Spark Plugs

Kurt13R

Registered User
So here's the scoop. I put a newer 94 motor in my SC. Got everything up and running. Fixed a vacuum leak and everything seemed to be running fine. I was just cruising down the highway not getting on it at all when all of a sudden I heard the valves pinging quite loud. So I pulled over at a gas station and checked my oil. Oil was fine and so was the oil pressure. The check engine light never came on or anything. This was last night around 10pm in 20 degree weather so I really didn't feel like messing with it. So I got it towed back to the shop. Once back at the shop I fired it up and looked under the hood. My #2 spark plug wire was off. I shut off the motor and reached down in there to see if the spark plug was still there. It was but it seemed like it was stripped out. I tried to simply unscrew it but it would not and it wouldn't just pull out either. Does anyone know what might have caused this to happen?
 
Yikes - that's a mysterious problem! Hope you didn't drop a valve in that cylinder, which possibly could have knocked the spark plug out a little, messing up the threads. I'm sure there's an easier less expensive answer to your question :confused:

If you do get the plug out, you may want to do a compression test just to make sure.
 
I'm not sure if you'd lose oil pressure, it probably wouldn't affect the oiling system too much (the oil going from the lifter to pushrod could just bleed off, but you'd probably still have pressure). But my theory was just a swag (scientific wild ~~~ guess) anyway. Hopefully it's something else.

So the plug just spins without coming out?

If you think it's possible that a valve dropped, i guess you could pull the valve cover and have a look to make sure that everything looks ok under there.
 
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Its simple the threads are striped and some are hung up on the spark plug threads.
When you install the spark plugs in an aluminum head your supposed to use anti seize compound on the threads and somebody probably didn't. Or they just cross threaded it for some reason.
So now you have to pull the head and helicoil it. Cause i don't think you can do it on the car, hell you can barely change the plugs let alone install a Helicoil.
Or change the head out.
When you put the newer motor in did you pull the plugs to see how the newer motor had been running ?

And if you have to pull the head off you might as well do the other side as well cause it would be cruel to,have a head gasket go on the other side shortly after having the other side off.

Good Luck

Tony
 
Yes we used anti seize compound. My guess is that it is just cross-threaded. I'm really not looking forward to taking the heads back off. I don't really have a choice though. I guess I'll see what happens. Hopefully it is just a stripped plug.
 
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