Seized Spark Plugs - Plus Gas?

[Skyedriver]

I have a 4 cylinder Volvo engine which has had the same plugs in for at least 70k miles
I tried to remove No 1 about 69k mils ago and it was extremely tight then as it gave and started to unscrew it had an awfull feeling of being crossed so I put it back in.....and left it and the rest.
A testimony to modern spark plugs I suppose but I keep thinking that I should replace them...
About 6 months ago my local garage repair man tried No 2 and he kind of felt the same way, but wondered if it was just carbon that was causing it to lock after half a turn. After a discussion about stripped threads and helicoils and a need to keep the car on the road at the time, w agreed to let sleeping dogs lie for the time being but I keep coming back to thedactthat I need to change them.

Is it worth running plus gas down the plugs every day for a month to try and loosen any rust, could it be carbon, do I bite the bullet and just go for it?
If I need to do anything major as a result of this it could result in scrapping the car as its a 180k car,very tidy but but with a few minor ailments.

[The Black Flash]

Well, you can't cross thread it by unscrewing it, so it's either cross-threaded already (in which case you are looking at helicoils anyway), or it's just a bit stiff. I'd loosen a little, plus gas overnight, then go for it. Or leave it until you start getting misfires and have no choice. If it aint broke and all...

[maniac0796]

Get the engine fking hot and then give it a whirl. As above, if the thread is fked, it's fked, and you'll say "why didn't I leave them" and if they come out then you'll be okay.

[ian_uk1975]

Leave it... if you break the porcelain trying to take it out, you've crossed the point of no return. Not worth risking scrapping the car just for changing the plugs! Wait until it starts missing and really needs doing.

[packman10_4]

Jezzz my dad has a 2001 Vovlo V70 2.4 T 5 cyl , the middle plus is also not comming out in a hurry its been in there for 4 years now and im starting to think its time to try and remove it !!!!!

Might try and heat the area around the plug with a blow torch when the engine is cold fingers crossed......

Could also use frezze spray on the plug ????

[Jazoli]

I wouldn't even bother trying to remove the plug if it is working, unless you are 100% sure it's faulty leave it there, it will most probably still be working when you scrap the car.

It's a whole world of pain if you break the ceramic or knacker the plug in situ, and very expensive to put right unless you have a very full toolkit and don't need the car everyday.

[mrmr96]

As the others have said, you risk writing off the car if it costs a lot of money to remedy. So wait until it starts causing a problem and you've no choice.

[Skyedriver]

Thanks everyone
The leave it 'til it fails has been the arrangement since I bought it 4 year ago...
Just not used to letting a plug do more than 12k miles and they've now done 70k+

[Mave]

Skyedriver said:

Thanks everyone
The leave it 'til it fails has been the arrangement since I bought it 4 year ago...
Just not used to letting a plug do more than 12k miles and they've now done 70k+

Are they platinum? I pulled the plugs out on my Alfa at 60K, and wondered why I'd bothered, absolutely nothing wrong with them!

[stevesingo]

How times have come on. Fancy that, an Alfa outlasting a spark plug :-)

[scarble]

stevesingo said:

How times have come on. Fancy that, an Alfa outlasting a spark plug :-)

actually he said the plugs were ok, so obviously it's something else causing it to chug/tick/rattle/whine.
As it's a Volvo I'd say it's quite likely platinum, these days at least, the OEM plugs are.

[Mave]

stevesingo said:

How times have come on. Fancy that, an Alfa outlasting a spark plug :-)

Also a sign of how times change when spark plugs out live cambelts!

[packman10_4]

Quote; Also a sign of how times change when spark plugs out live cambelts!


Cambelt change time on the old mans V70 100,000 miles or 10 years , i did it at 90k

[maniac0796]

packman10_4 said:

Quote; Also a sign of how times change when spark plugs out live cambelts!


Cambelt change time on the old mans V70 100,000 miles or 10 years , i did it at 90k

Cambelt on a PSA 1.4 HDi is 10 years or 140k. You'll be lucky if the water pump lasts that long though

[Justin Cyder]

It's all about thinking out of the box as they say. Take the head off, give the plugs a wipe & gap them, put the head back on.

Serious point though, if they can't come out & they do fail and helicoils aren't working, then worse case scenario is a new head from the breakers & off you go again.

[Skyedriver]

Justin Cyder said:

It's all about thinking out of the box as they say. Take the head off, give the plugs a wipe & gap them, put the head back on.

Serious point though, if they can't come out & they do fail and helicoils aren't working, then worse case scenario is a new head from the breakers & off you go again.

It's one of those scenarios, the headgasket was suspect until I used some K seal, its been fine for 30k miles now.
Prob is the car is needed every day, a head change requires a skim, new head bolts and othe bits and bobs.
Or I might have done it earlier.
Cost for removing & replacing head is well over £200 and anything else might go on a 180k miler the next week...
Bangernomics at its best