MY spark plugs are stuck !!?
does any one have any suggestions on what i could do next to remove them safely, thanks
Answers:
Is there any way you can get a cheater bar on you ratchet while it is on the plugs. Or could you get a long breaker bar and be able to get it on you plugs. And expanding the metal with a blow torch might make it tighter give it a try cold. As crappy as it is you might end up having to take it to a mechanic. But I would keep trying. Good luck I hope you can muscle them out.
the blow torch mite of melted them in now
heating up metal makes it expand try and make it cold
it sounds like the screws are stripped, or they can be rusted, try spraying them with wd-40 and see f that helps, if it dosent then the screws are stripped, then your kinda ffucked
give them a good soak in WD40
Something tells me that your turning them th wrong way. Which way you trying to turn them to take them out? I surely hope its counterclockwise. Also, you don't heat up the engine to try and get them out. You have to let the engine, BE COOL.
wd 40 or get someone stronger!!
They often need a lot of force, try to extend the handle of the tool youre using, you probably need a good 40cm of leverage.
Make sure you dont mangle the nut though.
DUDE becareful, you can break it in.. okay i recomed it in colder temps and use open ranch, or pleyers
They should come out when turned counter/anti clockwise.Have you tried tightening them,ie clockwise,to fool the thread? Only a bit mind.It shouldnt need a lot.Then turn anti clockwise as per normal.Dont heat the plugs or the engine just do it with a cold engine.You could also try using a longer lever on your sparkplug tool to increase your torque.
Things expand when they are heated. So why did you get the engine to operating temperatures and then heated them up? Did you want them even tighter?
WD-40 isn't going to help since there is no way it can penetrate the threads of the plug which are inside the metal. With the engine cool, put a properly sized spark plug socket in place, then use a breaker bar to apply pressure to it. If it still won't move, assuming it starts and runs, drive it to the mechanic and have it done, and next time put anti-seize on the threads. If it won't start, tow it to the mechanic and follow the above advice.
You would be better to try when the engine is cold, and get the best quality and best fitting plug spanner you can and if necessary put a bar on to give more leverage, and don't forget to undo you turn ANTI CLOCKWISE.
You didn't say what make and model and year, number of cylinders, etc. Volkwagen engines used to have this problem sometimes and we used to run the engine at very high idle and pore about a pint of auto trans fluid in the carb. It would soften the carbon on the plugs and 'lube' the threads on the plugs, keeping the plug threads in the aluminum head from being stripped. I can only imagine what that would do to the catylitic converters and computers of today.
When you do break them loose, if they don't come out easily I'd consider liquid wrench or WD40 once the seal is broken between the plug and the head.
Good luck!
A blow torch will expand the plugs and make them harder to remove. Find some electronics freeze spray, or plain old butane if you don't smoke and cool down the plugs.
Take it to a garage and let them do it, if they snap them off, then the cylinder head will need to come off for some bench work drilling the little sods out which may lead to helicoiling at an engineering shop
I only snapped 1 plug in 30 odd years in the motor trade, in my 750 Triumph bike which had been stood for years, normally a steady pull on a 30" breaker bar shifts them.
remember righty tighty lefty loosey Use some pb penetrating lube its available at walmart soak them overnight the pb will penetrate the threads don't pour anything in your carb! don't use heat try and use a longer wrench for the most possible leverage always use the anti-seize when you replace them. plugs are steel and most heads these days are aluminum. There is electrolysis present so you need the anti-seize What is electrolysis? touch a piece of aluminum foil to a filling in a tooth
I can't remember ever having a spark plug come out without a fight. My "Plan B" method for really unco-operative spark plugs is a top quality 1/2" drive socket, suitable extension bar (if required) and then one of those extending 1/2" drive wheel braces!
The engine in question will be 1.3 HCS. These plugs have a habit of seizing & often breaking in situe it just depends how lucky you are.If you brake any then your local garage should know of someone like myself who can remove remainder of plug without head removal or head damage.
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