Little nervous about 99 v10 ...

[rapidroy5858]

I am purchasing a beautiful HR vacationer Friday with the V10 engine.It is a 1999 with 26,000 miles on it.I have read here and many other places about the plug "blow out"issue.What is not clear from anyone is if the issue arrises from replacement plugs not being reinstalled properly...(not properly torqued) or were there issues with the plugs that were installed from the factory as well, before they were ever removed?In my experience todays engines will run many many miles on a set of plugs so why chance removal to begin with? Some questions I would like get real life answers on are..
1, have you had a plug blow out. if so what were the circumstances? Were the plugs original from factory or had they been changed?

2. Have you actually changed plugs and not had an issue getting them out?

I have NO intentions of changing plugs before at least 75K miles unless there is an engine miss caused by one.I think a lot of people are way to hung up on squeezing out the last 1/10th of a mpg on these things and are hoping fresh plugs will be the answer , then when pulling them out needlessy encounter the problem of stripped threads or broken and stuck plugs. Why tempt fate??

Opinions?
Thanks Royboy

[Steve N Sal]

Welcome to the forum. Hope you enjoy your time on the site. In answering your question, my FIL has a 99 Bounder with the V10 it has 62K on it and has had no issues with it that I'm aware of. He performs all his own maintenance and I'm sure if he did have a issue of any kind he would have shared it with me. Hope this might ease your mind but again this is only on his motorhome. Others may have had a problem so let's see what kind of other responses you get. Hope all works out for the best and enjoy all your future travels. Be safe and Happy Motoring!!!!

[Rick Long]

88,000 miles, plugs changed once... no problems for me.

ps... if you do blow a plug or strip one, they now make a kit to fix it for DIYers.

[Steve N Sal]

I guess I could have mentioned being nervous about just that engine shouldn't really bother you that much. No matter how well these things are maintained they could probably have an issue under any circumstance. It's kind of luck of the draw I guess.

[hdossett]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rapidroy5858 ... 2. Have you actually changed plugs and not had an issue getting them out? ... Opinions? Thanks Royboy

Been there, done that!

@ just under 60K miles started getting engins misfires, bought a ScanGauge II to reads the codes. Misfires seem to move around.

I don't how many sets of plugs I have changed in my life, without a thought, but this was causing me to have cold sweats! Long story short, bought a set of plugs locally, ordered an 8 pack of coils w/boots from Ebay @ $9 ea., read everything I could fine on the subject. Then bought and used a torque wrench for the first time in my life! Still had a misfire, swapped out one of the two remaining old coils that with another old coil...

Alaska and back, not a misfire. MPG... good as new, 7.0 w/toad! (not that that was good to start with.)

25K miles total on new plugs and coils without a misfire! The plugs needed changing for sure, but I think the problem was the boots beginning to break down, have no proof, and am leaving well enough alone!

I have marked the old coils to identify the "better" ones, and keeping them in storage for possible future use.

The V10 is a great engine, climbed many mountains with it with out any problems (other than above).

Transmission seem to be the weak link, but that's another thread! I read where Ford is coming out with a 9 speed, that sure sounds good!


H

[pkunk1]

68k miles on ours and no issues with the original plugs. When & if the time comes to change them there is a proper procedure.

[John H...]

Roy, Welcome to the forum. I think if there would have been any issues with yours, it would have shown up within the 26K miles on it. I wouldn't pass on a good deal worrying about just plugs. Like Rick said they have a kit now...

[rapidroy5858]

Thanks for the responses , I found out today the original plugs had been replaced by the 2nd owner..good to know they were at least r and r'd without issue.I still have concerns about the exh. bolt breakage issues but we'll have to keep our fingers crossed that it will be ok.
This 99 Vacationer is really like brand new ..always stored inside and like factory new interior, cant wait to hit the road in it.

[C-Leigh Racing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rapidroy5858 Thanks for the responses , I found out today the original plugs had been replaced by the 2nd owner..good to know they were at least r and r'd without issue.I still have concerns about the exh. bolt breakage issues but we'll have to keep our fingers crossed that it will be ok. This 99 Vacationer is really like brand new ..always stored inside and like factory new interior, cant wait to hit the road in it.

I have a 99 as well, going into our 3rd year.
No problems with the engine.
I'm not sure about the exhaust manifold bolts, I've heard that could be a problem, but is a simple fix. Lot of time when one of those bolts break off like that, rust will have a good hold on it inside the head & if you give it a few good hammer hits on the end, sometimes that will jar, break the rust bond & you can screw what is left out of the head.
I did a home made mod to the air filter intake, to stop it from sucking up rain water.

If you have a slide, check when the slide is out, underside to see if the lip seal is attached to the coach body. Our was & still is, just connected on each end & has a droop in the middle & not sealing tight to the bottom of the slide, that is another project.
Theres no heat in the storage compartments, so if you intend to leave water in the fresh water tank when freezing, you'll need some heat in that compartment where the valves & water pump is located. I didnt the other year because it wasnt that cold, or & thought it wasnt & froze the pump up. I got lucky though, had a drip at the pump head, but has worked good so far. I'm replacing it now though.

Check the rubber gaskets around all the windows, the rubber between the window frame & glass, because they will draw up & leave a gap at the gasket end joint where water can get in, run down the frame track & on into the coach, wet carpet aint no fun.
Check the rubber seal around the windshield, it will draw up & a big gap will be between the rubber gasket & front cap up at the top & when it rains that water will run down in behind the gasket. Use something better that silicone sealant.
I use a black rubberized type caulking to seal around the windows & around the windshield gasket & careful not to get it where I didnt want it to be.
Lube up the compartment door latches good & go ahead & be figuring on replacing the sway bar bushing so you can hold her straight in the road. There people got 04 year models & the bushings are already worn out & our are 99s. Only place you can get the rear bushings from, is the guy on E bay & he makes them, Ford dont offer them.
Neil

[Pirate]

You can worry yourself crazy over these issues or you can just use it and go camping. I bought an 06 thinking I would avoid any issues with plugs but alas - my plugs don't blow out, they break in half. There probably isn't a single RV out there that doesn't have some kind of issues with it.

[JimM68]

I had a 99. 36k miles, original plugs, and one broken bolt in each exhaust manifold. she never missed a beat, no exhaust leaks, she just ran and ran.

[wackymac]

Rick Long----Who sells the DIY plug hose rethreading kit?

[wackymac]

Getting old and blind, I meant "hole".

[mustangcar]

id go for a newer year v10 with the added threads in the holes ,which was fords answer to the problem, not sure what year that was but it wasnt 99, personally i never go for any engine with aluminuim heads, im oldschool and stick with the old fords,like my engines simple proven workhorses good ole 460