This is what you get from not paying attention:


My neighbor had his spark plugs changed a few months ago. Well, the car is running rough, feels like it's misfiring. '02 with about 72,000 miles on it, black, yes, a beauty!


So, after checking other things, we decided to get the spark plugs out. Eliminating just another thing in the process of malfunction determination.


Plug for cylinder no. 7: Not even a quarter turn and, crack! It broke in half! We have the top part, the tread is still in the head. We took it to another shop, they drilled it out.


Long story short, inquired at shop about proper installation, with proper torque and anti-size.All kinds of excuses, till the mechanic told us he used 25 Nm.


25 Nm applies to the 5.0 HO engine with cast iron block and head. The 4.6 liter calls for a maximum of 12 Nm (less than half!) and definitely anti-size, remember, aluminum heads.


Amazing, they used kind of a stethoscope to make sure the combustion chamber is free of debris. We picked up the car about an hour ago, and it seems to run fine.


Puh, this could have been expensive. Thinking about popping the heads etc. etc.


Greetings!Edited by: 92Mercury

I have to regret to inform you that he, well, the car, didn't make it.


He said it was running rough today, he drove to the shop, about 1/2 a mile away the engine made a bad sound, but he kept driving. Said he just about made it to the shop.


We wont know before Monday morning what the deal is. But it sounds bad.


Greetings!

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Well, whats the rest of the story on the engine?
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He had his engine rebuilt, he said. Actually, got it back late last week. I don't know what the extend of the damage/repair was, but they had to take the head of and re-do it.


Have seen him only briefly, am busy with work.


Now it's making a ticking sound, he said he was told it's from the timing chain. Supposedly they have to look at it.


He keeps driving. I told him not to whine if it goes bye-bye. That should be fixed right away.


Greetings!
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ouch i on the other hand cannot stand hearing any noise from the motor, im in tears if i hear the A/C bearing whine.

ouch
best of luck to your freind.

-cheers

I know what you mean. There is absolutely no noise supposed to come out of the engine department, except the smooth "turbineing" of the V8, or the light "roar" when you step on it.


But, if people have a condition like that, and drive anyway, they are asking for issues. So I don't even wish him luck, he is asking for trouble, I spare that for those "uncontrollable" problems which can arise.


Greetings!
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could not agree more 92...

-cheers