How much should i be paying to have my plugs, wires and boots changed on my 03 f150?

Who are you planning on taking it to? Why not do it yourself? What engine? How many miles since last tune-up?

Around $400.00, if you haven't done one before let a shop do it. Might save you some headaches in the process.

150,000 miles, I was quoted $365.

And worth every penny.

If it's the 4.6 or 5.4 and they are replacing the COP boots (Ford recomended) and using Motorcraft plugs then go for it.

I did plugs and wires on my father-in-law's 2001 F-150. It was about a 2-3 hour job. Getting the old boots off was tough. Getting that last spark plug out by the firewall was even tougher. With this heat it might be worth the $365. Oh yeah, and +1000 on the Motorcraft plugs!!!!!

I did the same thing (plugs and wires) on my Silverado in 30 minutes.

Yep the boots can be a pain especially the first go round. The factory doesn't grease them when the engine is built and after 100k miles they stick and possibly tear when removing them. It's highly recomended to coat the inside of the boots with dielectric grease when replacing them you just have to be careful to just coat the inside and not lob a glob in there and make sure to keep any off or clean the spring where it connects to the sparkplug. And for whatever reason unknown these engines do not like any other plug than a Motorcraft. Even though Honeywell manufactures both the Autolite and Motorcraft plugs they are not made to the same specs. On another note it seems like trying to go the performance parts route like using the high end name components like Accel or MSG etc. is even not a wise decision either. Especially replacing the COP's if you go to Ford they are like a $100 a pop but you can buy the same ones with out the FoMoCo label on e-bay for $80 a set of 8 that carries a lifetime warranty and they work better than the performance parts mentioned. Go figure. The #4 and 8 plugs are fun to get to right next to the firewall and angled so a good flex head ratchet will work much better. Last time I did mine I spent close to a whole day but I also cleaned the throttle body replaced the iac cleaned the maf changed the oil and all of the filters oh yea put the new COP's from e-bay in too.

The 5.4s are a bear. I know people have had problems with Pep Boys but they did mine for $300. I usually do this kind of stuff myself but not on my 01 F150. My neighbor did his in 8 hours and he even had the help of a neighbor that teaches auto mechanics. This convinced me not to do it. If you want to read up on it go to the Ford F150 forum. You will also be able to read about all of the other problems. You may be lucky and got one that has 1 piece plugs and does not spit them out. I think 03 - 04 is when they added threads in the heads but also went to the 2 piece plugs.

When the 5.4L 2 valve was introduced in the F150's in 1997 they use the COP system with a one piece plug and was (key word) recomended to use antiseize on the threads and torqued to 14 to 16 ftlbs. These heads have only 5 threads holding the plugs in and the had a tendancy to work loose causing the plug to launch from the head. Later it was determined to not use antiseize on the threads and torque to 18 to 20 ftlbs. Some where in 00 to 01 the PI head was introduced for the 5.4L and 4.6L and the 4.6L went to the COP setup as well and the thread count was increased to 7 threads and still uses a one piece plug but is now recomended to torque the plugs to 28 ftlbs and no antiseize. This continued until 03 as this is still the 2 valve head. In 04 the Heritage (97-03 body style) was only sold with the 4.6L 2 valve engine. The 04 new body style came with the new 3 valve 5.4L engines and that is when they went to a two piece crimped housing plug with the extended electrode. There are several TSB's and horror stories been told but if the latest TSB's are followed then one is less likely to experience the plug breaking in two syndrome. This continued until 08 when another redesign took place to eliminate this issue until present day. One of my coworkers had the plugs changed in his 05 with 150k on them and they didn't experience any issues. So one would presume that the technicians have caught up by following the TSB's and experience. I know some guys that still have the 97-03 2valve 5.4's with anywhere from 300 to 350k on the original engines so it all depends on following proper proceedures at regular maintenance intervals.

when ya'll get through doing it yourself--I've got the cylinder head repair kits for the 2 valve and 3 valve 5.4 engines-- I'm just sayin............Its the cheapest man that spends the most.--$300-350 is in the ball park.

i'm having it done, i like to work on cars, but some things i just don't have time for.

97fordnut,

My 2001 may make it to 300k miles but in the meanwhile it is going to make Castrol and several mechainics a lot of money.

what year if you have COP's they are going to be a real pain mainly on the 4.6 drivers side you have to pull the fuel rail and power steering res and if you are going to go another 100 and some odd thousand miles again I would get plugs accordingly I.E. E3 diamond fires or something they have 100,000 5 year warranty not to mention the increase in horses and fuel economy and it helps smooth out that ruff idle those motors are known for but where do you live I know a mobile mechanic that is way way cheaper than that he just did mine and and well lets just say way cheaper than that if you buy the plugs (he did reccomend the motorcraft plugs though)but then again what do I no I am just an ex mechanic ford owner never mind I see you have an 03 thats the same as mine so what I said up there goes for your truck you dont have plug wires or none of the normal stuff you have COP's (coil on plug) each plug has its own coil connected strait to the plug

Yea if I was smart (key word) along time ago I would have bought stock in NAPA and Autozone.

I did buy stock in Auto Zone once. Rode it out from 22 to 37. My mistake was not jumping back in when it went back to 22. It took off for the moon after that.