Spark plug wire stuck in block?

[svensko]

Hi,

I am attempting to replace my plugs and wires before I sell my car. I attempted to remove the first plug wire and it seems to be stuck. I believe that the thick rubber boot at the bottom of the wire has created a vacuum and now it's nearly impossible to get out. I'm going to attempt to use a coat hanger to poke a hole through the rubber boot and hopefully relieve any vacuum it has. Are there some secrets to getting these things out? The brand is Xact, if it matters.

Thanks

This is on a KA24DE, sorry.

[essforteen]

use very long thinner needle nose pliers they help alot!

[hOngsterr]

it might of melted inside just like mine,

get a flathead screwdriver and start breaking pieces.

[fliprayzin240sx]

it might of melted inside just like mine,

get a flathead screwdriver and start breaking pieces.

Bad idea...you'll never get those pieces out of there once you break them in there. Make it worst, once you pull the spark plug, all those crap will go into the cylinder.

[racepar1]

Bad idea...you'll never get those pieces out of there once you break them in there. Make it worst, once you pull the spark plug, all those crap will go into the cylinder.

You won't even be able to pull the spark plug out with the broken pieces in there in the first place......

:tweak:

It's just a PITA to get them out.

[FaLKoN240]

That happened to me on my KA-T set up, (irrelevant I know) but it did prevent me from taking it out.

I ended up using a coat hanger, you just gotta get one end of the coat hanger really sharp and stab through it, then hook it.

It took me about an hour... shit sucks.

[Phlip]

Happened to me last year when I was replacing the wires anyway...

Be prepared to replace the plug wire, and the fact that this is happening leads me to believe that it is time to replace them all anyway.

The round rubber piece at the top comes off REALLY easily, as in without an outpouring of superhuman strength.
See arrow:
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/5966/dsc00996n.jpg
(yes, I know my engine is filthy, suck me)

Once that is off, you have the plastic "tube" thing that mounts down on the plug, that is what is stuck. Get in on it with some needle nose pliers and pull STRAIGHT up, so as to not break IT, it shouldn't take a whole lot of effort either.
More time consuming that physicality, and be prepared to replace the wires.

[svensko]

Thanks for all of the responses. I'm afraid that they may have melted to the head since the engine did get a bit hot recently when the radiator sprung a crack. I'll give them another try the next time I see the car. I think I just get easily frustrated with them. :bash:

This is the current status of the engine:

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/9633/dsc01181jj.jpg

You can't see it in this picture but the black plastic tube is still in the first cylinder. I've been using clamp-type pliers an attempt to pull it out but it's pretty solidly in there. :(

[Ceepo]

I had this happen to me, i used a pick tool(with a hook) and i hooked it and pulled it out, try putting some penetrating lube on it maybe? idk just an idea, i also used needle nose plies another time...

[Tantwoforty]

i used a wire hanger and a long screw driver... i broke it in half and fished it out it was a pain in the ass dont pull your plug until you get all the pieces out tho, you dont want the rubber falling into the chamber

[90hatchie]

spray a lil wd40 down their and let it sit for a bit then pull
it will soften up the rubber allowing it to come out easier

[dallaceseiuli]

Bad idea...you'll never get those pieces out of there once you break them in there. Make it worst, once you pull the spark plug, all those crap will go into the cylinder.

if u break peices in the spark plug area just use an air compressor to blow out the chunks. :naughty:

[theslows13]

Xact brand wires have done this EVERY time ive seen em on a KA.

NEVER buy them.

Lifetime warranty you HAVE to use is pointless.

The magstars i have right now (available at advance auto) have held up quite nicely.

[svensko]

Xact brand wires have done this EVERY time ive seen em on a KA.

NEVER buy them.

Lifetime warranty you HAVE to use is pointless.

The magstars i have right now (available at advance auto) have held up quite nicely.

I was actually able to get a free pair of Xacts somehow, they've been sitting in my closet for the past year. I plan on using them and since it'll be sitting for a while, hopefully the next time I have to replace them I'll have th head off anyways and it won't be such a pain.

I tried spraying WD40 before but perhaps I didn't try enough.

