so i'm driving down the freeway and my 05 TL makes a sound like a gunshot followed by a rythmic banging sound like an exhaust manidold leak. lift the dented hood to discover an absent spark plug. vehicle has 146k on it, drives like a champ and then this- $2500.00 to repair (they're throwing in a free tuneup/timing belt) should I be grateful or bitch?

 

I don't know if you should be "grateful". But you should know better than to be running your car on the same plugs for 146k.

The bright side is that you didn't get into an accident and/or get injured.

 

What was the diagnosis?

Timing belt broke? It's supposed to replaced at around 105K. If it's never been replaced and it broke, you got lucky and you're getting off cheap for $2500...

 

Were the plugs ever replaced and if so, who did them?

I assume with a bill like that, they're replacing the head because the plug ripped the threads out of it.... There are several alternate repair options. You can helicoil the head with it on the car. It's 100% doable but you have to be very careful to not get shavings in the cylinder.

If the dealer is not willing to do this, I would fine an indy to do it. Shouldn't be more than $200 for the repair and I assume it destroyed the coil too so whatever that costs.

The head could be craked in that area but very unlikely.

This is somewhat common on the Ford modulars, you may check around there and get an idea of what people are doing for repair.

 

Something's missing.. OP you're saying a plug shot out of the cylinder with enough force to blowout your bolted coilpack yet still have enough force to dent your hood?!! Did you recently change your plugs and not tighten them to spec and also not bolt in the coilpack?

You can definitely helicoil the heads but make sure you grease up the tap.. the grease will pick up all the major shavings and more than likely the leftover shavings will get burned up and pass without any major damage occurring.

 

got the tune up at 100k. plug shot out 46k later. they replaced head and threw in the tuneup. car runs nice. I guess I'm grateful....

 

They didn't tighten the plug.

Did they cover the repair or did you have to pay for it?

 

Sounds like he paid for it.. Unfortunately it sounds like they turned a $50 fix into a $2.5k job.. OP you shouldn't be grateful for the new timing belt and tuneup / plugs since they encompass the work of replacing the heads.