Anything that’s stuck is frustrating, including life. But, we aren’t going to go all philosophical on you today! Our topic of discussion is how to remove spark plugs that are stuck in a motor vehicle, and we shall stick to this.
During one of your routine maintenance processes, you may find spark plugs that are seized and refuse to budge. Now, remember two things: It is very important that you remove them and removing them can be very annoying.
How to Remove Spark Plugs That are Stuck?
There are a few ways to remove the spark plug, but let’s find the easiest way out of this. You will need a lot of time, a lot more patience, and some basic equipment. Let’s start:
1. Where are the spark plugs stuck? Find them. You will need to know exactly where the problem is to be able to solve it easily. If it is under the vehicle, you will need to spend more time in lifting the vehicle to be able to access it and work on it until you successfully remove it.
2. Now, you know that spark plugs have caps on them, right? Remove the cap.
3. Bring out some penetrating oil and spray it onto the plug. This oil will loosen the hold because it works on the rust and any other buildup that is causing the seize.
4. That’s it for today. Give the oil one entire night to work its magic. If you cannot afford to do that, then try to leave it for at least half an hour.
5. Once the wait is over, use a wrench first, to (yes, tighten it) and then loosen it to remove it completely.
6. You can choose to soak the plugin more oil if it is being stubborn. But, don’t ever try to force it too much. This will damage the plug, and you will end up incurring expenses. That’s added headache and hassle, which you definitely want to steer clear of.
7. You can even start the engine for a short while to provide heat, and then let it cool down a little before trying again. If you don’t let it cool, you will burn your hands.
8. After you are done removing, replace it with a new plug. Coat it with a heat-resistant lubricant before you put it in to avoid hassle later. If you can find a heavy-duty lubricant, go for it! Some manufacturers particularly tell you that you should use an anti-seize lubricant. Others have no restrictions. So, we would say that you go with what the instructions say. You don’t want to be doing something that’s not recommended. It will only make things worse.
There you are! We understand that it theoretically sounds very easy but don’t raise your expectations. Very few have reported that they removed the spark plug in one attempt. You may need to try a few times unless you are very lucky. So, be mentally prepared for some work and patience, and you will get there. All the best!