My car has few miles but I would like to remove the wires/plugs to make sure the plug seats have sufficient anti-seize on them, plus put dielectric grease on the boots for easy removal later when a plug change is indicated. I have all the tools, even the adjustable-angle boot puller, but can't budge the boots. If I could get the metal shields out of the way I could probably rotate the boots to break "stiction" and then get them off, but the metal shields/tubes appear to be crimped against the boots down by the head and won't move upwards. Don't want to mar the shields by the use of pliers or otherwise damage them as I understand new shields are unavailable and do not come with new wires. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks, Ralph Boineau in central South Carolina.

 

The shields slide down to come off (they slide towards the plug), which means they won't come off the plug wires till the wires are off the plug...If you're replacing the wires, go ahead and give the wires (or the shields, for that matter) a yank...You won't hurt the shields...

 

You are prob gonna pull the wires apart and have to replace them anyway if they have been on awhile.

 

Just grab the exposed part of the boot, and twist as you apply a constant pull. It will break the boot loose from the plug. I have changed a LOT of LS plugs and wires and have never broken one. (sound of knocking on wood)

BC

 

The shield is like a cup with a hole in the bottom were the plug protudes through, the shield hole is a smaller diameter then the wire boot.What I do is grab hold of the shield and pull while giving the boot a slight twisting motion, this way your not pulling on the wire/boot.

 

the best way is to grab the metal lip with duckbill pliers (needlenose will do) and just yank 'em out.. squeeze the pliers tight or you will end up bleeding.. ask how i know

 

I appreciate the responses. Worthwhile to now know that the metal shields are slightly smaller than the boots at the plug end and maybe I can pull up and turn on those shields (where I can get enough access). Perhaps that will break the stiction that is retaining the boots. Right now the boots remind me of the chinese finger-trap toys--the harder you pull the tighter they get. Regards, Ralph Boineau in central South Carolina

 

The boots fit pretty tight and there is probably a little bit of vacuum that forms when you try to pull them off. Sometimes when installing them you have to "burp" the boot to let the pressure out so it seats all the way on the plug.

If they have never been pulled or greased and you have some mileage on the car they will be stuck tight and you will tear them up trying to get them off. The metal heat shields don't do anyhting to hold the boot on and will spin around the boot if you turn them. You will have to grab the boot and try to turn it if its stuck to the plug. If you get a good grip on it and pull it should pop off.

It would be a good idea to get a set of wires and change them out and keep any old ones that come off OK as spares for the future. Probably should change your plugs while your at it. Even though the platinum and iridium plugs can go 100,000 miles, its not a good idea to leave them in the heads that long without pulling them at least once a year for inspection, checking the gaps and applying some anti sieze to the threads before putting them back in. You will be glad you did.

I bought my C5 used with 13,000 miles on it and checked the plugs right after I got it. Naturally they were all fine but I put on the anti sieze on the threads and di-electric grease in the boots and have never had a problem pulling the boots or the plugs since.

I just bought a used 03 Tahoe with 80,000 miles on it. The plugs and wires were original and it was a bitch getting the boots off and the plugs out. Plugs were really tough to back out and three wires tore up in the process.

 

just pull and wiggle.... the shield