Spark plug symptoms?

Apr 21, 2005 4 Replies

If 2 spark plugs come out easily, and another 2 are a bugger to come out is that an indication of anything? I would of thought all four would either be easy or difficult. If one is hard to come out but is gradually turning (albeit with some force), do you just keep going till it comes out? Why would 2 be stiff and another 2 easy, as I presume they are all same age, but no idea how long they have been in. Can't see any danger of them snapping with a 14mm thick thread. I hope it is just old age and not undoing a cross threaded one. But I suppose undoing a cross threaded plug is not a reason for it to be really stiff to do undo?



Do people on here bother to use anti seize compound when installing spark plugs? Would engine oil do?Or that no-corrode jelly stuff that you can put on battery terminals do?


The message from AJ contains these words:

Yes, no and no; in that order.

Copper grease is your friend. Use it (nearly) everywhere.

Its not unusual I can think of a couple of reasons such as two have not been nipped up correctly allowing gases to flow up the thread creating a build up of sooty clag . or the engine is running rich - on single carb engines typically two cylinders run a little richer (the inner pair on real minis) so you get more cr*p on the end of the plugs not a problem on regularly serviced engines but the longer they are in the thicker the build up wind them back a turn or two as you undo them that will help clear the threads Derek

Except in places like on the friction side of disk pads. I know it's obvious but people do do it.

Or the non-metallic parts of a spark plug ;-)

Chris

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