Spark Plug Change Problem

[sid_vicious]

I just bought a nice long set of needle nose pliers, which should be suitable for fishing around for the rubber boot, and/or breaking off the top of the spark plug.

 

I figure I'll start by jacking up the engine with the mounts loose after work tonight. Hopefully that will give me enough access to not require pulling the engine. It's only got 67k miles on it, and although there's nothing wrong with preventive maintenance, it shouldn't need any seals yet.

 

Do I need to do anything about the connection between engine & transmission (auto) when jacking up the engine? I remember a pitch stopper on the one and only engine I've pulled from a Subaru which, as I remember it, would prevent the transaxle from lifting up with the engine (?)

[sid_vicious]

SUCCESS!

I got the remnants of the rubber boot out last night and got the plug replaced. I vacuumed out the spark plug hole as well as I could before fully removing the plug, but I could still see some very small bits left inside that were stuck in the film of WD-40 I had sprayed in to hopefully swell the rubber.

 

I carefully installed the plug, hoping to avoid knocking the bits down into the cylinder. I don't have a compressor, but I'll try to find one to use so I can blow them out. There were no strange sounds or running problems when I ran the engine, so I'm guessing I got away without any bits in the engine's internals.

 

I tried so many different tools and methods that it's hard to say what worked best.

[Rooster2]

Nothing sweeter then finding success. I don't think any boot remanant particles will cause any trouble even if they entered the combustion chamber. They will simply burn away and be gone. There would not even be enough carbon particles remaining to be an issue.

 

Again, "CONGRATS" on a job well done!

[tcspeer]

Hose pliers.

 

Sometimes using a standard deep socket. I'd recommend AGAINST removing the rubber from your socket and using it. I don't think it would ever be "tight" again.

 

Not a whole lot to scratch to worry about that I can think of. Only perhaps a lip where the rubber rings are in the valve covers.

 

It's gonna be stuck from heat and so on.

 

If the car was missing - you've found the problem. Did they alter the pulg wire?

 

You may even try cutting it with a razor knife?

 

Sorry I missed your suggestion of Hose Pliers, before I posted it. I did not mean to repeat something already suggested.

[davebugs]

Glad it all worked out.

 

Things could have gotten ever uglier.

 

I assume you used anti-seize and dielectric grease.

[1-3-2-4]

GD I had this happen to me as well the effin hard plastic somehow broke but left the stupid boot on it (why does it need to be rubber?) I'm effin stuck.. and I gotta be to work at 2 AM.. I took the valve cover gasket off and everything..

 

Help!!

[nwtech]

saw this before on a 5.4 ford engine swap, the wrecking yard who shipped us the engine on top of breaking the coolant outlet housing as well as cut every wiring harness, supposedly left the engine out in the rain, never filled the plug/intake, any open hole on the motor with plastic caps, there was water, little rocks and an injector o-ring stuck down in the spark plug tube so a socket wouldn't fit and hard to get pliers in there, ended up using a long pick and hook as well to get it out