Stuck spark plug

[Lakersfan24]

I know I saw a thread about this some where but could not find it and yes I used the search button. Here is my problem I went to check the spark plugs on my car and they were really hard to get loose and one of them I can not remove. It feels like it was put in wrong but when I look it looks straight. What can I do to remove it? I turned it and it went about half a turn and felt hard so I did not want to keep turning it. Also the car was hot so I don't know if that matters should I try when the car is cold. The person who had the car before me installed some graph champion spark plugs and there was some type of brown gel or something I don't know if it was like electrical gress for the plugs or what it was. Any help or suggestion would be appreciated Thanks

[nine_deuce]

Yeah, you should never change spark plugs when the motor is hot. I'd try again when it's cold and see if it's any easier. Had a similar issue in my old Mazda pickup, I was in a hurry to do a tune up, the engine was hot, I fought with 1 spark plug for 20 minutes before it finally came out.

[Fleetw00d]

Wait until it is cold, the last thing you want to do is damage the threads in the head. When you reinstall, use some anti-seize compound on the threads.

[AaronRVegas]

I know I saw a thread about this some where but could not find it and yes I used the search button. Here is my problem I went to check the spark plugs on my car and they were really hard to get loose and one of them I can not remove. It feels like it was put in wrong but when I look it looks straight. What can I do to remove it? I turned it and it went about half a turn and felt hard so I did not want to keep turning it. Also the car was hot so I don't know if that matters should I try when the car is cold. The person who had the car before me installed some graph champion spark plugs and there was some type of brown gel or something I don't know if it was like electrical gress for the plugs or what it was. Any help or suggestion would be appreciated Thanks

that "brown gel" should be anti-seize. it is supposed to stop threaded things from sticking and it usually works. so either you were too hasty and it was too hot to remove the plugs or the other guy cross-threaded the plug and it will be a bitch to get it out. is it on the whole length of the threads of the plug or just the bottom or what? it should be anti-seize but who knows what it is.

when you put in the new plugs coat them with a THIN coat of anti seize. you only put it on the male threads, never on the female threads. and remember spark plugs get torqued to 13 ft/lbs.

also since i am nice i will share a litle trick with you to not cross thread your plugs or damage them while lowering them into the tubes. i would take 1 spark plug into home depot with you. go fit the porcelain end into some thin rubber hose so that it is snug but not overly tight on the plug. you only need about a 8"-12" long piece. then when you are ready to install the plugs, thinly coat them with anti seize while they are being held in the hose. lower the plug into the spark plug tube holding the end of the hose not attached to the spark plug. in your other hand hold a flash light so you can see the plug going into the tube. lower it down and use the hose to thread the plug into the hole. if the hose just spins and the plug does not you know it is cross threaded and needs to be redone. if when you turn the hose the plug spins into place you know it is threaded correctly and everything is good. obviously at some point the hose will start to just spin on the plug, at this point use your torque wrench and torque down the plug. repeat this process for the other 3 plugs.

[batever]

Wait until it is cold, the last thing you want to do is damage the threads in the head. When you reinstall, use some anti-seize compound on the threads.

Torque figures for the spark plugs are for a dry thread, so when you use antiseize make sure to decrease tightening torque by 10% or so to compensate for the added bolt tension for a given torque setting achieved using antiseize and avoid overstressing the threads in the head. So, if the dry torque figure is 13 ft-lbs as stated above (double check) then drop that torque to 11.7 or 12 ft. lbs and you will be fine. Truthfully, you'll probably be fine with 13 as well but better safe than sorry.