If you’re new to our blog, we sell spark plug thread repair kits for Fords. We’ve answered many questions over the years regarding these repairs in our blogs, videos and on the phone (800-524-9783 x-251). Here’s another question from one of our recent customers.

Question – I want to be equipped to fix Ford 3 valve spark plug threads. I see that there are kits for pre 2004 and 2004 up. Is there a master kit for all applications? I am very confused as this is not well documented.

Answer – There’s no master kit. Time Sert 5553 is for 2V engines. For a lower cost alternative see our Calvan 38900 listing. Our Calvan listing also has a more detailed application list.  You’ll see that the 2004 cutoff (switching to 3V from 2V) does not apply to ALL models. The Time Sert 3221 is for 3V Ford engines up to around 2008. The lower cost alternative is the Calvan 39300 which is for 3V engines with M16x1.5 spark plugs. Also, Ford made a change in some models in late 2008’s using M12x1.25. Ford like’s to switch things up! See the M12x1.25 Time Sert 4212H spark plug thread repair kit for that application.

Researching spark plug blowouts? You’re not alone. For more information on our spark plug thread repair kits; like which kit is best for your application see the following article. Ford Spark Plug Blowouts – How to Repair.

The following is an email from a customer: Hello Dennis, Good morning. Hope you’ve had a great summer so far. Quick update for you.  I took on the project to install sleeves on all the spark plugs on my V-10 F-250.  I had originally installed two sleeves (of lesser quality) and found out that the previous owners had also done another one (of lesser quality also).  In all, three spark plugs had blown out of this engine before I decided to replace them all. Â I ordered your Calvan 38900 Ford spark plug thread repair kit and four extra sleeves (inserts) and started working on my truck the last week.

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DennisB DenLorsTools.com © Summary: Here’s a common question we get when it comes to Ford spark plug blowouts and which kit to use on 2001 and up Ford RF-1L2E Romeo style heads. Because of the extra step material the spark plug may sit up a little higher if a counterbore is not used. Then there’s the issue with parts store kit like the Helocoil Save-A-Thread kit that commonly fail making the hole bigger, which requires an oversize repair kit. We deal with this all the time. The heads can be saved in most cases if done properly with a good quality kit like the ones we sell.

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DennisB DenLorsTools.com © Summary: We’ve compiled some of the Calvan 38900 spark plug thread repair videos here. Some are from WiseAutoTools.com which is our second website. We’ve been selling spark plug thread repairs since 2005. Calvan 38900 is the 2V kit which is used on many 4.6, 5.4 and 6.8 Liter engines made by Ford. The common spark plug blowout issue has been around quite awhile and surprisingly the issue still persists. Ford starting using the 3V engines in 2004 on some models. The 3V engine uses an M16x1.5 spark plug that doesn’t have the same blowout issue as the previous M14x1.25 spark plugs used in the 2V engines. The 3V spark plugs have a breaking issue when removing. The threads can be damaged though which could indirectly cause a blowout issue if the threads are damaged when changing the plugs. What people don’t realize is that Ford still used the 2V engines that have the common spark plug blowout problem after 2004 in some models. One surprising fact is that the 2V engine was used in the E150 with a 4.6 from 1997 all the way through 2014! See our Calvan 38900 product listing for a full list of vehicles that uses the 2V engine.

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DennisB DenLorsTools.com © Summary: More than great pricing on the 38900 kit and replacement insert pn 389-100. We’ve been selling the 38900 Ford spark plug thread repair kit since 2005. The image of the 389-100 insert was our original pic that has been used by many websites after carefully cropping out our web address (see below). One thing that the other websites cannot duplicate is our experience when it comes to spark plug thread repairs kits and repairs.

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Click the image for a larger view.

DenLorsTools.com Summary: Since 2005 at DenLorsTools.com and now our most recent tool website, WiseAutoTools.com, we’ve been answering questions on Ford spark plug thread repair kits. It always amazes us that there’s always new questions. A recent inquiry was regarding a 1998 Lincoln Navigator blown spark plug. I recommended the 5553 thread repair kit for the job. The Lincoln Navigator owner would prefer to use the less expensive Calvan 38900 kit and questioned why I made the recommendation that I did. Below is a copy of our correspondence.

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Above is a flare made easy by the Calvan 164.

© DenLorsTools.com Summary: Question from a blog reader answered by a master auto technician regarding tools and advice for installing replacement brake lines.

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© DenLorsTools.com Summary: There are many thread repair kits available on the market today. The many choices can be very confusing for anyone who is faced with a repair that’s left their vehicle broken down. We help to provide simple information which makes choosing the best thread repair kits for particular situations.

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Summary: Ford spark plug blowout repair is covered in this article for 4.6, 5.4 & 6.8 liter engines. There are different brand insert repairs available for this Ford spark plug problem, however they are not all as effective and long lasting as the solution we recommend. Many Ford dealers want to charge thousands to replace the cylinder heads, when our repair can be done in the vehicle for a fraction of the cost. We sell some competitive brands like Lisle and Helicoil, however the Horizon made Calvan 38900 (Mount.9200 same w/different labeling) is the best repair system on the market today. We’ve sold hundreds of these, saving Ford owners a ton of money in the process. In the following article we’ll explain why this should be the next and last repair purchased for this particular repair.

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Unique Ford spark plug design can easily break when removed

Summary: © DenLorsTools.com When changing Ford spark plugs it’s good to be aware of the potential of breaking them in certain models. In this repair article, find out which ones are susceptible to separating when being removed. Learn how to remove them without breaking them and how to remove them if they do break. Denlors Auto Repair blog has had several articles about removing broken sparkplugs in Ford vehicles. In addition to Rotunda Separated Spark Plug Remover, we offer several less expensive options of removal tools. Compared to Ford Rotunda special service tools, we save our customers a lot of money, when removing broken spark plugs.

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