I just looked through the cylinder head disassembly section of the FSM and it did not detail how to remove the spark plug tube from the head. I know it's removable because it's a part you can order from nissan for replacement. Do you just pull it out once you have the valve cover off? I am not near my disassembled engines to test this.

 

It is detailed in the Z33 fsm.

They are press fit in to a specified depth.
They are also sealed with red loctite (or equivalent) so you will probably need to twist and pull pretty good to get them out.

 

Yeah have fun with that. My buddy did that and messed up his hands....apparently it all of a sudden just pops out.

Be careful.

DF

 

thanks guys. sounds like I can give it a try but I may have to just remove the head to get this spark plug out... guess I'll test it on one of my spare engines and see how that goes.

 

I spoke with my friend more about this: he says he took off the cover and then just used pliers to take them out.

Hope that helps?

DF

 

it definitely could, I'll try it in the next few days.

 

Have you tried breaking the top of the plug off,and using a 12 pt socket.Or even better a stripped lug nut remover ? I belive snap-on sales thin impact sockets. Just a simple thought like 2am in the morning.:stfu:lol








ok good night.

 

yep, went through all that. i was unsuccessful at breaking the top off of it - they are far stronger than I anticipated they would be. nevertheless, I tried banging a deep well socket down on there but had no success at that. went searching all over town for a deep bolt extractor but everyone only has the shallow ones. i got the #s for the local snap-on, mac, and matco tool guys, but I haven't bothered to call them yet because I do not believe there is enough material down there for a bolt extractor to grab on to. It's late and I too am not going to go into specifics because it'd take forever to explain, but I think I've had some freak failure of a spark plug. it appears as if the entire base of the spark plug has disintegrated or melted. i know that sounds insane, and if anyone told me that they were having a problem like that I wouldn't believe them either, but that's what appears to have happened. i have pictures (as best as I could take while shining a flashlight down the tube). anyhow, I've got the car running on 5 cyls right now, it's drivable but just annoying. after I get the 3.5 running in my other car I'll work on fixing this one (I'm assuming that unless I can get the spark plug tube out, I'm going to have to pull the head).

 

well we will have to heads to look at Neal. mine is the same way.

 

Neal, before u pull the head....If i'm understanding correctly the hex part of the plug is out of round or damaged correct? just get an old socket that fits the sparkplug, remove the rubber piece inside of the socket and with a pick or something scratch the inside of the socket alot (for grip and adhearance). After that just mix sum JB WELD and place it inside of the socket with the extension already in place and place it over the spark plug and let it set for like 4 hr or whatever. The JB should hold the entire sparkplug and u should b able to get it out---> just don't put too much JB on cause u don't want it to mate with the head<---I know ur smarter than this but I thought I'd throw it in there.

sam--->good luck

 

the way it is on ours there may not be enough of anything to get in there. Mine will be easier since i just went ahead and replaced the motor. But i will see once i get it out how hard it is to do.

 

hmm, the JB weld idea I hadn't thought of. the only problem I see with that is, that if the spark plug is somehow stuck in the head and I'm unable to turn it, then the socket will be stuck on there. of course, since I'm planning on pulling the head anyways at this point, I guess that doesn't matter. good idea, I may try it this weekend.

 

No problem, why not squirt some WD40 in there (may also keep the weld from matting with the head)- maybe it will find it's way around the plug and loosen it -or maybe a possible carbon build up inside or around the thread. I also thought about it getting stuck, but head removal would be the last remedy.

 

any luck Neal?