Call me an idiot but i have melted my spark plug boots and cant get the plugs out. Had a massive water leak from the water pump and drove it home just it got into the red.

Pulled one lead out and the boot broke and looks like its melted so i cant get the spark plug out or a lead on it. So she is running on 5 cylinders.

Can i pull the rocker cover off and pull the sleaves out looks like to be my only way. Does the sleeve pull out with the spark plug in place?

The plug tubes are pressed into the cylinder head, and removing the rocker covers will give you better access. How easy or difficult it is to pull the tube off the head without damage is anyone's guess, someone who has actually done that needs to chime in.
Removing the tube should give you full access to the melted rubber and spark plug.

You could try pouring in some acetone to soak the stuck bits a few hours. Might soften them so you can pick it out with long nose pliars.

A tool like this would be useful.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/spark-plug-pliers-boot-heavy-duty-terminal-new-tools-insulated-DIY-4x4-petrol-/322001107475?hash=item4af8c2fa13:g:gvQAAOSwiwVWQ92 r

When you do get the plug and the boot out, you have to find out why they melted. In my Pajero, I used Bosch leads or a while and they melted and fused to the spark plugs. NGK never had that problem. Also TopGun leads melted badly. I was running on LPG, but I suspect that Bosch and TopGun were inferior materials.

The original ones that came out of my TL at 190,000 km (approx) were fine, but I did notice some softening at the ends due to oil contamination.
Needed a hefty pull though, kind of heat welded to the plugs.

Pulling the tube from the head is my only chance. Tried the other leads and looks like there melted as well but didnt want to yank them too hard and break them until im ready to take the rocker cover off with leads and plugs

Bought a set up of long nose pliers and was able to clear enough rubbish around the plug to put a new lead on. Back to running on 6 cylinders now but not quite 100% with an occassional miss. Probably need to pull the rockers covers and take out the spark plug tubes to change all 3.

Then there is the other cylinder head . . .

One of the disadvantages of the 100,000 km spark plugs is that you don't pick up problems like heat welded boots or leaking plug tube seals early enough to avoid problems fixing them. Nothing worse than pulling a plug lead out and not being able to see the spark plug because it is down the bottom of a well of oil. lol
I didn't know plugs worked ok submerged in oil. lol lol

True, i was thinking the other cylinder bank as well , but hey one at a time and im sure there boots are stuffed too. Luckily my iridium plugs arent to old

Actually all that tapping was bringing out the oil deep into the plugs and surprising its running ok at the moment.

It misses badly under load on LPG but petrol its seems pretty good. maybe LPG brings out the worse?

Stock up on parts like a set of plug leads, spark plugs and rocker cover/plug tube seals and make a "dirty hands" day out of it.

Replaced the plug leads on my TL recently. The new leads were all 1 to 2 cm longer than the originals, which helped a lot. Denso brand, from Rockauto. (or buy NGK, if you want blue wires. lol)

I better make pulling the front leads out and checking for oil leakage and heat welding a part of my normal service routine. Say, every second oil change?

I wouldn't make it part of regular maintenance.

The more you pull them in and out, the more you're likely to damage them. Take them off to change the plugs, otherwise leave them alone.

If they are getting so hot they're melting, either there's an engine problem - or they are crap leads.

The more you pull them in and out, the more you're likely to damage them.


Good. If there is a problem with them sticking/cracking/swelling it lets you know they need replacing before they fall apart to the point you need to fish bits out.

I'm not part of the "don't touch it if it is working ok" tribe, I'm more "check for possible future problems and replace before the problem gets serious".

[QUOTE=MadMax;1636930] "Replaced the plug leads on my TL recently. The new leads were all 1 to 2 cm longer than the originals, which helped a lot. Denso brand, from Rockauto. (or buy NGK, if you want blue wires. lol)"

Having longer than original leads is a nuisance. Yes - it makes it easier to get them on and off, but then you have the excess lead flapping around in the breeze. I found that NGK were the best to use - they lasted the longest and they had the individual cylinder numbers on the leads. This made it easier to sort out when fitting the new leads. And they didn't then hang down and contact the engine or other bits of the controls etc - less chance to short out to earth or to another lead later.

Also, do the leads one at a time. That way you don't get them mixed up. Further, No 1 spark plug position on the distributor cap is not where I would have put it.

Having longer than original leads is a nuisance. Yes - it makes it easier to get them on and off, but then you have the excess lead flapping around in the breeze. I found that NGK were the best to use - they lasted the longest and they had the individual cylinder numbers on the leads. This made it easier to sort out when fitting the new leads. And they didn't then hang down and contact the engine or other bits of the controls etc - less chance to short out to earth or to another lead later.

Also, do the leads one at a time. That way you don't get them mixed up. Further, No 1 spark plug position on the distributor cap is not where I would have put it.

The original leads are so short that it is impossible almost to pull some of the front boots out without straining the wires. 1 or 2 cm extra on each lead comes in handy. And no, they don't flap about.

If you follow the original install path for each lead exactly, nothing will touch, rub or short out. This includes putting the original loom standoffs/wire collectors (comb like devices) in EXACTLY the original place.

Distributor cap is numbered. Can't go wrong.

As suggested, remove one old lead, match up length from the new ones, install. Even better if they are numbered.

EDIT: NGK leads are the best to use? Bit of an overstatement, unless you tried them all.
Rockauto lists about 12 different brands . . . but I will get some NGK leads, I think my TJ at 150,000 km may need them soon.

I am thinking of pulling the rocker cover and removing the tube itself as i want the tubes completely clean before i remove the plugs which i still cant get a socket onto with all the crap on them.

You wouldn't want to get the plugs out the normal way anyway, as a lot of crap would go down the plug hole into the cylinder.

You wouldn't want to get the plugs out the normal way anyway, as a lot of crap would go down the plug hole into the cylinder.

Exactly, bought a set of long nose pliers but still cant clean it all without breaking the plug. I suppose i could break the plug which would give me a lot more access.

Long screwdriver, break the grot up until you can get a spanner on the plug, back it out most of the way, and crank the engine to see if the grot blows out.

Alternatively, I'd like to hear from someone who has actually done it, how hard/easy it is to lift those plug tubes out of the head once the rocker cover is off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_op0gb6Me8

found this on youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_op0gb6Me8

found this on youtube

Answers all the questions really.

Madmax:
I found that for the shorter HT leads, it was impossible to remove them without straining the lead and therefore breaking it. Exactly what the local Mits dealer did to my wife's TF. I had to replace them because two of them were stuffed after they did a service. If you undo the little clips & standoffs which support/separate the HT leads, the plug section pulls out easily.