I also do have some long skinny screw driver-ish things that that have hooks on them that I believe I purchased the last time I tried to change the plugs.

The next time I try this I'm not going to take no for an answer. Of course, I'm also expecting it to be an all day job.

[Devil Man]

if you take the valve cover off you might be able to get enough bite on the tube with a regular pair of pliars and bull that crap out of there.

[rican_nick]

like others have said. Long tipped needle nose pliers. I sprayed some WD then jammed the needle nose as deep as possible.. then pull straight up. Pray the tube doesnt crack.

[shinobis13hb]

like dalla said. i used um on my car same prob. just gonna take a bit. never buy them again i learned the hard way haha

[hOngsterr]

the loong needle nose pliers didnt work for me, unfortunately my plugs melted into the chamber.

Bad idea...you'll never get those pieces out of there once you break them in there. Make it worst, once you pull the spark plug, all those crap will go into the cylinder.

dude i did it, i didn't pull out my plug till i blew out the small pieces.
sheeet, don't tell me! i personally experienced it and worked on it with the help of francisco and his dad lol it was a bitch but we still did it
and installed new NGK wires.

if u break pieces in the spark plug area just use an air compressor to blow out the chunks. :naughty:

sheeet, someone backed me up!
lol

[zenki.life]

Take off the valve cover. Then you can bend a paper clip into a hook and work it out. That's what i did

[OverBoost]

If you break some small pieces of plastic/rubber in there while trying to get it out, you can get the hose from a standard house vaccum and suck them out. That should be able to get any smaller pieces that are in the bottom preventing them from going in the chamber when removing the spark plug.

[GunmetalSR]

i had a problem some wat similar
value grade wires and i tried to pull it out and jus the cap came off
is jus took pliers and broke some of the larder plastic pieces of and pulled them out till i could grasp the metal plug itself with the needle nose

[mkomar24]

weld a drywall screw to a piece of 1/8 rod stock and then you turn it to thread into the rubber at the bottom and pull up. Works most of the time but obviously wont help without access to a welder....

[svensko]

Thanks everyone for all the tips and advice. I plan to attempt to change the plugs again and will also be replacing the radiator. Hopefully I won't run into any issues but if I do you guys will be the first to know. :hahano:

[svensko]

Alright, if I put some of the locking needle nose pliers (not sure what they're called) into the tube in the first cylinder, I can spin it, and I can also tilt it it any direction. I was shining a flashlight down the hole while spinning and noticed that the rubber grommet thing at the bottom of the tube is also spinning. I'm afraid the metal part at the end of the tube may have fused with the end of the spark plug when it overheated. Am I SOL? :bite:

[svensko]

Quick update... I went and bought some very long pointy thingies (think a sturdier coat hanger) and poked around some. The plastic tube is not going out so matter how much I tug on it. I'm tempted to use a drill to grind it down and then vacuum out the plastic, use the hook thingies to get the rubber grommet out and then use a deep socket to get the plug out. Can someone tell me why this wouldn't work?

[ixfxi]

magnecor



best wires on earth

[svensko]

Mini bump - any opinions on the grinding down of the tube and removal of the grommet that way? Unfortunately I can't take out the grommet with the tube out of the way and I believe the tube is fused to the spark plug.

Thanks!

[hOngsterr]

i told you.
it might of melted on to the plug,
like what happened to mine,
stick a flathead into it and start breaking pieces.

[svensko]

i told you.
it might of melted on to the plug,
like what happened to mine,
stick a flathead into it and start breaking pieces.

My issue is that even with very long pointy thingies it's hard to break up the grommet. I will try again next weekend.

[RWDKing1986]

OK the best way i have found to get melted wires out is to heat them up with a blow torch not map gas not welding torch the little blue bottle torch don't give it alot of heat small bursts until your able to just pull them out because what happens is the bottom rubber boot and the plastic piece melt to the shape of the spark plug hole so you heat it up just enough and it usually comes right out don't melt your head or burn up your valve cover gasket rings be careful but it only takes about 5 minutes per hole and then you blow it out with air compressor or use a shop vac and it keeps it clean