Hey guys I have a little issue with my 2.2, I know these aren't the norm around here being mainly a 4X4 forum. But I was changing my spark plugs last night(trying to get rid of the putt putt during idle) I couldn't get the last number 4 spark plug to loosen! I wasn't going to bear down on it to loosen it cause I surely didn't want to mess up the head. I have never messed with an aluminum head. I have changed many spark plugs but in they were in cast heads and have never been this hard to turn. My question is this normal and is there a possibility of messing something up by loosening it? I know you can strip stuff by tightening too tight but I'm not sure about loosening. So now i have 3 new plugs and one old one in the truck has 73K miles on it. I replaced the air filter and fuel filter trying to get rid of this putt putt. And just for the record it still putt putts during idle after replacing 3 of the plugs. It didn't develope this until I ran it on a hill almost out of gas. I'm a big dummy I didn't even think about it almost being empty when I was doing it. I have also ran tanks of gas with fuel injection cleaner in them through it. What do ya'll think?? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

With an aluminum head, make sure the engine is completely cool, maybe let it set overnight and change plugs in the morning. Try to spray some PB Blaster on the plug and let is soak in for a while and try again. If you can do without driving the truck for a few days, spray with PB a couple of times and really let it soak in good.

I had an old car that the spark plug was stuck and it ending up breaking the threads off in the head and the rest of the plug came out. I finally got the rest of it out with an easy out, but this is not what you want to do. Luckily the car had steel heads and it didn't mess anything up. Make sure to put some antiseize on the new plugs too.

Hope this helps,

Kevin

As mentioned, COLD! is the word. Always change plugs in an aluminum head with the engine cold.

It's possible that whoever installed the plugs overtorqued it and messed up the threads. Any idea how long the plugs were in there ? How were the threads on the other three? dirty ???

Can you move it at all ? even a fraction of a turn ? If so, back it out that fraction, hit it with PB Blaster (ALUMA-TAP is probably a better choice, but it's hard to find, around here at least... while mainly used when tapping aluminum, it is an EXCELLENT lubricant when removing buggered up threaded things) ... ok, let the PB work into the threads a bit, now screw the plug back in. Work it back and forth, in and out. Each time you back it out, you should be able to get it to come back just a little more. Hit it with a little more PB and continue the process. In and out, etc... Take your time, let the PB do it's job. Pause now and then to let the heat that will build up from the friction of the threads to dissipate. Eventually you will get it out, but yes, you do run the risk of the threads being messed up.

Yes, you _can_ strip it when loosening it, but usually only because it was overtightened to start with. Something like 15 ft/lb is a reasonable torque for a plug in an aluminum head.

Or, are you saying the plug just won't turn, period?
Try tightening it a smidgen first... this also works pretty well with stuck brake bleeders.

Good luck!

These are the original plugs that came in the truck in 99 we have owned this truck since new. The other three plugs look great just a little redish color to them but all the electrodes were clean they were not black at all. One of them did have a little bit of oil on the threads but I think maybe just the valve cover leaked a little right there. Cause it doesn't smoke at all. As far as turning it the others came out with very little pressure to loosen when I went to loosen this one it just did not want to turn at all. Like I said earlier I didn't want to put too much pressure on it and muck it up. So i just left that one alone. I'll try again in the morning I'll hit with the PB Blaster tonight and try to get it out in the morning. It is supposed to be 30 tonight so it will be plenty cool in the morning!! LOL I did a few more searches for the idle problem and it seems maybe the MAF sensor wire maybe dirty or possibly water in the gas i filled up with the day after i ran it on the hill almost empty. This sound stupid but do any of you know where the MAF sensor is on this engine. I know on ford engines its right by the air box inline to the throttle body. There is an electrical connection to a little sensor(I'm guessing) right behind the air box on this one but its a very small nub of a thing in the intake hose. I am just all over the place with this, my wife blames me for running it on the hill almost empty so now i have to fix it!

Just an update I got it out just fine. I sprayed it with some PB Blaster and let it set over night got up saturday morning and it came right out with no problem at all. This fixed my rough putt putt idle problem I was having. If anyone with a 2.2 is wondering what spark plugs to choose I went with a set of Autolite Platinums $2.58 each and it idles great. Thanks for all the help.