oldtimer 66
Platinum Member
The attached photo's show what I use to start spark plugs into the cylinder heads. It is part of a PVC toilet service line cut to the length I need. It has a .25 I.D. the slips tightly onto the terminal of the spark plug. I have several lengths in my tool box plus I pick up a spare toilet service line ever so often. I do not change as many spark plugs as before but this little jewel works perfect for me. It is easy to remove spark plugs using all of your special sockets, extensions, wobblers, flex head ratchets etc. But when it come to installing the spark plug it is a different story. The last thing you want to do is to cross thread one. One of the most difficult areas is the V6 engine with the back cylinder head tight up against the firewall. You can barely get your hand back there let alone hand start the spark plug using a socket and short extension. I use the PVC and cut it to a length that works for the particular application. You can leave it slightly long so you get a visual line of site. I generally I spin it CCW until the feel the first thread drop in then I start CW, twist and wiggle , twist and wiggle etc., until I have the spark plug started. A lot of times depending up on the threads it may go in 2/3/4 turns before it slips on the PVC. Just pull it off and load up the next plug. Finish off with your hard tooling. I even use this method out in the open say on a V8 engine. It gives me confidence that the spark plug has started correctly. Just thought I would throw this out to everybody and then maybe this is already common practice. Later
