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| HT lead caps...effing, bollox....!; Anyone got any tips to remove them? | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Thu May 17, 2012 9:24 am (1,538 Views) | |
| derin100 | Thu May 17, 2012 9:24 am Post #1 |
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More than part of things
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Why can the simplest of jobs end up being such a pain? Thought I'd crack-on nice and early this morning...get the spark plug changed nice and quick before getting on with some more complex bits and pieces.....WRONG! Pulled the first one off...effing end of the plug snapped inside the cap. Had to ponce about taking the metal sleeve off the rubber cap just to be able to get some slim nosed pliers down to eventually get the broken tip out! Well, it can't happen again can it? I don't know...because now I can't even pull the flipping leads off the remaining 5 plug ends at all! I read elsewhere on the forum about getting some mole-grips on to the metal sleeve and pulling. Trouble is I can't get the mole-grips anywhere near to the metal sleeve. I don't know if it's the shape of the M103 head but the metal sleeves are well down into the slot for the plugs with only a minimal amount near the outside. Anyone got any other tips/tricks?
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| stwat | Thu May 17, 2012 9:33 am Post #2 |
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The metal sleeves have a ridge down each side. Grip that with the needle nose pliers twist and pull. It always works for me. Once off spray some silicon spray inside the metal sleeves and they will pull off by hand every time afterwards. Never pull the leads as you will end up pulling them out of the metal sleeves. As you have found out
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| Rich27 | Thu May 17, 2012 9:34 am Post #3 |
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Admin
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Push down , Twist , then pull up. |
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| derin100 | Thu May 17, 2012 9:40 am Post #4 |
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More than part of things
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ok...going to try again now. Thanks! |
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| derin100 | Thu May 17, 2012 10:07 am Post #5 |
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More than part of things
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No luck! If I carry on it just feels like I'm going to damage something. Looked online and there are special tools available. Seems the one for VW/Audis is reckoned to be better than the Merc/Smart one. http://www.thesmartclub.com/board/showthread.php?19353-Spark-Plug-Lead-Removal-Tool&p=143782 |
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| cornershop | Thu May 17, 2012 10:14 am Post #6 |
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Part of things
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Listen to Kent! http://mercedessource.com/node/9729 |
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| stwat | Thu May 17, 2012 10:14 am Post #7 |
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If they have been on for a long time they can indeed be a right pain in the arse to remove. Although, I have always been okay using the pliers trick on the side of the metal cover. They do need a very good twist and pull though, be brutal and show no mercy !!!
Edited by stwat, Thu May 17, 2012 10:15 am.
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| kentronix | Thu May 17, 2012 10:26 am Post #8 |
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I'm only really here for the Kitchens
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twist to the RIGHT, then pull off. If you twist left it undoes the terminal a bit but doesnt actually free up the lead. Twist to the right, which will break it free and then pull off. Long applied force rather than jerking. The rubber forms a seal around the plug which will gradually let go. |
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| derin100 | Thu May 17, 2012 10:40 am Post #9 |
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More than part of things
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Nope, sorry...still no luck! Like Kent says in his video....if they've been in there a while etc etc. So I've just ordered the VAG tool to do it. I figure it'll be a useful tool to have in the future too. |
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| novacell | Fri May 18, 2012 10:23 pm Post #10 |
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Part of things
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I bought the following after finding the ht leads difficult to remove. Mercedes use the same for the M103 engine. Ebay link Edited by novacell, Fri May 18, 2012 10:23 pm.
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| cornershop | Fri May 18, 2012 11:56 pm Post #11 |
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Part of things
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Nice find What kind of grease (copper?) or spray would remove the need for such tools? |
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| stwat | Sat May 19, 2012 12:20 am Post #12 |
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I used silicon spray and they just pop off by hand no problem now. |
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| cornershop | Sat May 19, 2012 6:29 am Post #13 |
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Part of things
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TVM |
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| derin100 | Sat May 19, 2012 5:46 pm Post #14 |
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More than part of things
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The tool in that link above looks just the job! If they'd have given it a different title I may have found it when I was searching on Ebay...but I didn't! Top tip...don't buy the one recommended for VAG cars...like I did! It arrived today and is no use for our cars...it's too narrow so doesn't fit over the caps. So I've now just gone and ordered those pliers above! |
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| derin100 | Tue May 22, 2012 12:37 pm Post #15 |
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More than part of things
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Finally!!! With the aid of the tool as recommended by Novacell above I managed to get the remaining four leads off (with unbelievable difficulty I had got two off with out it). Even with this tool the other four were still really difficult (one I thought still wouldn't come off). I'm convinced that without such a device they would never have come off. IMHO, this is an absolute 'must have tool' especially for the price! All six plugs now changed! Cheers! |
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| horatio | Tue May 22, 2012 1:17 pm Post #16 |
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Part of things
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Be sure to use decent (Beru) leads while you're at it, I had a nightmare with cheap pattern ones... ended up replacing all sort of bits to solve a misfire which was just one of the leads I fitted only few months back playing up!
Edited by horatio, Tue May 22, 2012 1:18 pm.
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| novacell | Wed May 23, 2012 11:44 pm Post #17 |
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Part of things
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im glad the pliers proved worthwhile. |
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