Spark plug seized! oh no!
 

Hi Guys, need a little help here with the front trailing spark plug. It is seriously insanely impossible to get out. I am using 3 extensions and a swivel joint at the end.(is that why? will a wobble only work?) The spark plug seems to be seized in the rotor housing. I turned the racket and it felt like it skipped and then it turned really hard smoothly and then it felt like it was impossible to turn. Does it sound like a ruined anything yet? Is it absolutely needed to buy a wobble joint instead of a swivel? Do you guys have any suggestions on getting it out? I followed the spark plug diy to the T.

get some penetrating lubricant like PB Blaster or WD40 and let it soak.



also .... i ask because some people still get confused....
lefty loosy righty tighty juuuuuust incase

penetrant spray, slowly work it in both directions and be patient.

worst that could happen is that you strip the threads in the housing

Grab some PB Blaster penetrating oil. WD40 doesn't work quite as well.

Best of luck man.

If you turn the wheels all the way right you can get to them without needing a swivel or anything.

Yeah just take it slow and use a lot of penetrating lube. If you break it you will be fawked. The first time I ever removed mine they were tight as hell. Use a 1/2" rachet if you have too but like I said, lots of lube and take it slow.

:no homo:

do it slow, use a long extension, swivel sucks don't use it.

PB blaster works ONLY if u can get it in there. turn the plugs out a bit, Spray the shit out of it, turn the plugs back in a bit, out , in , out in ... oh that sounds nasty.

and if u do get it out, get a damp cloth and wipe the threads, wait till it's try, reinstall new plugs WITH anti-seize compound.

if u can't get it out or if the plug breaks off, prepare to spend big bucks to have it removed, worst case is you have to remove the engine.

Sounds good guys. I can't remove my wheel because the lug nuts are way too tight. i believe someone must have used an impact gun on them. Looks like i need to get one myself. It also looks like i need to get some pb blaster.

Going from under the car is impossible for that plug because there is an engine mount in the way and that same engine mount gets in the way when i use any kind of straight extension. So, i think if i use pb blaster, a few really short extensions attached to a really long one i think i will be able to get it out. Thanks for the tips. Please wish me luck.

Sounds to me like you need to find a good mechanic.

You don't have to take the wheel off, just turn it all the way right.

worst that could happen is that you strip the threads in the housing


Unfortunately, not - worst is you get the plug out minus its threads.

I had one drilled out, the mechanic was a genius, seriously - he put an airline into the other plug hole to blast out debris as he drilled the metal out. Then filled the chamber with oil and swept it out the exhaust before starting.

Worked great.

Steel threads in alloy housings NEED anti-seize EVERY time!

If you cannot get you wheel nuts off either then you need to either go to the gym or use a bigger wrench and good sockets with hexagon heads not 12 point heads.

either you and/or your tools are too wimpy, a 24"+ long 1/2" extension and 12" ratchet will tear it out if you have the arm strength to handle it, cheap 3/8" extensions will twist rather than jam it out

Have you ever considered warming the engine up a little, then wrapping the spark plug in ice for about a min then giving it a twist? Worked for me when I did my home compression test.

Heat expands the housing, ice shrinks the plug.

I know I know IM CRAZY :Eyecrazy:

Cant get to the plugs under the car? Wow i dont know man i always get to my plugs under my car with wheels on. Just turn it all the way to the right.

U know that u should loosen the lug nuts when the car is still on the floor right? I never had problems removing them, even if it was installed by impacts.

U need better tools. Seriously

Thanks for the motivation to get my ass to the gym. Your muscles should probably match the car you drive. I'll work on it tomorrow. I'm probably just going to go get a really good electric impact wrench and pb blaster, then put it on the slowest possible setting and slowly rock the plug back and forth. I'll make sure i remove the wheel first, too.

:nono:Dont use an electric impact wrench, First thing you will do is break the plug, then you will round off the hex nut,
then you will pull and trash the threads.

:naughty: I knew someone would say that...That's why I exaggerated the slowness. i was using a 3/8" socket and extension and wrench and i was using the stock lug wrench in the back of the trunk. So, I will upgrade to pb blaster(from wd40) and upgrade my tools a tad. Thanks for the heads up on my CRAP tools and the impact wrench brain blast.

If you are close by, you can borrow mine.

don't bother wasting your time with a penetrant oil on a fine tooth thread in a limited access horizontal position, your threads are not rusted and you won't get squat in there to accomplish anything other than making a mess

Digger, Thanks a lot, but i am a lot farther than a hop and a skip away(Hershey, PA)

TeamRX8, Thanks for saving me a few bucks when i go out grocery shopping tomorrow morning.

Also, to the person who said that i should warm up the engine. I would totally do that if I could. I just got my 8 from a buddy because he said it was flooded and it needs a new tranny. So, i said hey why not. I tow started it to drive it to my garage. Unfortunately, it does not idle. There was only about a quart of horrible black gross oil in it and the spark plugs were coated(and i mean coated) in carbon. So, between the oil and the spark plugs i am hoping i can get it to idle tomorrow. I have personally driven this car a few months ago where I remember sitting in a parking lot with it and it was idling fine. The car has just been sitting for this long, because my friend lost his license because he is a moron. I'm not sure i unflooded it completely when i had it running, but i do remember smoke shooting out of the exhaust for a good 3 or 4 minutes. I'm going out on limb here and saying that the idling has to do with the excess carbon, flooding, low oil and spark plugs, but just to make myself happy I am also going to call the local stealership and see if i'm still in warranty. It's a 2004, so there's still about a 70 percent chance that it has a later manufacturing date than jan or feb.

DISCLAIMER: If any of my above statements are completely untrue and BS, just let me know. I am new to the 8 scene and I am trying to learn as much as i possibly can.

Peace

You tow started it and DROVE IT with barely any oil in it.....? I hope you mistyped that, or forgot to type that you added oil before you did that. If not then I think the stuck spark plug might be the least of your worries.

I neglected to check the oil. Also, I only drove it a few blocks. The engine was probably on for a max of 10 minutes total and I watched the oil pressure and temp gauges and there was nothing out of the ordinary.

Watch oil pressure? I hope u dont mean the one on the dash.

Yes, your friend is a moron. I feel sorry that i have the same car, good thing he gave it to you.

Oh no, another thing i said that was dumb. :scratchhe Why is watching the oil pressure on the dash dumb?