I think I have inherited someone else's problem!!!

Decided to change the plugs in my 8 this weekend. When I tried to pull the old plug in the Lead of the first rotor it was a son of a bitch to take out. As I was taking it out it was getting harder and harder ... I mean my hands are soar from working the ratchet! Everything looks normal.

When I tried to put in the new plug ... it starts to go in crooked!! I can't get the plug straight for the life of me! It is totally screwed! (pardon the pun!). No matter what I try I cannot get it to go in straight.

I can't fix this! Anyone run into this before? Did you have to put in a thread coil? Dam! I was just doing this before I stored it away!! Son of a Bitch!

Can anyone help?

 

OUCH that sucks! i got nothing on this sorry

 

Go buy a tap and run it through the splug plug hole to clean the threads out. Please make sure you GREASE the tap in order to catch and prevent any metal chips from falling into the hole. You should be all right.

Worst case scenario you will have to re-tap the hole and put in a helicoil with a spark plug fix kit ($20).

 

^^^+1 I have had two friends crossthread their spark plugs and I went to the local autoparts store to buy them a retreading tap/tool to re thread it for them. Go slow and careful, and you will be alright... make sure you get the right size bring the spark plug with you. Good luck.

 

Got a rethread tool and got the plug in!

The reason for the new plugs is that I have been having problems with hard starting lately and since colder temps came around I thought perhaps it was flooding. Last time I ran it I made sure it was well warmed up before I shut it off. I left it for a couple weeks and got new plugs and wires thinking it would be good to fix this issue before storing it away.

After everything was back together, the car will turn over, but no spark it seems. I have not tested for spark as I ran out of time. I know all the new wires are connected properly!

I had 4 new coils replaced in the summer by Al's team (sniff, sniff ... gonna miss you Al!). No error codes. Fuel pump is running. Not sure what's up. I will have to check for spark later on. What could I check before the coils?

 

That was not fun but I'm good now thanks to AJs mad skilz

 

hard starts usually coils or low engine compression.
hard starts are how i ended up with a new engine

 

Well done. Now, I hope [apparently unlike the original owner] you used some anti-seize paste on the new 'plug threads.

Even tho' you believe the coils are good, do an inductive test on them (timing light) which will also verify the connectivity of the cables. Also a resistance test on the coils. See encl.

Also be sure the coils-'plugs are in the proper timing order.

 

Anti-seize?? Dam right! I will never put plugs in without it, now that I have went through this crap!

Thanks for the coil check document! I will follow this on the weekend!!

Much appreciated!

 

What size tap did you end up using?

 

Just blew a plug last run of autocrossing @ MMP - last run of the day. The carting shop pulled out the fork lift for me and we jacked up the car finger threaded the plug back in and drove it home.

Last people to touch it was the Dealer doing a compression test for me before I bought it a few weeks ago. Any chance they'll fess up for killing the threads - ha ha ha.

Anyways might check this thread:
https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discuss...repair-217288/

 

Holy old thread revival batman!

I used a tool to clean (scrape) the threads and managed to get the plug in properly. Never had the problem again.

 

Ah yes the musty smell of old thread brought back from the dead to help a fellow RX8'er.

Anyways - update - called up the dealership - Jake @ Orem Mazda had me bring it up right away. He was super cool - got it right into the shop - mechanic came out about 45 minutes later said the pulled the plugs - they looked fine torqued them down and they torqued good - gave it the green light. (I'm curious what I find when I get down there next though) Mentioned that they only pull the trailing plugs for compression testing.

Jake threw in a free oil change when I tried to buy one and then let me buy 4 oil changes @ $21.00 each. Overall love the experience @ the dealership - weird huh