Dorman 42025 HELP! Master Cylinder Head Repair Kit Review

First, you're probably reading this review and looking at this item because you have a problem. I purchased this as a backup but the Dorman 42025 and the NAPA 600-3248 are identical and I actually a NAPA part but this is less than I paid for the NAPA on an auction site... in fact, Amazon has the best price ($37.42 and Free Shipping is what I paid) I have found. They average about $70 in auto stores and 40+ on that action site I can't mention.

I have a 1999 Ford Expedition with a Triton 5.4L engine and a spark plug blew out on cylinder 3... that's the third one back from the front on the passenger side. Yep... it actually comes completely out of the hole. When it does it makes your rig sound like a freight train but the sound is also similar to a blown exhaust gasket. I'm not a mechanic but I have most of the tools to work on a vehicle though I detest doing so and will make every effort to find the easiest and lest expensive repair. That said... this is both! If you have a vehicle in this age bracket spending a lot of money on a repair makes no sense.

Before you believe me and buy this puppy I'll give you some history from my days of searching the Internet to try to figure out what happened so suddenly on my vehicle. Yes, it happens fast and there's little warning but you can drive the vehicle for some distance after it happens... I drove about 20 miles to get it home. Driving can be dangerous though if you don't pull the connector off the fuel injector because you could easily start a fire but by the time you're reading this all that is probably over. I use the auto repair forums and discussions to research my problems and though they're a great source of info the recommendations aren't always the only ones that will work. I also have a 1990 Chevy truck that I'm still keeping alive. The recommended responses for this repair included installing a new head and take it to your Ford dealer... these will cost about $2,000 or more. Anyone who says replace one head is wrong and you should always replace both if you have more money than brains... make the inexpensive repair and then sell the vehicle makes even more sense. Another repair was a Time-Sert 5553 repair kit that runs close to $400. You can also use a Heli-Coil but you also need a kit to install those and they're best done with the head removed and on a bench where you can see what you're doing. I wouldn't spend the bucks on the Time-Sert unless you're paranoid about using a cheaper fix or you plan on putting a huge amount of miles on your vehicle... and I don't. I have found time and time again with vehicle repairs that the cost of the repair does not determine the quality nor is it the correct way to determine which fix is the best fix.

I did get the sense that a there are a lot of trolling mechanics on the boards and a lot of Time-Sert reps seem to have an agenda that doesn't include using a cheaper repair method. I don't care about warranties and what Ford recommends since it was Ford that screwed up the design in the first place. There are a lot of people selling those expensive kits but if you blow a plug you'll never find someone selling a used one when you need it. Lastly, I doubt NAPA, Dorman and who knows how auto parts stores would be selling these kits if they didn't work. I never found a post on any discussion board talking about using this or anyone saying it doesn't work because those posts and threads are probably pulled so you don't read about a fix they aren't endorsing.

The spitting out plugs issue seems to be a common problem on the Triton engine from about 1998-2002 and the plugs loosen, wobble around over time and can finally blow out of the engine. They can't be screwed back in because the exit trip strips the threads out of the head so there's just a smooth hole left. That means whatever repair you do requires that the hole be treaded again and that makes the hole too big for a spark plug. You then have to insert a threaded ring into the hole and then you can put in a spark plug. The Time-Sert kit is pricey and probably should be sold afterwards if you opt for that solution. This Dorman Kit is simple and can be done in about 15 minutes... there's even a You-Tube video on how to do the NAPA kit which is the same for this one. Remember that working on these engines is not easy and everything is hard to reach. You have to remove the fuel rail & injectors on the passenger side... not a problem on the driver side... and you'll likely have to buy a new coil because they usually break when the plug pops out. Also, you can't see what you're doing if it's not the first few plugs because they are recessed and slope away from the front. The less you have to do the better and this kit is just a one step process and you don't need to see what you're doing... check out the video.

You'll need a 17mm short socket to start it and a 17mm deep socket to install it tightly... a 11/16" will work but it's a little loose so buy something that fits properly. You'll also need a 9/16 deep for the spark plug, some red Lock-Tite and some anti-seize to apply to the plug. Clean out the inside of the part the plug goes into to be sure the threads aren't clogged... mine had some crud in it from the manufacturing process. It took longer to get the stuff out of my way than the actual repair and I'm a happy camper with it. If it ever blows out again... which I seriously doubt... I'll try a more expensive fix. While you're at it replace all the plugs and you'll correct any others that may be loose and you're on the road again. A word of caution... with the plug out you have an open hole into the cylinder so be very careful not to let anything fall into it while you moving stuff out of the way or you could be totally screwed. Put a rag over the hole until you're ready to install the repair.

This was an easy repair and pretty foolproof, in my opinion, and definitely a lot less than several grand for a mechanic to do it. However, if you don't have the time or don't want to get dirty, call around and you might find someone who has a kit and will do it for a few hundred bucks if they need the money. For me, this was the best bang for the buck and it took a few hours to do it from start to finish and that included replacing the other plugs. If you have a blown plug on the driver side the complete repair can be done easily under an hour. You decide but I'm keeping a spare kit in truck so I can make a repair on the road if it ever happens again. Whatever you do don't replace a head because you'll likely have the same problem and spend a small fortune on a vehicle not worth it. Good luck!

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Dorman 42025 Spark Plug Thread Repair Kit

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