spark plug extenders make sore hands

[barreti]

I promised myself I wouldn't tinker and I'd leave the new plug extenders, magnecours and dizzy for the winter. But I couldn't help myself...

Anyhow, I can't get a couple of the extenders off by just pulling them and there's obviously the risk of damaging something if you go at this ham fisted, so has anyone a tip on how to pull these little monsters off the plugs safely.

Ta.
Ian

[pupp]

I've used pipe grips applied to the ends on stubborn ones before now. Just need to be careful not to squeeze too hard as I don't suppose the plasic there will be especially robust. Twisting helps.

[griffter]

Wear gardening gloves or similar for protection, rotate the extenders on the plugs to try to loosen them, and pull like hell. If that doesn't work, try gently levering with a piece of wood (thanks to Tim from ACT for this tip).

[GreenV8S]

Make sure you know which way the spark plug is pointing. The plugs are angled, and the extenders obviously have a bend in them, so it's easy to get confused about which direction you need to be pulling.

Start by twisting the extender so that it rotates around the plug. Then give it a firm pull along the axis of the plug at the same time. They don't need a huge force, but if they've been on for a while you need to give them a good hard pull from the shoulder and not just try to ease them off sideways at arms length.

[barreti]

Believe it or not I am just getting around to fitting these buggers.
I've got new everything and the old stuff is off so heres the question..

Is it OK to smear a bit of grease around the plastic tops of the extenders to stop them sticking to the plug leads?
Lithium grease I'd guess - not copaslip.

[talkwrench]

Use Vaselise - every home should have some and its the good mechanics saviour.
It won't attack the plastic or rubber the way lithium grease does.

[medieval]

Ian - if the extenders are the same as the S2 v6 ones then I have three spare ones if you have any accidents.

Best wishes

[barreti]

Thanks guys
I've now changed the extenders - they were buggers to get off but the new ones, complete with a good wipe around of Vaseline, popped on a treat - as well as the dizzy and HT leads. All looks very smart now.
Pitty the engine turned over about 4 times then stopped and is now completely dead :rant:
Hopefully its just a fuse, but I'm cold and hungry so I'm in for the night now.
Thank god I hadn't pinned my hopes on going to Thunderball in it tomorrow or I'd really be pissed

Edited by barreti on Friday 9th February 19:54

[GreenV8S]

Depending what type of HT leads you have fitted, check they're all still secure. It's quite common for them to seal so well that air trapped underneath can't get out, and the pressure blows the lead off again some time later.

[Big Ashy]

I changed the same components last year and had the same result. Turned out that when I had changed the H.T leads, I got them all out of sync by one. Not suggesting you have done so yourself, but is an easy mistake to make and worth checking.

[barreti]

Thanks for your help chaps.
It turned out to be a blown fuse. Probably caused by me not reattaching the battery +ve properly before turning the engine over.
Lazy git

[tvr_nut]

GreenV8S said:

Depending what type of HT leads you have fitted, check they're all still secure. It's quite common for them to seal so well that air trapped underneath can't get out, and the pressure blows the lead off again some time later.

I had one of the metal-type extenders come so loose at a trackday (aided by the heat I assume) that it nearly came off the plug. Realised when the motorway traffic died down that it did not sound quite right, as was misfiring!

Took 30mins on the hardshoulder before the engine was cool enough to let me push it back on. Was a big relief though - the worry after a day of hard use is that it is something more dire than a loose plug lead!

The Magnacours I had on the Wedge had the extended/cranked section made of the same red rubber. Learnt the hard way (ruined lead) not to yank them off. I found a small open-end spanner could be used to ease off the far end of the cap until it suddenly came free (probably the suction effect, opposite to the effect above?).

Edited by tvr_nut on Monday 12th February 23:29