Spark Plug Removal Hot Or Cold?

DrSmith

Member
Sep 2, 2004
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Maine
I have been all over the net: ford says cold engine and people have done warm and warmer engines. My car has 33k on it, do I just buy the tool to remove the plugs if i break them....
thanks,
Doc
Yes, I have searched the forum......
 
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Here is what you do. Get some good cleaner for internal carbon build up. The night before you decide to remove the plugs when you get home from hanging out while the car is hot and still running remove the PCV tube and spray some of the cleaner in there (car should stall out) but it should break up most of the carbon which is one of the major reasons the plugs break. After that remove the coils, loosen the plugs 1/4 or even 1/8 turn and spray in some PB-Blaster, decent amount you want it to wick down the plug over night. Next day when cold, slowly slowly slowly remove plugs 99% break free when done this way. Many Ford tech take them out hot, mine do it all the time, but then again they have the tools and experience to remove broken ones.
 
.... and they shouldn't break.

That's awesome! The damned things shouldn't break no matter what you do, especially when removing them by hand!

I've replaced thousands of these plugs and in my opinion it makes no difference if the engine is cold or hot. The only real thing that seems to make a difference is mileage. The lower, the better!
 
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I'm thinkin a warm to cool engine might be good.
Why work on a hot engine, unless your in a huge rush.
Hi Guys,
I already posted this, but thought I would follow up here as well. I started with a cold engine, cracked them 1/8 of a turn, soaked in pb blaster for about 24 hours. I got all 8 out no sweat. I worked them back and forth, no screeching but a few scary moments. I went real slow and it went fine. I bought the tool in case they broke, maybe having it and not needing it did the trick! I talked with a ford mechanic who thought the key was to work them back and forth and have plenty of patience.
Thanks for your input!
Look for my post on my supercharger install!
Doc
 
I just did mine last night. My car has just a little over 40k and I attacked like it like a normal spark plug job. My car was cold seeing it had been sitting in the garage for 4 weeks (delay in valve cover project). Just take you time and you will be ok. Auto Zone may have a 3V spark plug tool if you should break 1. Sears sells them as well
 
It doesnt matter cold or hot... We do them at the dealership when they come in. Break them loose then spray pb blaster in let soak then take them out. The lower the mileage the better. IF they break we use a took kit from napa at our dealership(yes its a ford dealership) works great and we can get the piece out in about 10-15 min easy. A couple of guys at the shop will break them loose spray pb blaster and then use an air rachet to take them out. I will have to say they break less plugs then the techs that use the rachet the whole time..... the 5.4 3valve are the worst for breaking IMO. But good thing is when you go back with new plugs you will never have the issue again due to the plug redesign...