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stuck spark plug 200 1984

posted by  someone claiming to be lauraj on  Sat Feb 28 13:23 CST 2004 [RELATED]

i am attempting to replace the spark plugs in the car, and i was able to easily take out and replace 1, 2, and 4, but i cannot get three out at all.

i have read some suggestions on how to remove the plug using lubricant over a period of days, so my question is, should i put the old plugs back in so that they are all of the same age/condition until i get out the stuck one? or can i leave the new ones in place while driving with one bad plug (and judging by the others, it is probably pretty junked up)? will this have any bad effects for the new plugs or the engine?







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    stuck spark plug 200 1984

    uid 18083's pic
    posted by  lucid on  Sun Feb 29 02:26 CST 2004
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    last visit: Fri Oct 24 12:31 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    Run till hot, then poke a slim candle (whittle one if necessary) down in the plug well around the plug base. The heat should "wick" the melted wax into the threads.

    Then try it carefully. If there is any movement, work it back and forth to gradually increase the range of motion as you add more of your favorite snake oil penetrant.

    This has worked well for me on other fittings. Never tried on a plug though.
    --
    Bruce Young,
    '93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.








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    stuck spark plug 200 1984

    posted by  scorch on  Sat Feb 28 14:38 CST 2004
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    One old plug won't hurt. Use PB Blaster. It should only take a few minutes to penetrate. No need to wait more than that. Get a long breaker bar for your socket. If you really have troubles getting it out, it might be cross-threaded, in which case you'll have to tap some new threads with a metric tap & die set. If it's cross-threaded, you'll know because it will be tough to turn all the way out of the hole. If it's just stuck and not cross-threaded, once you get it unstuck it should pretty much spin out of the hole by hand.

    You can use some anti-seizing thread compound to prevent this in the future.








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      stuck spark plug 200 1984

      posted by  clbolt on  Sat Feb 28 17:56 CST 2004
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      last visit: Sun Aug 26 06:52 CST 2001
      [RELATED]

      Depending on how long it's been in the engine, and whether anti-seize was used in it's installation (unlikely), if it's forced, it could easily take the threads out with it. This can happen even if it's not cross threaded. That's why it's a good idea to soak it over a period of days, and to drive it between soakings. The heat cycles help the penetrant to get where it needs to be.

      Always use anti-seize when installing plugs in an aluminum head.
      --
      1991 245, 61k miles, looking for a 5 speed 92-93 245 cheap.








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    stuck spark plug 200 1984

    posted by  david hunter on  Sat Feb 28 13:25 CST 2004
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    last visit: Mon Jun 30 22:10 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    No problem running with one old plug.
    --
    David Hunter








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      stuck spark plug 200 1984

      posted by  Cliff Pope on  Sat Feb 28 19:17 CST 2004
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      last visit: Thu Feb 3 05:28 CST 2011
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      Don't just keep applying more force - you can easily turn a tight plug into a wrecked head. As advised, soak it overnight, then try again. As soon as the plug starts to get tight, apply more penetrant and screw it back in. Work it backwards and forwards, unscrewing a bit more each time.








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        stuck spark plug 200 1984

        posted by  CarlRS on  Sun Feb 29 07:26 CST 2004
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        I had this problem one time on another car with an aluminum head. A long time mechanic told me to never attempt removing or installing plugs in aluminum heads until/unless the engine cold. He explained that the steel plug and the aluminum head expand and contract at different rates and as the head cools it will contract around the plug and hold it a lot tighter than normal until the temps equalize. I ruined the plug threads for one of the plugs on that engine and the head was still pretty warm. I followed his advice ever since and never had a problem.

        The B230F on my car sure gives me the "willies" though when I change the plugs in it even after 260,000+ miles. All kinds of scrunching and squeaks taking them out and they always feel a little tight too. They never spin freely and I use antisieze on them.







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          stuck spark plug 200 1984

          posted by  invar on  Sun Feb 29 11:31 CST 2004
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          last visit: Fri Feb 26 21:00 CST 2010
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          i was told to run the car briefly to warm it up and then shut it off and remove the plug. the reasoning for this is that the steel in the plugs expands slower than the aluminum in the head, and thus when the car is only warmed up for a short amount of time, the head will expand and 'let go' of the spark plugs.
          --
          Kenric Tam
          1990 Volvo 740 base sedan (B230F)
          My Volvo 'Project'








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          stuck spark plug 200 1984

          uid 18083's pic
          posted by  lucid on  Sun Feb 29 09:15 CST 2004
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          last visit: Fri Oct 24 12:31 CST 2014
          [RELATED]

          A long time mechanic told me to never attempt removing or installing plugs in aluminum heads until/unless the engine cold.

          I've heard that for a long time too, but so far haven't seen it in print (don't have every volvo manual either).

          It always comes to mind when I pull plugs for a warm compression test.
          --
          Bruce Young,
          '93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.







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