Spark plug socket

sticky nicky · Postby **sticky nicky** » Mon May 28, 2012 8:53 pm

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone knows if you need a special spark plug socket for the NA6. There seems to be a ridge in the hole stopping a normal spark plug socket fitting properly on top of the spark plug for removal. It will only go down part of the way. The muppet mechanic I just took the car to has rounded it off because of this (didnt admit it) but if I can get a socket with a thinner wall it may fit on all the way down where its not entirely rounded.

Would appreciate any comments thanks!

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Mon May 28, 2012 9:11 pm

I got a 1/2" drive 5/8" six point plug socket from Repco ages ago. It's quite thin walled and works perfectly.

Steampunk · Postby **Steampunk** » Mon May 28, 2012 9:47 pm

What exactly did the mechanic round off? I can't make any sense of what you wrote.
If your socket can't go all the way into the spark plug well , then perhaps you are using the big type socket. There's generally really the "small" and "big" plug sockets, you need the small one.

sticky nicky · Postby **sticky nicky** » Mon May 28, 2012 9:52 pm

The mechanic rounded off the silver bit that goes into the socket, below the white ceramic bit. The sockets I have tried seem to be about 1 millimetre too thick, so I need to try get a thinner one. Ill have a look at repco thanks.

SOK · Postby **SOK** » Tue May 29, 2012 1:06 am

Nicky,

i took a grinder to a standard sparkplug socket to take the chamfer off, probably ground it down about 2mm. the other option is to use the spark plug tool that comes in the tool kit, it fits perfectly, as long as the plugs aren't over tightened.

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Tue May 29, 2012 9:14 am

If you're buying a new plug socket, get a 6 point type (hexagonal inside) and not the 12 point. :wink:

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Tue May 29, 2012 1:19 pm

I just use a plug socket, I think it's from some cheap no-brand kit.

I've never noticed any issues with the plug wells being too tight for any socket.

The only issue I've had is that the socket isn't deep enough to fully reach over the plug, so I need to only half clip the square drive into the end so the electrode can poke through a bit.

Steampunk · Postby **Steampunk** » Tue May 29, 2012 2:18 pm

Ok I think I get it: an edge on the hex part of the spark plug has been rounded and is now bulging on a weird angle.
A thin walled socket will not go round it because the internal hex shape of the socket is still the same.

Think about it.

You're only option will be to cut a section off the socket so it will slide over the buldge.

sticky nicky · Postby **sticky nicky** » Tue May 29, 2012 6:51 pm

Thanks for your help guys, I have found the spark plug socket in the mx5 tool kit so will try that on a good plug first, then if it fits on properly I'll hopefully get it onto the rounded off plug enough to gently ease it out.

Cheers

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Tue May 29, 2012 8:03 pm

sticky nicky wrote:Thanks for your help guys, I have found the spark plug socket in the mx5 tool kit so will try that on a good plug first, then if it fits on properly I'll hopefully get it onto the rounded off plug enough to gently ease it out.

Cheers

If it has been mutilated, you NEED a thin wall 6-point socket, preferably a GOOD one, not some Supercrap crap. Otherwise you risk doing nothing but finishing off the rounding the last bloke started. If it won't go on easily, you may need to use force, you have little to lose at this point.

If it has been/gets rounded off, I doubt that gently is going to figure in the proceedings - there is a reason why it was rounded off, and I doubt that any ridge had much to do with it (if he was in any way a competent mechanic :roll:

).

If you can't get it off without rounding it completely, you might need to use a one size smaller socket and a BFH, I have never had to try that and I don't know what collateral damage that might cause, but sometimes desperate situations call for desperate measures :shock:

. Short of taking the head off and drilling it out, I don't know of any other way of getting a rounded plug out.

Good luck

sticky nicky · Postby **sticky nicky** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 9:09 pm

A good news update......we managed to get the rounded plug out. We used several different spark plug sockets including the one out of the mx tool kit, with no luck.
I had borrowed one from SOK on this forum, which seemed to be thicker walled than the others and we put it in place and gently tapped it with a hammer.
Then slowly but forcefully tried to undo it and it clicked and came free! So happy as it could have been a major problem.
Thanks to SOK and everyone else for your help and comments.