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Stuck Spark Plugs

A

AntMan530

Senior member
Bought some spark plugs, and other tune up stuff for my car, but when I went to finish up with the spark plugs, they were in there extremely tight. I made a couple of torques, but I was unable to remove them. My car was a little warm, not hot when i was doing this.

Any tips on removing them? I got two out, but the other two are still in there.


so i have another question...my car overheated a while back. i drove it for an unknown length of time before i pulled over and waited til it cool down then poured water and drove back home.....does that experience have any effect on my spark plugs being seized?
 
Squirt some WD in there. How long has it been since they've been out? I usually put some anti-seize on the threads before putting them in - you may want to do this before putting the new ones in.

Make sure your socket is on the hex metal part of the plug. Sometimes going in the tightening direction a bit before trying to untighten them works to get them loose. Good luck.
 
Theyve been in there for a good 10K. I usually change my plugs every three oil changes, so theyre about due for it. Im try the wd40 and wait.

They are super tight in there!!!
 
Originally posted by: AntMan530
Theyve been in there for a good 10K. I usually change my plugs every three oil changes, so theyre about due for it. Im try the wd40 and wait.

They are super tight in there!!!
Click to expand...

3 oil changes???? Wow, I change mine every 75,000 miles - Bosch platinums - they seem to work very well (275K on my transport minivan).
 
Instead of WD40, try this stuff called PB Blaster. Works 10000x better than WD. Spray it around where the plug is threaded into the head. And, like others have said, wait for the car to be cold.
 
How can they be that stuck at only 10k miles? I'd wait for a cold engine and then try to get them out. Also, make sure that you are on the plugs exactly straight so that you don't break one off.

 
Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Originally posted by: AntMan530
Theyve been in there for a good 10K. I usually change my plugs every three oil changes, so theyre about due for it. Im try the wd40 and wait.

They are super tight in there!!!
Click to expand...

3 oil changes???? Wow, I change mine every 75,000 miles - Bosch platinums - they seem to work very well (275K on my transport minivan).
Click to expand...
Yeah, every 10k is way overkill. Even lower-end plugs should last much longer than that. If the plugs are burnt or fouled after only 10k, then you have another problem.
 
Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Originally posted by: AntMan530
Theyve been in there for a good 10K. I usually change my plugs every three oil changes, so theyre about due for it. Im try the wd40 and wait.

They are super tight in there!!!
Click to expand...

3 oil changes???? Wow, I change mine every 75,000 miles - Bosch platinums - they seem to work very well (275K on my transport minivan).
Click to expand...



think my civic manual suggests 30k ..
 
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Originally posted by: AntMan530
Theyve been in there for a good 10K. I usually change my plugs every three oil changes, so theyre about due for it. Im try the wd40 and wait.

They are super tight in there!!!
Click to expand...

3 oil changes???? Wow, I change mine every 75,000 miles - Bosch platinums - they seem to work very well (275K on my transport minivan).
Click to expand...



think my civic manual suggests 30k ..
Click to expand...
you're nuts
 
Originally posted by: AntMan530
Theyve been in there for a good 10K. I usually change my plugs every three oil changes, so theyre about due for it. Im try the wd40 and wait.

They are super tight in there!!!
Click to expand...

you're even more nuts
 
Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
Originally posted by: AntMan530
Theyve been in there for a good 10K. I usually change my plugs every three oil changes, so theyre about due for it. Im try the wd40 and wait.

They are super tight in there!!!
Click to expand...

you're even more nuts
Click to expand...

haha

i need to do this...my car is scheduled for a smog...
 
Originally posted by: AntMan530
Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
Originally posted by: AntMan530
Theyve been in there for a good 10K. I usually change my plugs every three oil changes, so theyre about due for it. Im try the wd40 and wait.

They are super tight in there!!!
Click to expand...

you're even more nuts
Click to expand...

haha

i need to do this...my car is scheduled for a smog...
Click to expand...

this will increase your chances exactly 0% of passing an emissions test.
 
Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
Originally posted by: AntMan530
Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
Originally posted by: AntMan530
Theyve been in there for a good 10K. I usually change my plugs every three oil changes, so theyre about due for it. Im try the wd40 and wait.

They are super tight in there!!!
Click to expand...

you're even more nuts
Click to expand...

haha

i need to do this...my car is scheduled for a smog...
Click to expand...


this will increase your chances exactly 0% of passing an emissions test.
Click to expand...

from my observations of the other spark plugs that i got, it looks like my car is running rich. changing the spark plugs then changing the timing will definitely help.

 
Key to stuck plugs is a hammer and taking it slowly. You dont want them to break off in the head or your talking mega bucks.

You get one started hitting the ratchet with a hammer and you tweek a little to get it loose and then tighten it back up. Tweek a little further and tighten it back up. And do this till it feels like it will continue to come loose without to much trouble.

This way you will be working the threads then going full force and twisting the ends off in the head. Been doing them that way for years (knock on wood) and havent had one break off yet. Infact I did the tune up on my wifes jeep today and had 2 of them stuck and that is the only way to do it. OH and the engine needs to be cold not warm or hot 😉

And also use no or the shortest extention you have. The longer the extention the less of a shock inpact from the hammer will be applied to the stuck plug. And keep that sucker straght and not cocked off to the side where you will bust the porcelen off.

And to pass emmisions find the PCV valve and remove the hose. Stick a good wad of paper in there. This is so you dont take back in the blow by from the engine. Also take out your air cleaner if it is a place that will not check to lessen the restiction of air going into the engine alowing it to breath better. Make sure to bring it there very hot so try to get it there right off the highway or go beat the crap out of the car to remove any cabon build up inside and heat it up really good. And use low octane fuel and near empty tank. The car will lean out so near empty and using less octain will allow the car to burn all the fuel. Higher octan is harder to burn so it may not burn it all up. And up the timming a smidge to the point it just wants to spark knock. Spark knock is the fuel detoning before the spark plug has a chance to light it up. You get it a chance to burn all that fuel setting the timming a little more advaced and you wont have anything come out the pipe at all 😉
 
Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Originally posted by: AntMan530
Theyve been in there for a good 10K. I usually change my plugs every three oil changes, so theyre about due for it. Im try the wd40 and wait.

They are super tight in there!!!
Click to expand...

3 oil changes???? Wow, I change mine every 75,000 miles - Bosch platinums - they seem to work very well (275K on my transport minivan).
Click to expand...



think my civic manual suggests 30k ..
Click to expand...
you're nuts
Click to expand...

pretty sure it says that.

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=363590

 
Originally posted by: AntMan530
from my observations of the other spark plugs that i got, it looks like my car is running rich. changing the spark plugs then changing the timing will definitely help.
Click to expand...

Wow, just wow.

Plugs wont cure a rich condition, neither will timing.

And I hope the OP has waited until the engine cooled off before removing those plugs (especially if he has aluminum heads), as he could very easily pull the threads right out.

 
Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Originally posted by: AntMan530
Theyve been in there for a good 10K. I usually change my plugs every three oil changes, so theyre about due for it. Im try the wd40 and wait.

They are super tight in there!!!
Click to expand...

3 oil changes???? Wow, I change mine every 75,000 miles - Bosch platinums - they seem to work very well (275K on my transport minivan).
Click to expand...



think my civic manual suggests 30k ..
Click to expand...
you're nuts
Click to expand...
What's so nuts about following the manual and changing standard copper plugs every 30-36K miles? Standard copper plugs arn't meant to last too much longer with peak performance.
 
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Originally posted by: AntMan530
Theyve been in there for a good 10K. I usually change my plugs every three oil changes, so theyre about due for it. Im try the wd40 and wait.

They are super tight in there!!!
Click to expand...

3 oil changes???? Wow, I change mine every 75,000 miles - Bosch platinums - they seem to work very well (275K on my transport minivan).
Click to expand...



think my civic manual suggests 30k ..
Click to expand...
you're nuts
Click to expand...

pretty sure it says that.

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=363590
Click to expand...

uh, yeah, for severe service.
 
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