I am fighting those damned spark plug heat shields on my 1998 5.2 in my B1500. Is there a way to remove those irritating things? I've never had any issues not having them on other vehicles. Any ides how I can get them off? What is happening, is the spark plug socket won't make contact with the hex on the spark plug. Is there a special thin wall socket I need that will fit down inside that stupid shield?

 

Some say they've pulled them out by grabbing them with pliers. That didn't work for me. So, I placed a long bar, about 18" on the top edge, then hit the other end of the bar with a hammer and they popped right off. I've also used an air hammer the same way...one little pull of the trigger and they were out. After they were all out, I used a vacuum to pull up any potential dirt or debris at each spark plug hole.

 

I'll try that. thanks. Since I have no access to an air hammer, will just have to use something else to smack them out with

 

Well... I solved the issue. I had a wild thought that came to me, while I was on the porcelain throne last night: I needed to find a thin walled spark plug socket, to fit down inside the heat shield tubes. I found what I wanted, in the small engine parts section at my local farm supply store. The socket I bought, will slip right down inside the tubes easily

 

I do some of my best thinking there.

 

Ok, while I had the heads off to clean them and replace a bad valve, I removed the heat shields, but misplaced them when I went to put them back in the holes They are long since discontinued, what can I use as an alternative to the factory heat shields?

 

Don't worry about 'em. Lotsa folks just remove them, and call it a day. They tend to cause more trouble than they are worth. Plug wires with quality boots will be more than adequate to the task.

 

Ok thanks!