My 1999 F-250 truck had 108k miles on it last summer when I bought it from Stoeple Ford in Kerrville. It now has 121k miles on it.

I figured it was going to be bullet proof, and the body seems to be in great nick.

Last year, I can’t recall when, the engine suddenly sounded like an exhaust manifold gasket had blown. I nursed it to the dealer, and they diagnosed a blown plug.

I have never heard of an engine spitting out a plug before!

This week, headed back from Dallas, it happened again. I was shocked.

It seems, having looked online, that this is a Ford problem, common with 5.4 v8 engines and also with the V10 pre 2001. Trouble is, the head and plugs are buried under a pile of stuff, so you can’t exactly give them a quick check. Besides, who would think of it?

Ford redesigned the head – But I have a further 8 plugs waiting to blow, at $550 a time.