Photo 1 new plugs
Two bent from the middle and back cylinder and old plug
Photo 2 old plugs
Last plug shows the bend from the failed reinstall
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Photo 1 new plugs
Two bent from the middle and back cylinder and old plug
Photo 2 old plugs
Last plug shows the bend from the failed reinstall
Can't imagine the ceramic part bending...that part usually snaps, not much give there I wouldn't have thought. Maybe he means the terminal is bending on top of the ceramic insulator. Which might be what Trout says, re the socket, or a socket that is too short.
Doh, disregard last post, he means the electrodes now I see pics....looks like they are going into the plug holes on an angle and getting yanked on? Are you screwing them in by hand first, before using the socket?
I do my best to screw by hand but it becomes tough quickly. I dont have strong hands and agle makes it hard. Can i give the threads a quick wire brush style clean or will the gunk fall into the cylinder? Maybe a grease?
From what you are describing it sounds horribly like you are putting the plugs in at an angle ( this accounts for the damage to the electrode) and as you say it becomes difficult to screw the plugs in very quickly and that they will only go in 80% of the way there is a very good chance that they are also getting "Cross Threaded" as well.
As the heads ( I assume) are aluminium and the plugs are steel the damage to the threads will occur to the heads and not the plugs IF indeed you are cross threading when installing the plugs.
SOMETHING is obviously Very Wrong here so I suggest that you get someone with a bit more knowledge than you to do the job or take the truck to a trained professional BEFORE you do any "Expensive" damage to the heads [thumbsupbig]
Thanks for the reply. Yes I am having a mechanic friend come to have a look and I am resigned to the fact that I don't want to keep forcing the issue and causing damage so it will be in the hands of a professional if the fix is not obvious. Don't want to cause damage doing a job that should really be quite easy.
Thank you. Has been far harder than my I6 falcon or DOHC nissans from the past.
Just getting worried that the first time I put the plugs in has caused damage. Me trying to be hypervigilant on maintenance causing the issue. Haha a $36 job turning into big $$$
Oh and the final kick in the balls i forgot to mention, gas struts have gone dead for the bonnet!!!
These are what I used "NGK TR55-1IX" with a socket with a uni joint plugged into it and had no problems