plugs stuck

i have recently bought a 85 pontiac 6000 they valve cover gaskets leaked bad that it smoked everywere. i replaced them it was a 2 day job if you've every owned one of these cars. it run good but had been sitting for 2 years. and as i drove it more it got to were it would'nt idle or had good power. so i decided to change the plugs and that was the answer it ran a alot better but two of them i could not get out they are stuck and they moved a little when i first tried to remove them and that was it they will not budge and from looking at the ones that came out all that oil dripping and burning on them wasn't good and very worn out. it has a 2.8 litre any suggestions would be helpful the two are against the firewall i don't have much room i have soaked them with pb blaster too no avail.

 

you will need a good universal socket and long handle ratchet to get them out. use a air nozzle to blow the dirt and debris out of the holes before trying to loosen them, then soak them with a good liquid wrench, not wd40. let them soad at least overnight. try slowly working them back and forth a little at a time. after removal check to make sure that the threads in your head are not ruined. if bad they can be repaired but it is not real easy. when installing new plugs use a good antiseaze on the threads but not too much.
remember murphy was an optimist

 

Wow.......A 2.8...... With a carburetor?......

I'm willing to bet that the two that dont come out , are the center and far left side against the firewall......

The trick here is 2 universal joints ,a spark plug socket that still has the rubber in it, and a 1 inch "Stubby" extension. GM(Actually Kent-Moore) made a special DOUBLE JOINTED socket Especially for these applications, but the "Concocted" one works just as well.

Socket---Joint----Extension----Joint----

Use the longest handled ratchet that will fit "BELOW" the manifold. Standing on the Passenger side, fish the socket in and turn the plugs out.

 

That is what I had to do when one of mine was stuck. I got it loose a little (started sweating when I realized the gravity of the situation - as in envisioning stripping head threads or having plug snap off in hole) then sprayed in liquid wrench, then retightened, then loosened some more, more liquid wrench, etc., etc. Once out, the plug threads were coated in molten aluminum. So then I inspected the head hole threads. I got another old plug and liquid wrench and tightened it carefully back in without cross threading. I was ever so careful to make sure not to cross thread. Then removed the old plug ( I was using as a tap). Inspected, and was satisfied at least I had SOME thread lines left in the head. Got new plug and tightend it in, and was satisfied I was able to completely tighten it tight like normal. Again, more sweating at the end, thinking the plug might just spin in circles - but it didn't.

I actually forgot about doing this job in due time. At the time I told myself never to stand in front of that plug, with the engine running, in case it blasted out of the hole. But, since then, I have forgotten and HAVE stood in front of it, with the engine running. I think the plugs can come out like a bullet out of a gun. I think I've heard of stories with hoods getting dented in, from it, if the stories are true. Similar stories about water heaters lauching out of house up through roof when pressure relief valve was not in one or got stuck shut.

 

back and forth is the key and using the penetrant...pb blaster is a good one...i'm pretty sure that's got cast iron heads, not aluminum...so they'll probably come out ok, just a bit of grunting involved.

dang...a carbed 2.8 i sure worked on alot of those back in the day

 

Absolutely.... And we cursed each and every one.... I was so happy to finally see the demise of that lil "VARIJET" to the "X" formation Port injected manifolds.

 

A carb'ed 2.8 engine dang that is long time and i don't see them much anymore around here getting rarer to see it.

Now someone mention about sparkplug flying out of the engine .,, yeah i did see in both automovite and industrail verison and they can really scare the crap out of ya when they do goes.

Last year i did work on large Natrual gas engine [ Washakua engine 4500 hp ] one of the spark plug shoot out of the engine and went thru the building roof keep in your mind that from the engine to the roof is good 10 metre distance [ 33 feet ] and punch a perfect hole.

Now for diesel engine yeah on very large engine i work on all the time one engine manufacter do have what we called dewater ports sorta like compression relase valve you unscrew and turn engine over if anyone is standing front of them during rolling stage [ turn over with fuel lever in off postion ] you will see misty mix of oil sometime water shoot right straght out. But.. this will get ya once a while the dewater port valve can actally shoot right out of the diesel engine like shotgun and we do have docoment from this situation due some valve actally break out fast if not tighen down right due very high compression [ 350 + psi ] that why i got a habit is not to stand by side of the engine if it have decompression port there.

Merci,Marc

 

got them both out no damage runs great thanks to everyone who replied your advise worked a can't thank you enough!

 

Trinity,

Yeh!

French,

Yikes!!! Locally a guy who owned a trucking business (multi-semis) was killed by exploding tire as he got lazy and did not put tire in the cage when he filled up the split rim wheeled tire.