so i have a plug that the hex part stipped off but the ceramic part is intact and the plug works but it is ver old and dirty. i had asked this before if the shields around the plug can be removed and you guys said yes. BUT HOW? i was yankin on the thing for an hour and it didnt budge. i soaked it in liquid rench and sprayed some degreaser but it did nothing. i grabbed it with some pliers and squeezed it with another pair and pulled HARDjust bent it thats all. does the plug have to be out to get these thing off? i was thinking about drilling a hole in each side and threading a bolt through it then attatching some cableing or somthing and then try stand over the engine and dead lift the thing out! any ideas thoughts?

 

shields should come out regardless of plugs in or out. mine just sort of fell out with a minimum of wiggle using a pair of pliers. try using a punch down at the head and give it a little whack, enough to create a bend. are they rusted in ?

bad news on your broken plug. some here have reported getting it out with ez-out, others have had no luck. i'd leave it alone until the day you've got time to pull the head.

 

looks like it is rusted in.
at this point i just want to remove the shield to get a better look at the plug to see if i can remove if need be.

 

Mine were a PITA to remove the first time. Vice grips, PB Blaster, lots of cussing, and a lot of elbow grease and they finally came out. Wire wheeled them before putting them back on my new heads and have since removed them entirely due to new Taylor Spark Plug wires.

Keep at it and they do eventually pull out. Rock it back and forth while pulling if at all possible.

 

STILL wont budge! i am going to try my dead lift idea

 

I think that my brother even used a hammer on a few of them to get them out. Luckily my engine was sitting on an engine stand at the time and not down in the engine compartment. Between PB Blaster, tapping, rocking, twisting, cussing, and more than a few beers they did finally let go. Sorry but i've no additional advice to give you.

 

THANKS man i got it out! i put a flat head screw driver down at the bottom and hammerd away. plus it soaked in liquid wrench all night. the best part is, the spark plug was NOT stripped. it was just covered in i dont know what. i cleaned it off and it pulled right out. i t was loose in the block. i replaced it and OMG the truck runs SOO much better

THANKS GUYS

 

I would recommend the die-electric grease that goes on the spark plug connectors to coat the shields to prevent their getting frozen in the future. I also recommend people coat the threads of their spark plugs with anti-seize.

 

It's good to see that the Ford Fine Tuner works on Dodge's also.

Glad you were able to get it out and find that you didn't have as big of a problem as you thought. I used a wire wheel to clean the outside and a drill with a wire brush to clean the inside once I got mine off. Then before I finally removed them permanently, everytime I changed the plugs or wires, off they come again just to be sure the gunk build up doesn't occur.

if you run in the mud, I've heard the best thing to do is remove them permanently to prevent the gunk buildup. As long as your wires are secure enough to not get too close to the exhaust you'll be OK leaving them off.

Glad we could all help.

 

Glad it worked out. I'm sure it is a relief for you that it wasn't stripped. Sounds like you've had enough problems to fix since you bought that truck, glad this wasn't another one.