Guess I'm the NKOTB & have to ask whet's the deal w/removing plugs on these S197 motors? I've wrenched on everything from a Rupp 5-hp minibike, 1940's farm tractors and diesel semi's...are these plugs prone to seizing in the threads?
For whatever reason Ford spec'ed a 2 piece "long reach" plug for the early 4.6 3V. So, it has a long nose that goes down through an opening in the head into the combustion chamber. Problem is that carbon builds up around the plug nose in this opening and causes the plug to be difficult to turn.
And this is where the 2 piece construction comes into play- the plugs tend to break off rather than just coming out, because the plug "nose" and the hex are two separate pieces.
I think if they'd just used a 1-piece plug from the factory, it probably wouldn't even have been an issue.