plug #2 was loose upon inspection while putting in OVC kit -- I can only tighten it by hand, and it still wiggles a very little - should I be fine? What can I use to tighten it? My sockets wont even fir on the header is so close...

 

Cut your socket down......TIGHTEN IT!!

 

You can cut the spark plug socket and drill a hole in the 3/8 drive for the plug to slide through. You will then need a box wrench to tighten it with the hex pattern on the socket.

 

Take the little rubber bushing thing out of the plug socket, sometimes this will give you enough play to get it on, then use a wrench to tighten it.


The problem with my pacesetters is the #5 cylinder, #2 isnt to bad.

You need to get it tight.

 

not too tight only 15 ft-lbs!!!!

 

thing is, on a buddys car i only hand-tightened 2 plugs because he had ZERO tools, and they have always run awesome, no misfires, nothing - never backed out. I wonder if mine just slipped my mind in anticipation to fire the car up since it was like 6am that morning. Either way, it is hand tight to the best of my ability now. Tomorrow I will revisit my high school auto shop - always convienient with lifts, and more tools and equipment that most auto shops. On of the shop instructors will definitely be able to help me out, as I've learned there is a tool for everything. In the meantime, how the hell do you just cut a socket in half - you guys act like it's no big deal, i almost killed myself with a circular saw because it's impossible to vise it down nicely, but in the few microseconds it was in contact, it DID cut. I'll try taking rubber out in the morning - maybe that'll help. --Another thought, my high school shop has a plasma cutter - how would that work? Would the bolt still keep shape to grip the plug? Thanks!!

oh yea, and #5 was a pain - I spent forever in some contortionist position turning millimeter by millimeter...

 

got thru about 25% of it with a hacksaw in about 5 minutes. A fresh blade and well rested wrist (vise isn't nailed down) should have me a nice shorter socket.

 

You need to tighten that plug. You are going to shoot it out of the head with the high compression. A plasma cutter will destroy that socket. Don't use that. Use a die grinder with a cut off wheel. And stop driving that car until you get that plug tight.

 

I used a die grinder. I used a cut off wheel to get through the socket and a carbide burr to expand the hole. I held the socket with some vice grips.

 

went back to my HS auto shop, got a shorter socket pretty much made for what I needed, and a closed end ratcheting box wrench -- only needed about another turn or less till it felt like 15 ft lbs