Frozen Spark Plugs
#1
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Frozen Spark Plugs
What is the most effective way to remove realy tight spark plugs without breaking them or stripping the threads from the head.
These are cast iron heads and the car sat outside for 10 years then inside for 10 years.
I tried to clean the plugs but found the first one realy, realy tight which concerened me about stripping the theads or breaking the plug off in the head.
I did the one because the second one was considerably tighter so I sprayed WD-40 on it an screwed it back in before I broke it.
The car runs so I'm leaving it alone for now.
These are cast iron heads and the car sat outside for 10 years then inside for 10 years.
I tried to clean the plugs but found the first one realy, realy tight which concerened me about stripping the theads or breaking the plug off in the head.
I did the one because the second one was considerably tighter so I sprayed WD-40 on it an screwed it back in before I broke it.
The car runs so I'm leaving it alone for now.
#2
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If it is a FORD - like on the Triton engine - you better take it to a garage.
You didn't say that the plugs were still in the car in the engine.
But your story - after you read it all explains that you are still driving it - so that tells me that they are still in the engine under the hood.
Ford Engines like the Triton engine has the plugs deep down into the head and the plugs are only held in by 3 threads. So most times they seize in the heads and when you go to take them out they take the threads out with the plugs.
If you were not going to drive it, you could take the head off and heat the plugs with a torch - if it was not a aluminum head and get the plugs to loosen or you could spray WD 40 down the bore a couple of times for a couple of weeks until you got the oil to penetrate deep enough to get the plugs to loosen.
But in the end, your best bet might be to take it to a garage and pay a mechanic to do the work for you and let him worry about it.
You didn't say what type of vehicle it was or what engine it was. What do you think we are mind readers?
You didn't say that the plugs were still in the car in the engine.
But your story - after you read it all explains that you are still driving it - so that tells me that they are still in the engine under the hood.
Ford Engines like the Triton engine has the plugs deep down into the head and the plugs are only held in by 3 threads. So most times they seize in the heads and when you go to take them out they take the threads out with the plugs.
If you were not going to drive it, you could take the head off and heat the plugs with a torch - if it was not a aluminum head and get the plugs to loosen or you could spray WD 40 down the bore a couple of times for a couple of weeks until you got the oil to penetrate deep enough to get the plugs to loosen.
But in the end, your best bet might be to take it to a garage and pay a mechanic to do the work for you and let him worry about it.
You didn't say what type of vehicle it was or what engine it was. What do you think we are mind readers?
#3
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If it is a FORD - like on the Triton engine - you better take it to a garage.
You didn't say that the plugs were still in the car in the engine.
But your story - after you read it all explains that you are still driving it - so that tells me that they are still in the engine under the hood.
Ford Engines like the Triton engine has the plugs deep down into the head and the plugs are only held in by 3 threads. So most times they seize in the heads and when you go to take them out they take the threads out with the plugs.
If you were not going to drive it, you could take the head off and heat the plugs with a torch - if it was not a aluminum head and get the plugs to loosen or you could spray WD 40 down the bore a couple of times for a couple of weeks until you got the oil to penetrate deep enough to get the plugs to loosen.
But in the end, your best bet might be to take it to a garage and pay a mechanic to do the work for you and let him worry about it.
You didn't say what type of vehicle it was or what engine it was. What do you think we are mind readers?
You didn't say that the plugs were still in the car in the engine.
But your story - after you read it all explains that you are still driving it - so that tells me that they are still in the engine under the hood.
Ford Engines like the Triton engine has the plugs deep down into the head and the plugs are only held in by 3 threads. So most times they seize in the heads and when you go to take them out they take the threads out with the plugs.
If you were not going to drive it, you could take the head off and heat the plugs with a torch - if it was not a aluminum head and get the plugs to loosen or you could spray WD 40 down the bore a couple of times for a couple of weeks until you got the oil to penetrate deep enough to get the plugs to loosen.
But in the end, your best bet might be to take it to a garage and pay a mechanic to do the work for you and let him worry about it.
You didn't say what type of vehicle it was or what engine it was. What do you think we are mind readers?
What.......you cant read minds???
Yes, its' a Ford but nothing like a Triton.
I did say in the thread that it has cast iron heads dummy.
It's a '67 289 V8 Mustang and I'm restoring the car. Just got it running.
BTW......I dont take any of my cars to "mechanics" where the "experts" always screw it up or charges me for something else that wasnt the original problem, that's why I DIY.......
Good shop mechanics are few and far between.
I'm very good....
#5
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I'll second the PB Blaster. Really good stuff but if they're really bad you might let it sit on the for a couple of days if you can.
#6
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Get a longer ratchet and put more leverage on them. I have used a 1/2 drive ratchet to break some plugs loose in ford heads. Spray them with PB Blaster, and go after them, when they break loose spray them again and work them in and out of the threads. When you get them out put some never seize on them before reinstalling them.
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The dummy is someone who asks for help yet doesn't give all the necessary information about the year, make a and model of engine.
You take one of those spark plugs out of a Triton V 8 or 10 engine with a 1/2 inch breaker bar and you will be looking for a head shop to put new threads in the head.
I got a new tools catalog the other day when I was at the parts store and there was 3 whole pages of tools for working on the Ford heads and thread restore kits.
Like I said before, the spark plug only has like 3 threads that engages the head and when you take the spark plug out - it takes the threads out with it.
The bore down into the head is really deep and water sits inside of the bore and corrodes the threads on the spark plug and causes them to seize to the head.
Good Luck with your Rustang.
You take one of those spark plugs out of a Triton V 8 or 10 engine with a 1/2 inch breaker bar and you will be looking for a head shop to put new threads in the head.
I got a new tools catalog the other day when I was at the parts store and there was 3 whole pages of tools for working on the Ford heads and thread restore kits.
Like I said before, the spark plug only has like 3 threads that engages the head and when you take the spark plug out - it takes the threads out with it.
The bore down into the head is really deep and water sits inside of the bore and corrodes the threads on the spark plug and causes them to seize to the head.
Good Luck with your Rustang.
#8
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I believe what I would try is getting two things - the Blaster penetrant (but there are a number of good ones) and a can of Freeze Shock. You can get both at a parts store.
Then hit the plugs a couple of times with the Blaster (or whatever you picked up). Let it sit over nite. Then the next day warm up the engine completely and use the Freeze Shock on the plugs alone. Do one plug at a time and use enough to drop the temperature of the plug. That will shrink it.
Then hit the plugs a couple of times with the Blaster (or whatever you picked up). Let it sit over nite. Then the next day warm up the engine completely and use the Freeze Shock on the plugs alone. Do one plug at a time and use enough to drop the temperature of the plug. That will shrink it.