SILVERFOX
Flaming Ignition Leads!!!!
Ok, so I have changed my spark plugs. Last time I changed them and now this time too, the bloody leads break off on the end of the plug. I have twisted them back and forth to loosen them and all that, but with the heat shields, I just cant get to the boot properly to get them off without four of the six lead ends breaking off.
What's the go? I'm sick of paying $65 for a new box of leads each time I change the plugs!
Last two sets were Champion, this time I've put Top Gun on.
Any of you have this problem to this extent?
'Ah well, I suppose it had to come to this.'
yeah there is a special tool which grips it and you have to twist not pull hard, sometimes if they wont twist try again a day later its a little trick but not hard just dont yank em off, not saying u r doing that though
Ive broken a few before.Doesnt matter how much you twist them or be careful or whatever,they sometimes still break.Ive only had it happen though once the leads have been on there for a while.Ive had it happen with a couple of different brand leads too.
I always grab the metal boot and just wiggle it back and forth then pull it off (holding the metal boot not the wires)
SILVERFOX
Well, I wiggle the boot and the insulator quite a bit before removing the lead, and I've also tried pulling the insulator and the boot both seperately, however either way, they're still inclined to break. I was used to the old Holden red motors where there was no insulator and you could get a proper hold of the boot, hence this never used to occur.
These leads have only been on for 25,000 k's.....
'Ah well, I suppose it had to come to this.'
[QUOTE=VYMAD;1708831]Well, I wiggle the boot and the insulator quite a bit before removing the lead, and I've also tried pulling the insulator and the boot both seperately, however either way, they're still inclined to break.
Same,but I still sometimes have them break,it doesnt matter if you pull the metal insulator and boot together,Ive tried lots of different ways of removing them,and they still sometimes break.I keep a brand new spare set of leads now, just for when this happens again,probably when the plugs get changed next...Ive probably had 4 or 5 break in the last 6 years.
SILVERFOX
[QUOTE=Brett_jjj;1708882]Well, I'm glad to hear I'm not alone. Might have to buy a set of leads next time I do the plugs as well, rather than having to take the missus car into town for some after they've broken. Shame though as leads last much longer than plugs. Plugs cost $25,leads cost $65. Doh!!!!Originally Posted by VYMAD
'Ah well, I suppose it had to come to this.'
VT V6 wanting 300RWHP
You have to be doing something wrong with the way you take the leads off. 4 out of 6 leads breaking when you remove them from the spark plug's on two separate occasions with two set of leads, suggests that you are the cause!
Sorry to be blunt mate!
When you take your leads off, is the engine still hot/warm??
Searching for the billion
The only way you could break leads like this is if you are pulling on the lead instead of the boot. You should not be pulling on the lead, find a way to pull on the boot only, maybe your hands are too big , so find a mate with smaller hands. You could also try popping the boots off the plugs every 6 months so the boot doesn't have time to weld itself to the plug. Doing this will also give you the practise that you need.
SILVERFOX
Lol, no I am pulling on the boot like I said above.
'Ah well, I suppose it had to come to this.'
I only ever pull mine by the boot and insulator ,as the heat insulator is over the actual boot. You can also snap the carbon core of these leads if you pull hard on the actual lead or kink it.Mine seem to get stuck on the plugs.I mean REALLY stuck, like melted or superglued on...Ive also tried removing the plug leads in the exact same way at the lead remover tool works by gripping the insulator at the back of it and pulling it out,but once one of the leads gets tight and is stuck,its usually a guarantee that it will break as its removed..Doesnt matter what engine temp is either.Im pretty sure Ive had it happen when removing the leads on both warm or cold engines..(tries to think back)yeah,Im pretty sure the engine temp didnt matter.Also Ive had it happen with the standard exhaust manifolds and with the pacemakers fitted..Although it has happened less since fitting the extractors come to think of it.My car doesnt get driven slowly either,so it probably gets pretty hot sometimes.It never actually runs hot though.Engine temps are always normal.
Last edited by Brett_jjj; 21-11-2010 at 10:35 PM.
Searching for the billion
lol, that sounds rather interesting, how can the lead break if you are not touching it ?
diagnostic technician...
suggesetion~! may not want to hear this...
do plugs when car is cold(duh)
hold the metal part to twist a little so the METAL part is moving a bit (1/4 turns)
put long needle nose pliers on to rubber bit that sticks out of metal bit
squeeze hard
then put long pice of metal onto head and LEVER the pliers until it comes loose/off plug
i break about one ayear doing this way....
also a very small dab of zinc oxide grease (white greas for door locks etc) on the end of your new spark plugs make a huge difference to installing the new leads and with getting them off later on in life
Yeah,Ive tried it the exact way you have said and they still occasionally break.I might have to try the grease next time.
What???......
Only use top gun or eagle, never had a problem, only heat/age breaks them when removing.
IMO if they break they needed replacing.
Im pretty sure it has something to do with the heat from the exhaust manifolds over time because they are like they have been superglued on.I used top gun leads for a while until I had them break like this twice.Ive now gone to bosch leads (the bosch leads come with their own metal boot insulators instead of having to reuse the old ones) and no breaks so far with the bosch ones..
EDIT: Come to think of it, Ive had it happen with a genuine lead the first time,which wasnt very old really,then it happened a few times after that again and Im pretty sure they were all top gun leads.I still have all the leads in their boxes out at my oldies place,I will check them out and post up what brand they were.But Im 99% sure they were mostly top gun.I might have to try the eagle leads and see how they go.
Last edited by Brett_jjj; 24-11-2010 at 05:54 PM.
SILVERFOX
I do my plugs when car is cold and have done them while car was warm. Makes no difference, how can it effect whether the leads will break or not?
'Ah well, I suppose it had to come to this.'
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