Tough plugs to pull...why?

Jesus thank you for finally saying it. Anybody that puts never seize on a plug is out of their damn mind.

 

anti seize is designed for use on plugs that don't have the chromed looking threads that type of finish already has some sort of anti seize properties from the factory >denso and ngk

 

I always use copper anti-seize on spark plug threads. Just a tiny dab in the middle of the spread, but I do use it.

 

Here are my plugs at 125k miles. These are the original. All 6 are identical. I even went 5k past what I was told by the the regional Toyota service rep and the Denzo rep. These buggers are hard to find but aside from moving a few things out of the way on the driver side they all came out easy as could be. It is an odd angle for #1 but a swivel head fixes that. All of the others are straight shots. If you're struggling use a thin wall plug socket.

 

I mean, "out of their damn mind" is a little ridiculous, isn't it? Considering that you are, indeed supposed to put Anti-Seize on spark plugs that don't have plated threads. I'd say it's a pretty easy mistake for someone to make, as opposed to insulting them with "out of their damn minds".

 

We just pulled 5 Autolite Platinum plugs out of a 2013 Passat (aluminum head) this morning. They had about 50-55k on them. They were very grainy feeling as I started to loosen them and I had put a minimal amount of silver never seize on them when I put them in about 4 years ago. I didn't like the feel at all. I stopped, vacuumed the holes, sprayed in Liquid Wrench and worked them back and forth and then they all came out easily. The plugs are in a vertical orientation on this engine.I used never seize again, more liberally this time, like I do on the Tacoma. I brush it evenly and thinly into the threads with an acid brush. I could screw the new pugs in all the way with just an extension, by hand, before tightening with a ratchet. The plugs gaps were open quite a bit but the threads were clean, no carbon, and evidence of never seize was on the rag when I wiped them. I hate to think what it may have been like without it or after 100,000 miles.

The coils were very hard to remove and indeed one of the boots tore off at the bottom and remained on the plug. I used a long sharp screw driver to split the remains into pieces and pick and vacuum them out. I replaced that coil and used dielectric grease in the rubber boots spread evenly with a long wooden stick cotton swab. They went back in much easier.

Weather or not you use anti seize is up to you,but make sure you have a well fitting spark plug socket, extensions, wobble adapter,universals, spark plug boot grease and penetrating oil to use if you feel any binding of the threads. I only snug up the plugs by choking up on my ratchet handle. I don't know about manufacturer applied coatings, they may be enough, but I'm a belt and suspenders guy.

 

http://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com/anti-seize-spark-plug-threads/

 

I will give you that OK it's a little over and I apologize. But in 30 years of wrenching I've never seen a spark plug without plated threads. Nor used anti-seize. If people are running into trouble after using anti-seize they've probably used aluminum anti-seize. Most of the struggle getting them out as just binding against the spark plug tube with your socket.

 

. Unfortunately it's ingrained (sp?) in people's head that it's always a necessity. I worked in an automotive machine shop building engines 10-15 years ago and Alldata, and many other "official" sources had it listed as part of the procedure. While it might not be recommended, I can't say I've ever seen anti seize CAUSE a problem.