91 2.2 Legacy

 

I was doing some work for a fellow and the aft plug on the drivers side will not come out. I can turn it and it is as loose as can be but it will not come out of the hole.

 

It tightens back down fine, but only take a couple of turns to be tight.

 

I'm thinking someone may have put an insert in and its turning.

 

Any ideas on how to get it out without pulling the head?

hmm, maybe some of the threads are crossthreaded and now the plug is binded in there. Are u using a proper attachmentt to remove spark plugs, that GRABS the plug, like it has a piece of rubber? maybe u can grab the plug when its loose with pliers but the driver side is kind of difficult.

I don't think it cross threaded as it turns freely. Tried grabing it with a pliers no luck. I was thinking about running the engine with it loose to see if it would blow out, but I don't want to go there yet.

I changed the plugs on my Legacy and my Odyssey (those plugs are deep!) over the weekend, I used an extendable/collapsable magnet to get mine out.

I don't think it cross threaded as it turns freely. Tried grabing it with a pliers no luck. I was thinking about running the engine with it loose to see if it would blow out, but I don't want to go there yet.

I don't think that's a good idea. If the plug shatters and you get pieces on the piston head, I think that would make for a bad day.

LMDEW...

Does the plug seem to tighten when you are loosening it ? I would think that if it was x-threaded it would feel as if it was tightening again, even though you were loosening it...

 

Wondering if you tried a piece of rubber hose to attach to the porcelain part and give it a good yank to pull the plug from the head... I was given as a teaser by the local MAC man (years ago) a rubber spark plug remover. I use it all the time when doing my plugs. I used to use a piece of hose, it worked just as well. But it helps in inserting and removing the plugs in these tight situations.

 

Let us know how you make out...

It was a fellows car from work and he's happy with it the way it is. I like the hose idea and will try it the next time I get my hands on his car. The plug spins like its ready to come out buy just won't do it.

The insert sounds reasonable to me. You might also try some PB Blaster to loosen up corrosion in the threads.

It was a fellows car from work and he's happy with it the way it is. I like the hose idea and will try it the next time I get my hands on his car. The plug spins like its ready to come out buy just won't do it.

 

 

This is kind of scaring me. Sounds like something is caught on the tip of the plug preventing removal, or that you have only 1/2 of a good thread left, just enough to grip it barely.

 

I would grip it with some sort of needlenosed vicegrip and turn it out of there, and be ready to do a helicoil insert.

 

Buena suerta.