I bought a 2002 Ram 1500 Van with a 5.2 L engine. The 5/8" socket can't touch the plugs because there is a metal jacket over the spark plug. One of this jackets is gone. Any suggestions on how to get rid of this jacket without damagging the old spark plug?

Thanks

Robert C.

 

The sleeves that surround the plugs should have a small gap down the side of them. If you compress that gap with a pair of channel lock pliers you should be able to pull them out. Either that or use one pair of pliers to compress it and another to pull upwards. Hope this helps.

-Bill

 

Thanks, those sleeves are stuck in pretty good. I am sraying WD-40 to easy up. Anybody knows an other alternative?

 

PB Blaster or Sea Foam Deep Creep. They both come in a spray can and are probably about $10 at your local car parts store.

 

Indeed, toss the WD40 since it can and will cause rust further down the road making the job even harder the next go around. Yes, Seafoam Deep Creep. PB Blaster and Liquid Wrench are good options. However, careful with PB blaster since it's glycol based and when heated gives off a foul odor.

As a help, take off the front wheels will really assist in accessing those plugs at the very front of the engine. You can do it with the dog-house off and a swivel socket set, but your knuckles will be tore up a bit.

Since your socket can't fit over the plugs, my guess is that the rust has fallen into those metal jackets making life a bear getting things out. A shop-vac can help too.

 

Don't use a spark plug socket, use a regular one because the socket wall is usually a bit thinner.

I had a tough time getting those shields out at first. My first attempts were done by grabbing them with channel locks and trying to crush and twist them out and trying to pry with a small crowbar. I had limited success with that method. What really worked for me was using my air hammer with a chisel end and just mashing them over to one side. If you don't have access to air tools, then a 2' metal bar and a big hammer should do the trick. Before inserting a new spark plug be sure to vacuum all around the spark plug hole and in it to try and suck up and debris that might be there.

 

If those shields are in there really good, chances are, the plugs are in there really tight themselves. when rust piles on with the addition of moisture and heat, removing the plus may cause them to snap. I know this first hand after buying my Ram Van. It cost $300 at a racing performance shop and two or three EZ-outs. From that point on, I have always used a very thin coat of anti-sieze over the threads. Don't want a repeat of that ever again.

 

Thanks to all. But I went to the hardware store and bought this Spark Plug socket for small engines. Right were they have lawnmover parts. It was short to those sleeves, so I had to buy a bolt and log nuts to fit the opposite side. Then I use a wrench to the bolt and turned. The plugs came out easy and I did not have to struggle to get those sleeve out. Hope this help to others too.