1998 Ford Expedition engine and engine cooling problems

“COIL AND SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT OF ENGINE WHEN TRUCK WAS STARTED (1998). THE EXPEDITION HAS BEEN KNOWN TO HAVE THIS ISSUES AS WELL AS OTHER ISSUES. WHY IS FORD NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY; SO FAR ACCIDENT AVOIDED. I HAD TO REPLACE ONE COIL PACK EACH YEAR SO FAR BUT THIS WAS THE WORSE. I NEEDED THE CINDER RETREADED TO FIT THE SPARK PLUG IN. *TR”

“#6 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF CYL HEAD. REINSTALLED AND REPLACED COIL SINCE IT BROKE MOUNT. PUT BACK IN SERVICE AND NEXT PLUG IN BANK (#7) BLEW WITHIN 10 MILES AT APPROX SAME SPEED. WHEN SEARCHING THE INTERNET THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORDS MODULAR ENGINE PRIOR TO 04. WHEN THEY MAKE SPECIAL TOOLS AND INSERTS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM, FORD SHOULD PONY UP AND HAVE THE INSERTS INSTALLED AT LEAST FOR THE NORMAL LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THE ENGINE. *TR”

“SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY -- VERY DANGEROUS. HAD CHILDREN IN CAR. HAD TO BE TOWED. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE--5.4L-- IN OTHER FORDS AS WELL. HE HAD ANOTHER FORD WITH SAME PROBLEM COME IN THE PREVIOUS WEEK, AND HAS SEEN SEVERAL OTHERS RECENTLY (THIS IS JUST ONE SMALL TOWN/RURAL MECHANIC). PLEASE TAKE ACTION -- IT'S A COSTLY REPAIR. *KB”

“OUR 1998 FORD EXPEDITION WITH THE 5.4 V8 TRITON ENGINE HAD ANOTHER SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO, IT WAS THE #3 CYLINDER PLUG THEN AND LAST WEEK IT WAS THE #6 CYLINDER PLUG, I SEARCHED THE INTERNET CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND HUNDREDS IF NOT MORE OF THE SAME ISSUES, AND NO ONE IS MAKING FORD DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, JUST THOUGHT MY VOICE IN THIS MATTER MIGHT HELP. PLEASE IF THERE WAS EVER AN INSTANCE OF A RECALL THIS IS SURELY ONE. THIS IS GETTING VERY EXPENSIVE FOR THE AUTO OWNER, THE FIRST TIME WE HAD IT FIXED BY FORD AND IT WAS $250 AND THIS TIME IT WAS OVER $1,000. THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE. *TR *KB”

“3RD TIME WE HAVE HAD A SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM THE PASSENGER ENGINE HEAD OF OUR 1998 FORD EXPEDITION WITH A TRITON 5.4 LITER ENGINE. I OWNED A FORD F150 AND HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM TWICE. I DID RESEARCH AND CALLED A FEW ASE MASTER MECHANICS THAT ARE RATED AS AMERICA'S #1 AND #4 MECHANICS IN THE NATION, AND WAS TOLD IT IS THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM FORDS TRITON ENGINES HAVE EVER HAD, AND THEY SEE THESE PROBLEMS ON A DAILY BASIS, YET FORD DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. FORD DESPERATELY NEEDS TO RECALL THESE ENGINES, THEY ARE A HAZARD, AND THE SPARK PLUG EJECTS WITH EXPLOSIVE POWER DAMAGING NEARBY COMPONENTS ON IT'S WAY OUT OF THE ENGINE. FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS COMMON MANUFACTURE DEFECT. TO FIX THIS PROBLEM NEW HEADS NEED TO BE INSTALLED ON THE ENGINE. THE QUICK HELICAL STYLE SLEEVE INTO THE STRIPPED SPARK PLUG THREADS HAS A FAILURE RATE OF 100%. AGAIN THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND THE MAGNITUDE CAN BE SEEN ALL OVER THE INTERNET BY SEARCHING FORDS SPARK PLUG BLOWOUTS. LITERALLY 10'S OF THOUSANDS OF FORUMS, AND INSIGHT IN THIS PROBLEM IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, EXCEPT SUPPORT FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *LN”

“I WAS DRIVING @ 70MPH DOWN INTERSTATE 10 IN SEGUINE TEXAS WHEN THE SPARKPLUG ON MY 1998 FORD EXPEDITION BLEW OUT OF THE HEAD, DESTROYING THE COIL, PLUG AND WIRE. THE VEHICLE INTERIOR FILLED WITH GAS FUMES AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO KNOCK VERY LOUDLY. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FUEL VAPORS IGNITING, HOWEVER THIS WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS MY WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME. AFTER RESEARCHING I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON WITH THE FORD 5.4 TRITON ENGINES. THE MECHANIC I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO EXPLAINED THAT THE ALUMINUM HEADS DO NOT MESH WITH THE STEEL SPARK PLUGS AND EVENTUALLY TEAR ALL THE THREADS OUT OF THE HEAD AND SHOOT THE PLUG OUT OF THE HOLE. THE HEAD OF THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE REMOVED AND MACHINED AT A COST OF 1400$. *TR”