Spark Plug Boots EXTREMELY Tight

[Gary Dawson]

Good evening! I'm 72 years old and I've owned and worked on a lot of cars in my day. Every time I wanted to change spark plugs it was always a simple matter of pulling the spark plug boots and removing the plugs. I want to try a set of Pulstar plugs with a slightly wider gap. Trying to pull the spark boots seems like they are super glued to the plugs. I don't want to pull the wires out of the boots. Thoughts?

 

[Goggles Pizano]

Someone just posted on the other forum that they broke the clips and Dean said he greases them as he R&Rs them a lot to read the plugs as he tracks his baby.

Maybe you can rotate it a little and then rocking them (angle them) and pull.

 

[Gary Dawson]

Yes I would definitely go back with silicone dielectric grease. Makes things a lot easier subsequent times.

 

[Steve-Indy]

...and, use a spark plug boot puller tool. It is a handy, cheap investment.

 

[GTS Dean]

I first worked with dielectric grease and it definitely helped the situation. I put additional lube on each time.

I recently switched to a silicone grease from NAPA led Sil-Glyde. I just got back from a short track day and the boots are a little easier to remove. I'll have a better feel for its performance after 2 track days next month.

Always grasp as near the plug as possible. Twist and wiggle them a few times while pulling straight out. Keeping the stainless sleeves around the plugs protects them from very heavy manifold and header primary heat radiation.

 

[daveg]

...and, use a spark plug boot puller tool. It is a handy, cheap investment.

^^^^^^^^

 

[vprtech]

They will come off the plugs a lot easier if the engine is warm. Just wear some cotton gloves so you don’t burn yourself. If the engine is warm and you carefully twist they will come off without much trouble.

Side note, aftermarket wires are a lot more likely to fall apart or pull out of the terminals than the factory wires in my experience .

 

[GTS Dean]

OE Quality definitely counts in many areas!

 

[Gary Dawson]

Thank you! I'm shopping for a spark plug boot removal tool now.