Spark Plug blown out ... thread repair?

[Meteorite]

We had a sudden "popping" (on start-up) and rattling (ongoing) sound this afternoon with our 2003 Marauder.

We limped it home, and it did throw a code: P0357, which points to the COP on the #7 cylinder. We pulled that coil-over-plug unit, and the plug came with it.

The plug had been bouncing around in there and it's upper electrode was smashed all the way down.

The REAL problem, though, is: it took the cylinder head threads with it. No threads left in the #7 spark plug hole.

So, I'm looking for recommendations. Specifically, has anyone had success with this:

http://www.timesert.com/html/triton_repair2.html

[RubberCtyRauder]

thats the proper repair, i have not needed them. timesert better than helicoil

[Meteorite]

thats the proper repair, i have not needed them. timesert better than helicoil

Thank you! I appreciate the input.

[RF Overlord]

As RCR said, TimeSert is the repair approved by ford.

[Spectragod]

Lock-n-stich and timesert are both Ford approved repair methods.

I have a Timesert kit, I am not super far from you, and can ship if need be, I will need a deposit as the tool is a little pricey.

Or you may find someone local who can do either of the approved repairs.

[crouse]

Just curious what caused this. Did you change plugs and not get #7 threaded in correctly? We don't have the half thread heads like some of the F150's and F250's had.

[RF Overlord]

We don't have the half thread heads like some of the F150's and F250's had.

Are you sure? I thought we did...

[Meteorite]

Just curious what caused this. Did you change plugs and not get #7 threaded in correctly? We don't have the half thread heads like some of the F150's and F250's had.

It is possible that the spark plugs were not torqued down tight enough. We pulled the #6 to look at it, and it was not very tightly torqued down. That spark plug change was like 40,000 miles ago, though.

[crouse]

Are you sure? I thought we did...

I've changed mine several times and I've also helped a friend change plugs on his F250 with a 5.4 and my Marauder plugs threaded in a lot more turns than the F250.

[Meteorite]

Just curious what caused this. Did you change plugs and not get #7 threaded in correctly? We don't have the half thread heads like some of the F150's and F250's had.

My heads have the half-threads. I don't know if that is true for all Marauder engines or not. Mine is an late prototype build (PP4, I think they call it?).

[RubberCtyRauder]

i thought 2003 had the lesser thread heads, changed for 04.

[justgod]

i thought 2003 had the lesser thread heads, changed for 04.

This is correct. This is a very good read on the casting info and how I ended up getting the later castings by getting 05 Aviator heads.
http://www.terminator-cobra.com/castings.htm


9 thread used heads: https://www.autopartsearch.com/catal...=cylinder-head