happens you will simply have a small exhaust leak/ticking noise mainly on cold startup that goes away or gets real light. Many people never fix these because it can be labor intensive to extract broken studs. If you have visual access to the manifolds, they usually break the rear studs first, you can either see missing manifold nuts and if leaking maybe some soot where it joins the head.

I am gonna put a mileage figure on it 120K, when you pass that on a E-van be ready for some expensive repairs... I have a few I warned them they love their V10 : )... Exhaust manifold bolts manifold to head are gonna break its the nature of the beast. The bad no wheel well to work thru its all from the bottom... Bless it well you are gonna need a blessed pocket book..

Spark plugs... Its a days work 8hr. replace the coils while there : )... I use OEM parts pay up deal with it : )... I have never had a plug blow if it was the first time... I torque them and then a little more from my calibrated elbow. I know then and there is its a keeper...

These are gonna be the big issues the rest looks bad but its not...
Don't tell anyone are I will have to kill ya the rest of the maintenance issues are not bad at all to do...

I have 02 f250 v-10, 3:73, 2wd ext. cab long bed w/auto trans. One battery after 13-15 yrs, one alternator @ 37k miles, set of plugs/filters @97k miles, it has a few tolerable quirks that I will tend to one day. A few oil changes ago I noticed a lower manifold stud had broken on left bank but no noise yet. I only have 116k miles on it now but it has been back to dealer only once to document a noise just before warranty exp. The fix was to pack drive shaft w/grease. Usually get 15 mpg on open interstate at posted limit. Pulls what I ask of it with little if any talk back. I'd have to give it a big thumbs up overall. Go to u tube about the shooting plugs, I think 03-08 models were prone(3 valve) for shooting plugs. A friend was told the dealer figures two breakoffs in a tune up and $75 per hole after that.

Thanks for the encouragement. This 02 26 ft Grey Hawk is my first and only motorhome. The V 10 seams to have all the power I need. I towed my ford Edge a few times. Now I have a chevy tracker. I hardly know it is back there. Stan

Go here: http://www.blownoutsparkplug.com/
Read all about blowing plugs. These guys know EVERYTHING. One of them has been line mech at Ford for 24 years. He has a special process to fix it and offers lifetime guarantee. He will fly to you, fix it, or proactively replace all the inserts with their custom unit and all new plugs, or you can just have him fly in to do one plug. Still less than half the price of the head removal.

Do NOT put in the O'Reilly or AutoZone inserts. They will make the job worse. Call Ric or Dave if you want, they are happy to tell you all about it. They've gone on calls all the way from Bahamas, up to AK. Fixed plugs in the dead of winter, and scorching summer in the desert.

I have the 00 6.8 V10 in my F350. Its thirsty... what do they say passes everything except a gas station. Its pulled some pretty heavy loads, if I was doing that every day Id want a diesel, but I dont so Im happy with this.

Regarding the spark plug / coils (COP), my truck started doing weird shifts a couple years ago. Seemed a bit weak but would be down shifting too soon and then acting a bit erratic. I thought it was the transmission. Took to my real mechanic, (opposed to the shade tree guy who I like but know his limitations). Guy says probably a coil dead, the hooked it up and indeed there was two out. He said these plugs have never been out have they? Leave it overnight and well change them all out tomorrow morning and COPs. 2 pm the next day it was ready to go for $750. He said theyve done so many its pretty easy now for them.

Last year I started smelling coolant but no leaks. A bit low power but wasnt hauling much. Took it in and he said the intake manifold was leaking coolant into a cylinder. They replaced that plug again too. $680 but had to wait an extra day to get the gasket in.

He did find a couple broken exhaust manifold studs. He said he could fix them but it could be more trouble than its worth. It ticks a bit while it warms up and then I guess it tightens up as it warms up. Eventually it may need to be done.

Thats all Ive done to this engine. I think Im just over 200 thousand miles.
Now the brakes are another story for this... very expensive. The two front rotors are one piece with hubs... $480 each with the best discount I could get. Last time I turned them but they will be too thin the next time.
Still been a great hard working truck.
You have a lot of life left in yours. Find a good shop.
Grant.

They blow plugs out because when the plugs are changed, people over torque them and pull the threads. I never saw an original plug blow out. The fix is pretty easy, I got a kit over 10 years ago that puts in a steel bushing. I can darn sure fix them cheaper than some guy's plane ticket and his labor. Nobody has pulled a head to fix these in at least 15 years.

Youre welcome I hope yours IS NOT one of the years V10's that had that problem ?????? my 2006 is fine

John T

I find that different they work loose and beat the threads out. Like you I have done more than my fair share and know what they should feel like so after I torque them I then go back and feel them with my tools I have became know to trust.

Its touchy when its only retained by just 2/3 threads... BTW I am not looking to do another its a young mans job to craw around those thangs..

As for the exhaust its all overhead in a tight place I don't know how long you can leave a ticker be I spec its a long time before it will do damage. I do know I went thru quite a few $35 dollar drill bits then went to the mill supply and brought a had full of regular bits to finish it up. This is what $600 will buy...




I have not installed a spark plug insert on a E van I imagine its a nightmare : ( if its in the middle of the engine. I was gonna take a pix of that tool buy don't remember what drawer I put it in at this time.

(quoted from post at 04:18:05 03/23/21) They blow plugs out because when the plugs are changed, people over torque them and pull the threads. I never saw an original plug blow out. The fix is pretty easy, I got a kit over 10 years ago that puts in a steel bushing. I can darn sure fix them cheaper than some guy's plane ticket and his labor. Nobody has pulled a head to fix these in at least 15 years.

Click to expand...

Literally - every statement you made is wrong, except the 'cheaper' comment. If you never saw it, I guess that means it never happened? :roll:

My 1999 F250 Super duty V-10...extend a cab, short box, Auto Trans. had a SPARK PLUG Eject ....
Mileage at time was 110,000 miles..
Shrapnel,cuttings etc,etc,scored cylinder badly.......
Truck was never used as a work Truck.......

I have recently purchased a V-10 Ford Engine from a 2000 motorhome with 20,000 miles..
Plan is to install engine this summer...

Bob...

My wife and I own a 2015 Jayco 32' class C Motorhome with 10,000 miles on the odometer.
V-10.......we love the Motorhome...no concerns about the 2015 V-10 Ford engine...

Bob..

If I were to buy a class C motor home a V10 would be my first choice...