Spark Plug Boot Removal
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,037
Likes: 9,801
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Spark Plug Boot Removal
Tried changing the plugs but I couldn't free up the plug wire boots. I tried twisting/pulling but they will not come off the plugs. Anybody have any suggestions on how to remove?
Bill
Bill
Last edited by Bill Dearborn; Jun 14, 2007 at 10:54 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,469
Likes: 4
When I did mine I replaced the wires, too, so I just grabbed the ends of the boots (the rubber part, not the metal part) with a pair of pliers and pulled them straight off. The heavy-handed approach didn't seem to do any damage, but like I said, I didn't re-use the wires.
It seem like at first they don't want to give, but once you give them just enough pull they pop right off.
It seem like at first they don't want to give, but once you give them just enough pull they pop right off.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,407
Likes: 46
From: Tampa FL
PLEASE WEAR GLOVES!
My computer programmer's hands are not as tough as they were back in the day. When I twisted the boots off I put a lot of muscle in it and didn't realize till halfway through the project that my thumb and index fingers on both hands were bubbled up. I had to quit working on it and it was embarrassing at work.
Also go buy new plug wires before you go ripping them off because if you need to get aggressive it wont matter so much if you break one or two. I did and had to drive .5 miles on 7 cylinders to Advance to get some wires.
I just drove to Advance on a flat last weekend too!
My computer programmer's hands are not as tough as they were back in the day. When I twisted the boots off I put a lot of muscle in it and didn't realize till halfway through the project that my thumb and index fingers on both hands were bubbled up. I had to quit working on it and it was embarrassing at work.
Also go buy new plug wires before you go ripping them off because if you need to get aggressive it wont matter so much if you break one or two. I did and had to drive .5 miles on 7 cylinders to Advance to get some wires.
I just drove to Advance on a flat last weekend too!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,012
Likes: 15
From: Jensen Beach FL
Yep, hardest part of the job is getting those %^*(^%ing boots off. I also just used pliers and pulled the ones I could not twist off. I did not ruin any but then again I took my plugs out at 12K miles and put anti-seize on the plug threads and dielectric grease in the boots so I would not have trouble a couple years from now when they need changing.
