Spark plug spinning in the head (not broken)

When I went to thread in a new spark plug, I noticed it was spinning in one place and it did not want to come out or go in any further. I made sure to seat the plug by hand before attempting to tighten it up with the ratchet, as to not cross thread but evidence says I messed up the threads anyway.
I also noticed the old plug had a nick in the ground strap, as if some debris made contact with it. I hope I don't have a piston coming apart. This isn't my first plug change on a 4.6 and this caught me totally off guard. The engine was cold when I started the plug change.

What are my options now? From what I read using Time-sert is the next best thing to a new head but I'm not sure how to even remove the old plug. Another issue is I found two other plugs have backed out on their own and I noticed this while removing the old plugs. I guess I really need to check the torque on the plugs every 3k or so (the "old" plugs went in 5k miles ago) or risk blowing plugs out. I get nervous just thinking about it.

What brand are the new plugs? Im not 100% sure but maybe the Lisle tool will work on a non broken plug. I dont see the threads getting messed up. What did you torque the new ones to?

I would use the tool and treat is as a broken plug.

05stroker said:

I would use the tool and treat is as a broken plug.

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Bingo

07gts197 said:

What brand are the new plugs? Im not 100% sure but maybe the Lisle tool will work on a non broken plug. I dont see the threads getting messed up. What did you torque the new ones to?

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Replacing Autolite ht0 with a new set of ht0. I didn't use a torque wrench for this. I read somewhere the torque spec is like 13 ft-lbs which is barely anything so I usually take my 3/8" ratchet to snug it up.

I read through the spark plug removal tsb again and remembered the plug can break in three different ways. I'm hoping it's just an issue of plug separation and I'll be very happy if the threads aren't damaged.

13 is the spec for 2v's. Not to sound stupid but I remember something like 33 ft/lbs but Im probably wrong. When I swapped my plugs I first snugged them up with a ratchet but had to add torque and use a torque wrench because it ran like crap. I wonder if someone was a little gung ho (?) when torquing the plugs on yours lol.

Theres another member going through the same thing but he hasnt updated his thread in a few days. I think its just seperation though and not the threads. If it was the threads the plug would come right out.

Another thing to consider is that the frpp and presumably their autolite counterparts, can have issues. My frpp's had the insulators loose on 4 so I tossed them for brisk. Just another thing to consider.

3v plugs spec'd at 25 ft/lbs

http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=158&viewfile=SPECIFICATIONS.pdf

07gts197 said:

13 is the spec for 2v's. Not to sound stupid but I remember something like 33 ft/lbs but Im probably wrong. When I swapped my plugs I first snugged them up with a ratchet but had to add torque and use a torque wrench because it ran like crap. I wonder if someone was a little gung ho (?) when torquing the plugs on yours lol.

Theres another member going through the same thing but he hasnt updated his thread in a few days. I think its just seperation though and not the threads. If it was the threads the plug would come right out.

Another thing to consider is that the frpp and presumably their autolite counterparts, can have issues. My frpp's had the insulators loose on 4 so I tossed them for brisk. Just another thing to consider.

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Okay that makes me feel much better. I'll pick up the Lisle tool and give it a go. I have four Motorcraft PZT 0 degree plugs on the way from a member, so hopefully they hold up better. I was the last one to touch the plugs and I guess I hadn't torqued them hard enough because I found two of them had loosened up on their own. I'm going to buy a torque wrench that goes down to 25 ft-lbs. The wrench I have is more than 12 years old and I don't trust the calibration anymore.

I can't remember where I found this, but is it for the old style heads maybe? If so, I need to tighten mine.

I just noticed the one stkjock says 2007 at the bottom header and the one I posted is 2009. Which spec is correct?!?

106 in-lbs is roughly 9 ft-lbs. The tech manual stkjock posted is for 2005 model year cars and the spark plug in the guide you posted looks like a one-piece plug, so in my case I will have to go by 25 ft-lbs. The 9 ft-lbs spec is for the newer heads I assume.

The 1 I posted says "updated 5/23/2008". The specs are different. 34nm vs. 12nm (25 ft/lb vs. 9 ft/lb) is what's throwing me off.

Mid 2008 is when Ford changed the head design so that would make sense. And the diagram shows a plug with an open ground strap which the 2-piece plugs do not have.

Sorry, I misunderstood your previous post. I thought you were saying they were both the same. I don't know why I always assumed the older heads had a lower torque spec than the revised heads.

My wording wasn't clear. I would have thought less torque for the older heads as well, since the plugs are more fragile. But it turns out I was wrong!

46addict said:

The wrench I have is more than 12 years old and I don't trust the calibration anymore.

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Look for a calibration shop in your town. Unless they're abused torque wrenches last a long time. One of mine used to be my grandfathers and is at least 40 years old. I checked it a couple months ago and it was dead on still.

bujeezus said:

I can't remember where I found this, but is it for the old style heads maybe? If so, I need to tighten mine.

I just noticed the one stkjock says 2007 at the bottom header and the one I posted is 2009. Which spec is correct?!?

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That diagram was also posted in another forum by your's truly.. The tech manual you posted from, is for the mid 2008+ newer style 12mm one piece plugs, NOT from the 2005 manual.. The torque specs for all 2008 job 2+ with revised 12mm plugs call for 106 inch pounds torque or 9ft. pounds torque..

If your Mustang is a 2005- early 2008 model, your car has the old style 2 piece 16mm high threaded design plugs that require 24ft. pounds torque according to the 2005- early 2008 service manual..

46addict said:

106 in-lbs is roughly 9 ft-lbs. The tech manual stkjock posted is for 2005 model year cars and the spark plug in the guide you posted looks like a one-piece plug, so in my case I will have to go by 25 ft-lbs. The 9 ft-lbs spec is for the newer heads I assume.

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According to the Ford 2005+ service manual.. It's technically 24ft. pounds for the 2005- early 2008 models with the old style 16mm high-threaded, 2-piece design spark plugs..

Edit: stand corrected.. Torque specs are 25ft. lbs not 24

I use the "thats good enough" spec on mine. Lol

05stroker said:

I use the "thats good enough" spec on mine. Lol

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Yeah, I don't ever think I ever used a torque wrench on spark plugs on any car.

We used to call it the German method, "goodentight."

05stroker said:

I use the "thats good enough" spec on mine. Lol

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I did as well but I've had the plugs back out by themselves on two different occasions so I need to change up my method or find the root cause but I don't know what that would be.
I'm not running nearly as much boost so it's not like my blower is pushing them out. Maybe your arms are calibrated to 3v torque specs and you are getting close to 25 ft-lbs by feel, lol.

46addict said:

I did as well but I've had the plugs back out by themselves on two different occasions so I need to change up my method or find the root cause but I don't know what that would be.
I'm not running nearly as much boost so it's not like my blower is pushing them out. Maybe your arms are calibrated to 3v torque specs and you are getting close to 25 ft-lbs by feel, lol.

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I just put what a 3/8 " ratchet can do with my skinny little arms. LOL