Seized spark plug!

**Jared** · 04-02-2011, 09:17 PM

I recently purchased a Nomad and I am thoroughly going over it and doing any and all maintenance that should have been done up to this point.

The right, rear spark plug is seized and I can't get it loose. Are there any tricks? I obviously don't want to break it off inside there.

jandreu · 04-02-2011, 09:34 PM

Soak it with a good penatrating oil.

joe3407nomad · 04-02-2011, 09:42 PM

When I was a kid I had a couple of VWs, the rear spark plugs used to get almost seized and very tough to get out. I would heat the motor and put penetrating oil on it, cool it down, heat it up and keep repeating the process each time trying to back the plug out. In the end they usually came out. The alternative was doing the heads and I didn't have the bucks for that.
Good luck
"Endeavor to Persevere"

**Jared** · 04-02-2011, 10:26 PM

Soaking with liquid wrench isn't going to cause any problems is it?

**MAS Tequila** · 04-02-2011, 10:39 PM

Liquid wrench will not hurt anything. Like Joe said, heat it up and try to back it out. You may have to do it a couple times.

Don't forget to use some anti-seize when you put the new ones in.

MT

AlabamaNomadRider · 04-02-2011, 11:08 PM

Yep Jared be sure and warm the engine and then spray it down good and let it sit. Sometimes if you tighten just a bit it will break it loose. When you try to loosen try a tapping type precedure.

**cnc** · 04-02-2011, 11:17 PM

If after penetrating oil and heating a few times you still have no luck, you could try a hand impact driver on your spark plug socket ( The kind you hit with a hammer ). You don't want to really wack it, but just a few medium hits both reverse and forward.
The idea is to just break it loose and get it moving a bit. Even if you are successful in getting the plug moving with a spark plug wrench and it is stiff, keep working it a bit at a time backing out a tiny bit and then tighten a bit adding more penetrating fluid as you go.
Just be patient, trying to back out a really stiff plug without tightening it and loosening it back and forth and you risk galling and the plug will come out with bits of the aluminum threads from the cylinder head.

AlabamaNomadRider · 04-02-2011, 11:24 PM

Good advice Norm, don't want to take a chance on breaking the threads loose. Once you are successful in getting it out be sure and spread anti-seize on the spark plug threads.

ponch · 04-03-2011, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlabamaNomadRider

Good advice Norm, don't want to take a chance on breaking the threads loose. Once you are successful in getting it out be sure and spread anti-seize on the spark plug threads.

And that's the rub. Either it has the original plugs or someone didn't use anti-seize on replacements. Aluminum and iron don't work well together in that an electrolytic reaction takes place and here are the results.

Which plug is it? The one that goes through the plastic tunnel (I think it's called a spark plug retainer in the service manual) or the other?

**ringadingh** · 04-03-2011, 08:05 AM

I'll bet its the ones with the spark plug tube, the tubes fill up with water and boil themselves dry with the heat, thats why the anti seize is so important.

**Jared** · 04-03-2011, 09:32 AM

I got it out last night. I wasn't able to heat up the engine, because I'm painting the bike and so, the bike is without a tank or a pump etc.

I just soaked it with some penetrating oil and worked at it. It did finally come loose.

**cnc** · 04-03-2011, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Utah Motorcyclist

I got it out last night. I wasn't able to heat up the engine, because I'm painting the bike and no that tank is off without a pump etc.

I just soaked it with some penetrating oil and worked at it. It did finally come loose.

Good Utah. It might be worth carefully threading a new plug in and out a few times, or a thread chaser ( Not a Tap ) to clean up the threads if the new plug is a little stiff to thread in.

joe3407nomad · 04-03-2011, 11:58 AM

You Persevered
Joe

**ringadingh** · 04-03-2011, 01:23 PM

I figured you would eventually get it out, Its a lot better than trying to install a heli coil afterwards.

mrimpala · 04-05-2011, 12:09 PM

Not knowing if our cylinder heads are aluminum, but if they are, don't remove spark plugs from hot heads. The aluminum "can" pull right out, then you do get to remove the head.

Glad to hear you got it out. I've used ATF when I haven't had the proper penetrating fluid handy, too. It works just fine.

