stuck spark plug

[dr sportster]

Stuck spark plug during a plug change . My friend said when he worked for Lincoln -Mercury he ripped the thread out of an aluminum head .He told me you better google that ! Five plugs changed three to go. I'm sure I will get better ideas from smart guys on here . Soaked in Fluid Film have to get squirt Liquid Wrench . Run engine till hot then blast cold onto the spark plug .Heat up the plug and cool. I'll probably squirt lacquer thinner and trans fluid mix too for good measure. Afraid to tug too hard now Tried air tool { mechanic friend say no-no-no rip out threads } Stepped up to 1/2 n breaker bar ???? Stuck good .Suppose there is nothing in the way of a burning torch tp lite on fire right there if I flop the plug wire away. I will push gas bottles out which are ten feet from the truck and heat if I have too. I'm planning to not tear out the threads in the head ! Somehow?

 

[504]

I will not touch an aluminum head till it is overnight cold. Steel and aluminum do not unscrew very well when one is hotter than the other.

 

[T.R.K.]

What is it in?

For instance, on Youtube, it seems stuck or stripped sparkplugs are pretty common in some Ford engines.

 

[Steve@Advance]

This has been an ongoing problem with some Ford engines.

I have not been involved in getting one out.

But something to consider, when going back with the new ones, find out what needs to be done so it does not happen again!

 

[MarkB_MI]

If I'm taking a spark plug out of an aluminum head and I think it might be seized, I'll break out the torch before risking tearing out the threads. Assuming it's in a spot I can actually use the torch; you generally can't do that on the back side of a V-6 DOHC transverse engine.

I don't believe any sort of penetrating oil can help with spark plug threads, since the taper or washer that keeps the combustion pressure inside the cylinder will also keep the penetrating oil out.

 

[kcm.MN]

Don't know if this might help, but will share it anyhow.

Was taking spark plugs out of the Chevy, but was having trouble breaking them loose. Finally got a small pipe and grabbed it where I had another 6" of leverage. Loosened right up, no problems. But without that extra leverage, they wouldn't budge. Might be worth a try?

 

[Gambles]

Exactly what year and what engine are you working on? It could make a big difference.

 

[Mule Meat]

Rule at the shop.. Do not touch a Ford spark plug. Tell the owner to take it to a dealer. Not worth the headache nor the hassle of spending hours on what should be a simple maintenance item. And I am not going to risk having to eat the cost of a new cylinder head.

 

[Stephen Newell]

Personally I've never had one get stuck but I've gotten to where I put anti-seize compound on the threads when installing them.

 

[JMOR]

I just sell/trade the SOB before changing plugs!

 

[marloweg]

easy don't buy a ford

 

[Dusty MI]

Remember when we/you changed spark plugs at 20,000 miles.

 

[Sprint 6]

What Ford are we working on?

 

[Caseboy1]

I understand your predicament. I've been there myself. The last time that I replaced the plugs in my truck, one of them started turning out, then started seizing before I had even made two revolutions. I sprayed in some WD-40. Continued to back it out. It slowly started turning easier. Some of the threads were damaged, so I ran a spark plug tap in the hole to clean up the threads. A penetrating oil will help, but, like was previously posted, it won't reach the threads as long as the plug is tight against the head. If all else fails, and the threads are damaged too much to get the new plug tight, most auto parts stores will have a spark plug thread repair kit that includes a thread insert and the tool to install it. No drilling is required and it works well. Will save your cylinder head. If you do have to tap the hole, make sure the piston is down so there won't be any contact there. Good luck with getting it out.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

Had a 99 F250 with the 5.4. I've had the plugs out at least three times with no problems but it had the plugs with thread only and not the extension. Service manuals say to use anti-seize on the threads and dielectric grease in the boots. I have a '15 now with 6.2. I'm saving up for the 16 plugs I'll need.

 

[Carlmac 369]

You should post this question in the Mind Readers Forum.

 

[ASEguy]

If it's possible to screw them in, I would. Then start the engine and spray in a high quality penetrating oil like Mopar heat riser solvent until the engine bucks and kicks. Let it cool and try again going back and forth equal amounts. If they won't budge at all then be prepared.

 

[dr sportster]

I really don't think penetrating oil will do anything because it won't get past the 45degree sealing surface. For all the Ford haters it is a Chevy.

 

[jon f mn]

I love it when the Ford haters come out and it's a Chevy. Lol. Oops

 

[Carlmac 369]

(quoted from post at 10:16:05 04/03/21) I really don't think penetrating oil will do anything because it won't get past the 45degree sealing surface. For all the Ford haters it is a Chevy.

You probably wouldn't have gotten the Ford comments if you had said what you were working on in the first place.

You mentioned your buddy worked at a Lincoln-Mercury dealer and worked on aluminum heads, that is why some went down the Ford road I expect.

I still don't know if it's an aluminum head or not or which engine.

As for penetrating oil helping get the plug loose I agree with your assessment on that. It will definitely help in getting it out after it has been broken free from it's seat though.

Until I know more I won't offer advice on how to break it free.

 

[TomA in CA]

Twenty years ago I made the rule never to own a vehicle 2000 or newer with all the aluminum, plastic and built in obsolescence.
I thought my '92 Ford was ideal until I had to work on it. Now I am looking for a restored'68 or '69.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

I'm not a hater, I love my Fords. I think most of the problems came with the three valve heads with the extended reach. The straight section would break off.

 

[dr sportster]

I got it out. A ratchet with a longer handle and some Sea Foam penetrating oil may have made it past the seals for the spark plug.

 

[DR. EVIL]

I learned that lesson when I was about 15 when I got my first 2-stroke motorcycle, had cast iron cylinder and aluminum head. Now EVERY spark plug gets a swipe of antizieze, even if it's going in a cast iron head.
That 2-stroke bike head had over an inch of threads on the plug. MUCH better than the aluminum heads KOHLER used with 3/8 of threads.

This same topic came up here a week or two ago, somebody said anti-sieze caused plugs to foul. Abosolutely TOTALLY WRONG.

 

[Stephen Newell]

I don't see how anti seize compound could make plugs foul unless someone got sloppy with it and got it on the electrodes.

 

[Charles in Aus.]

Try freezing the plug with an air duster aerosol can . Turn upside down and direct the fluid to the plug body . Wait a few moments between blasts , use most of the can , blast it at least five or six times . Hopefully it will contact enough to give you the advantage you need .

 

[Hobo,NC]

It took me hours to get the plugs out of a chebby one time. someone had put tapped seat spark plus in a head that was made for plugs that used sealing washers, The tapper of the plug crushed the first threads : ( I had to use a 1/2" long handle breaker bar the hole way out.

Make sure you use the correct plugs for the head designed...