unable to get spark plug socket on plugs :(

R

Ron Sircar

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Hello all

Does anyone have any tips or tricks for removing sparkplugs when you cant get a socket on them? I've pulled the coils on the drivers side head and I cant even see the hex down the spark plug well, nor car I feel the socket grab onto the plug. Ive confirmed the socket size as 5/8" on the new plug, just hoping its only because of crap down in the well and not because someone impacted them in to the point where I cant get a socket on them

20160608_145750.jpg

20160608_145750.jpg
 
Maybe start by spraying some pb blaster in the wells and let if soak for a while?
I'd be sure to wash/vacuum all that out before removing the plug. You don't want any of it falling in the cylinder.
 
joegr said:
Maybe start by spraying some pb blaster in the wells and let if soak for a while?
I'd be sure to wash/vacuum all that out before removing the plug. You don't want any of it falling in the cylinder.
Click to expand...

I tried WD40 originally, and then spray 9, hoping that would dissolve or loosen the dirt down there, I'm just really concerned no matter how much I push down and turn the socket I'm not grabbing onto anything..... I will give the pb blaster a try too
 
spray carb cleaner or something down in there and try to knock as much loose as possible with a small pick or screwdriver and then vacuum as much out as you can.

getting new heads for some crud build up seems excessive.
 
maybe be excessive.. thats why I said just locate...

Thats not just crud... but oxidation of SOMETHINGS metal... probably just the tubes IIRC... but would have me worried enough to see if some cheap ones where local.
 
n8bachelor said:
Looks like some of the coil boot may still be in the plug well around the edges preventing the socket from engaging the plug.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure, the coil boots were not torn and came off cleanly, each of the 3 plugs on the driver's side head are like this, I haven't pulled the upper intake manifold off yet to get at the passenger side plugs, hope they are not like this

I have sprayed all kinds of penetrating fluids and things to try and dissolve dirt
but still cant get a socket to grab onto the plug

The last time I had something like this was on a 4.6L V8 engine out of a older crown Victoria, some dimwit had put the plugs in so far the hex flange was partially pushed into the aluminum seat of the head, not enough was protruding for a socket to bite onto, so had to change the head, I am really hoping that is not whats happened here, as I really do not want to get into removing heads on this engine
 
Could it be possible?

I´m not an expert, but could a sandblaster take off that dirt or oxide without hurting the head?
Just a guess
 
ortoman said:
I´m not an expert, but could a sandblaster take off that dirt or oxide without hurting the head?
Just a guess
Click to expand...

the last thing I would want is to increase the chance of something (like sand) falling down the hole when/if the plug actually gets removed.
 
Clearly that pic illustrates the inside of the broken off coil rubber boot. So yeah it would make it that much more difficult to get the plug puller on it.

OP, take a pair of needle nose pliers and begin to pull/tug at that black rubber outer seal at the top. You can see the broken ridges. It's a rubber coil boot that is stuck in there from the looks.

Grab a hold of it and pull it straight up. Do not attempt to remove the spark plug just yet.

Get that boot out first, then retake a picture and let's see what kind of junk you really have left down that plug well. (please)


If you have an air compressor, I'd adapt an extension (taped on McDonalds straw would suffice) and blow those wells out before attempting to remove any plugs.



:: Remove the broken off boot!
 
Oh crap, I didn't even notice the boot. I kept looking at the plug, expecting the end of the boot to be there. It looks like the top of the boot, the ridges, tore off. Maybe from a previous set of coils. The well should be a smooth aluminum cylinder cut from the head
 
I'm with Big! I don't see any sign that a socket has had any contact with the hex on the plug. Whatever that might be that's stuck in the top of the plug tube is very likely interfering with getting the plug socket in far enough.

KS
 
use a deep well socket.. i just had this problem. went to the store grabbed a deep well socket and put it on my extension bar.. i did not have it locked on the extension.. it was barely resting on the locking spring of the extension.. it came out like nothing
 
Sand/Dirt in well

MysticMac said:
use a deep well socket.. i just had this problem. went to the store grabbed a deep well socket and put it on my extension bar.. i did not have it locked on the extension.. it was barely resting on the locking spring of the extension.. it came out like nothing
Click to expand...

Hi all

so I managed to get 5 out of 6 plugs out, basically I had sprayed WD40 and Spray 9 cleaner in the drivers side spark plug wells and
let it sit then scraped out as much crud as I could which came out like mud, not 100% sure but it looks like sand? lol

For the record it looks like the passenger side was never done, the plugs I assume are factory as they do not say motorcraft or any other brand fortunately the passenger side wells were clean and easy to get a socket on the plugs

The driver's side had motorcraft plugs, I managed to get out the front and the middle plugs, the rear most plug on the drivers side is still giving me issues, there was no broken boot to be found in any of the wells, I'm hoping once I get the last plug out of the drivers side head
to clean everything up, install new PVC while I have the upper intake off, I also discovered someone had started to undo the EGR pipe from the valve and left the threaded compression nut off (found it on the pipe back near the firewall)

Is there supposed to be a cover over the coils to keep crap out of the spark plug wells or is this build up of crap an abnormal situation caused by something the previous owner did? I just would like to prevent it from reoccurring

here are some pics:

sparkplugs.jpg

the two motorcraft plugs at the top of the pic are two out of 3 that I couldn't get a socket on originally
the other 3 came out off the passenger side head

passenger side spark plug well.jpg

passenger side spark plug wells were clean by comparison

sparkplugs.jpg


passenger side spark plug well.jpg
 
Ron Sircar said:
...Is there supposed to be a cover over the coils to keep crap out of the spark plug wells or is this build up of crap an abnormal situation caused by something the previous owner did? I just would like to prevent it from reoccurring...
Click to expand...

No, unlike the V8, the V6 has no cover. Instead, the plug boots themselves should seal near the top of each well to keep water and dirt out. Be sure to apply dielectric grease around the outside of the boot to try and help make this seal.

I'd be really, really nervous taking the plugs out will all that debris sitting out by the wells. I would have vacuumed and scrubbed all that off first.
 
What is this ridge? is it rubber or dirt buildup?

20160608_145750.jpg


V8's don't have that same 'ridge'

v8wells.jpg

20160608_145750.jpg


v8wells.jpg
 
^ and the coil has a boot similar to the V8's which would be seated down along, deep into the well.
Now why wouldn't they add an extra layer of protection with a rubber ridged seal like that onto the V8's?

V8's don't have that at all. Very interesting.


+1



EDIT - - - - oh wait, because they gave the V8's those boring coil covers instead!
 
Are the motorcraft coil on plugs the best in terms of longevity and reliability? Or is there a better option?
Also are the 1st and 2nd Gen coils compatable? V8 to v6? V6 to V6?
 
No the V8 strictly uses the DG529 OEM coils from Ford. Not compatible with the V6's coils.

There are other option then OEM Ford, they've just not been as reliable, some have had good experiences, others have not.
 
Actually, it seems that Accel Mustang COPs have an enviable reputation. They aren't identical but they are close. My own have been on my car since 2007.

KS
 
cammerfe said:
Actually, it seems that Accel Mustang COPs have an enviable reputation. They aren't identical but they are close. My own have been on my car since 2007.

KS
Click to expand...

Do note that the V6 takes different coils (not just boots) than the V8. I don't know if anyone has tried an Accel version on the V6.
 
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