NHTSA Complaint #10078508 — 1997 FORD F SERIES (LIGHT)

I HAD JUST ARRIVED BACK IN LAKELAND FL FROM A TRIP TO THE EAST COAST. I STOPPED AT A STORE TO BUY A FEW THINGS AND WHEN I CAME OUT AND STARTED MY 5.4 LITER F- 250 LIGHT DUTY TRUCK IT BLEW A SPARK PLUG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IT WAS THE SECOND PLUG FROM THE REAR. MY TRUCK IS A 1997 FORD WITH 100500 APPROXIMATELY MILES ON IT. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP THAT I BOUGHT IT FROM FOR REPAIR. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF TRITON ENGINES BLOWING SPARK PLUGS. I HAPPENED TO KNOW A PERSON THAT WORKED IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND ACCORDING TO THAT INDIVIDUAL IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM NORMALLY REQUIRING A NEW HEAD AT A COST OF AROUND $3000 BUT SOME COULD BE REPAIRED BY LNSTALLING A NEW PLUG IF I WAS LUCKY. HOWEVER FORD WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW PLUG REPAIR. UPON GOING ONLINE I FOUND OUT THAT ALOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVEING THE SAME PROBLEM AND FORD IS DONING LITTLE OR NOTHING ABOUT IT. I FOUND THAT PRIOR TO THE PLUG BLOWING MOST PEOPLE WERE HEARING A KNOCKING NOISE ON A COLD START. I HAD HEARD THAT THE WEEK PRIOR TO MY PLUG BLOWING. AFTER THE REPAIR THE NOISE WAS GONE FOR ABOUT 4 DAYS. WE HAD A COLD FRONT COME THRU AND WHEN I STARTED MY TRUCK THAT MORNING THE NOISE WAS BACK AND MUCH WORSE. I TRADED MY TRUCK AS A RESULT. NO OLD PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. THEY DISCARDED THEM. THEY ALSO ASSURED ME THAT THEY HAD RETORQUED ALL THE PLUGS. I HAD HAD ALL THE PLUGS REPLACED AT APPROX. 80,000 MILES BY A FORD DEALER. BIGSERT MAKES A KIT FOR INSTALLING AN INSERT IN TRITON ENGINES. IT COMES COMPLETE WITH ALL THE SPECIAL TOOLS REQUIRED TO DO THE JOB. IF THERE IS NOT A DEMAND FOR SUCH A KIT COMPANIES WONT GO TH THE EXPENSE OF DISIGNING SUCH A KIT. *AK