martinss

All but one of the spark plug connectors on my S4 are jammed in. Pulling them even with a spark plug boot puller will break them - ask me how I know

I haven't been able to find this issue by search. Any suggestions? Is it better to use a penetrant (which is compatible?) &/or to mechanically try to slip a thin mechanics pick or shim around them?

I've only got 6 left to experiment on...

dprantl

Can you twist them in place? That should make them break loose. Otherwise, I would try peeling back the rubber and spraying a little PB Blaster around.

Dan
'91 928GT S/C 475hp/460lb.ft

davek9

Yes twist them first, and as they seam to build up a suction, try using a small plastic pry bar and lever them up and off slowly (getting under the 90).

Dave

borland

For the spark plug connectors, use a length of string or cord to allow pulling them loose by hand.

If you coat the rubber seals with dielectric grease on assembly, they will be easier to remove later.

Mrmerlin

the idea with the string is to wrap it around the center of the electrode and then tug it out some WD 40 should be a better lube to free up boots
NOTE the PB may damage the cam / plug seals

martinss

Sorry - are you saying to wrap the string around the exposed cable area as it enters the wider part of the connector, or to work the string around the first 'rung' of the wide part of the connector that is in the cam cover?

borland

Under the part of the connector that the wire connects to. If you pull on the wire, the wire terminals will be damaged or break.

I usually double up the string and use two hands to do the pulling.

Ed Scherer

Good advice. Various other items (like hoses and vacuum tubing connectors) have that same "Chinese Finger Trap" property that when you pull on them, they just get tighter. However, if you push the ends such that you "shorten them," they open up.




It doesn't hurt to first use a spark plug boot tool to just compress and flex the boot a little from a few sides to at least try to break any bond that may have formed. Twisting might be risky, as you might split the boot (BTDT).

fraggle

When I broke one of mine, 928 international supplied a nice replacement, for a small fee of course.

How'd this work out, anyway?