sparkplugs causing engine problems?

[Chinh P]

I just got my sparkplugs changed. They ripped the boot, so they ghetto another sparkplug wire. Anyways I think it caused to miss fire and the suv started to act up. I changed out the wires with new ones but the suv continue to bog.



Now there is a loud clicking noise. They claim the engine just gave up the the valve got pushed into where the piston is and prolly broke off. Anyways, I didn't leave the suv there anymore and drove it home.



they claim it would cost $800 to replace the head but if damage to piston it would be $2500 for the engine.



do yall know if ford extended drive tran warrenty on XLTs?



about to hit 100k miles on 2000 XLT

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

Where the hell did you get it worked on?! That doesn't sound right to me. Check the plugs for looseness. You could be getting "blowby" around a plug. Changing plugs isn't going to drop a valve.

 

[Chinh P]

what about the LOUD ticking, pretty loud haha. the car still runs around 30mph, but really bogs at the idle. I changed the driver side plugs myself, b/c it was EZ. The passenger was way to complicated so I let them change that side. I guess I can check the plugs to make sure they are seated properly.

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

Maybe someone will correct me if I'm wrong but maybe even try resetting the computer. You say runs around 30mph. Won't it go faster or is that the fastest you could go due to speedlimit?

 

[Richard L]

Changing plugs should will not cause the engine to suck a valve. That can only be cause by cam timing being off. That would mean that you the timing chain, or broke a tooth of one of the cam gears.



I suspect that they may have broken a sparkplug due to the difficult angle. A broken sparkplug does not mean it's broken in half, but the broke or cracked the white insulator. This is easy to do when the plugs are being tightened with a socket wrench at odd angles. The only way to know for sure is to remove the plugs agian and examine them for cracks or broken insulators. While you have the plugs out, you might want to run a compression check just to be sure you have not damaged a valve.



A third possibility is that you have some plug wires crossed and going to the wrong coil pack. That can easily cause a misfire and a ticking noise when the coil fires the wrong wire/plug or if the plug insulator is cracked it's arching to the head.



...Rich

 

[EddieS'04]

I tend to lean toward what, Richard L is saying. Thinking all the same things while reading your post....

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

Sounds all good to me also. Sorry if I led you wrong.

 

[Kevin Palmer]

If it ran ok before the job then it has to be a simple manner of finding a defective plug due to damage or a crossed wire.



If your hearing a clicking I am guessing that your hearing spark jump from the wire to the block or head.



So the big question is?????? Did it run ok before you had the work done?????????

 

[Chinh P]

The SUV ran fine before I took it in. The was a problem of the SUV dieing randomly, but thats like once a month.



I will start checking the plugs when it's not too hot outside.



As for the wires, I made sure to only do 1 at a time . . . they said they check the wires and it's properly placed.



Thank you for all the replies.

 

[Gerald Pierce]

I would suspect a bad plug. I guess something bad could have happened to your engine, but I always suspect the most obvious first... they replaced the plugs and this started, I would suspect the plugs.

 

[Dre L]

they either:



damaged a plug insulator



did not place all the plug wires into the ignition, make sure they all lock in place.



screwed up the firing order at the ignition