04-02-2011, 09:17 PM	#1
Jared Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Greeley, Colorado Posts: 6,773	Seized spark plug! I recently purchased a Nomad and I am thoroughly going over it and doing any and all maintenance that should have been done up to this point. The right, rear spark plug is seized and I can't get it loose. Are there any tricks? I obviously don't want to break it off inside there. __________________ Jared VBA #1051 (Former President) Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

04-02-2011, 09:34 PM	#2
jandreu Sr. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Makawao, Hawaii Posts: 1,409	Seized spark plug! Soak it with a good penatrating oil. __________________ James Andreu '07 1600 Red/Silver VBA Member #1356 jandreu@hawaiiantel.net
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04-02-2011, 09:42 PM	#3
joe3407nomad Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Upstate South Carolina Posts: 265	Seized spark plug! When I was a kid I had a couple of VWs, the rear spark plugs used to get almost seized and very tough to get out. I would heat the motor and put penetrating oil on it, cool it down, heat it up and keep repeating the process each time trying to back the plug out. In the end they usually came out. The alternative was doing the heads and I didn't have the bucks for that. Good luck "Endeavor to Persevere"
	0

04-02-2011, 10:26 PM	#4
Jared Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Greeley, Colorado Posts: 6,773	Seized spark plug! Soaking with liquid wrench isn't going to cause any problems is it? __________________ Jared VBA #1051 (Former President)
	0

04-02-2011, 10:39 PM	#5
MAS Tequila Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Psychiatric Ward FL Posts: 3,429	Seized spark plug! Liquid wrench will not hurt anything. Like Joe said, heat it up and try to back it out. You may have to do it a couple times. Don't forget to use some anti-seize when you put the new ones in. MT __________________ MT 2016 FLHP Psychiatric Ward FL VBA 936 Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

04-02-2011, 11:08 PM	#6
AlabamaNomadRider Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Boaz, Alabama Posts: 13,742	Seized spark plug! Yep Jared be sure and warm the engine and then spray it down good and let it sit. Sometimes if you tighten just a bit it will break it loose. When you try to loosen try a tapping type precedure. __________________ Gene Cross, Jr. Boaz, Alabama KawaNOW/VBA #1181
	0

04-02-2011, 11:17 PM	#7
cnc Join Date: May 2009 Location: Montreal QC Posts: 12,034	Seized spark plug! If after penetrating oil and heating a few times you still have no luck, you could try a hand impact driver on your spark plug socket ( The kind you hit with a hammer ). You don't want to really wack it, but just a few medium hits both reverse and forward. The idea is to just break it loose and get it moving a bit. Even if you are successful in getting the plug moving with a spark plug wrench and it is stiff, keep working it a bit at a time backing out a tiny bit and then tighten a bit adding more penetrating fluid as you go. Just be patient, trying to back out a really stiff plug without tightening it and loosening it back and forth and you risk galling and the plug will come out with bits of the aluminum threads from the cylinder head. __________________ Norm Ward 2008 blue / silver nomad kawanow / VBA #01136
	0

04-02-2011, 11:24 PM	#8
AlabamaNomadRider Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Boaz, Alabama Posts: 13,742	Seized spark plug! Good advice Norm, don't want to take a chance on breaking the threads loose. Once you are successful in getting it out be sure and spread anti-seize on the spark plug threads. __________________ Gene Cross, Jr. Boaz, Alabama KawaNOW/VBA #1181
	0

04-03-2011, 08:05 AM	#10
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	Seized spark plug! I'll bet its the ones with the spark plug tube, the tubes fill up with water and boil themselves dry with the heat, thats why the anti seize is so important. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
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04-03-2011, 09:32 AM	#11
Jared Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Greeley, Colorado Posts: 6,773	Seized spark plug! I got it out last night. I wasn't able to heat up the engine, because I'm painting the bike and so, the bike is without a tank or a pump etc. I just soaked it with some penetrating oil and worked at it. It did finally come loose. __________________ Jared VBA #1051 (Former President)
	0

04-03-2011, 11:58 AM	#13
joe3407nomad Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Upstate South Carolina Posts: 265	Seized spark plug! You Persevered Joe
	0

04-03-2011, 01:23 PM	#14
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	Seized spark plug! I figured you would eventually get it out, Its a lot better than trying to install a heli coil afterwards. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
	0

04-05-2011, 12:09 PM	#15
mrimpala Jr. Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Winthrop Harbor, IL Posts: 37	Seized spark plug! Not knowing if our cylinder heads are aluminum, but if they are, don't remove spark plugs from hot heads. The aluminum "can" pull right out, then you do get to remove the head. Glad to hear you got it out. I've used ATF when I haven't had the proper penetrating fluid handy, too. It works just fine.
	0

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