Stuck spark plug socket.

[Kevin B.]

That's a spark plug socket, stuck on a spark plug, down a long spark plug tube. It spins, but it doesn't spin the plug out - I don't think it's the wrong size, but I think it's not seating for whatever reason. That or the plug thread is stripped out, which I don't want to think about right now. The little rubber grabber has done it's job though and grabbed the insulator tight and now I have a dilemma.

My regular extensions won't grab it tight enough to bring it out. My locking extension has an actuator collar on the tip, which gets buried down in the tube, and I can't reach it with a pick or anything to slide the collar, and I'm running out of ideas. It's currently soaking in penetrating oil, hoping maybe it'll soften that rubber grabber a little. I'm not hopeful.

Anybody know of a locking extension with an actuator towards the back, that I can reach with the extension down that tube? Alternatively, anybody know how metal putty like JB Weld that sticks to nickle and chrome? I'm willing to glue it on there and just have a spark plug socket with a built in extension, but I don't want to use the wrong epoxy and make it worse.

And I REALLY don't want to pull that valve cover. I'm not in a valve cover pulling mood.

 

[Hickey]

Maybe some electrical tap on the extension to create a shimmed/tighter fit? Or some type of cement?

 

[Kiel]

sometimes a really long set of needle nose pliers or those curved hose needle nose pliers can grab it.

 

[I Lean]

What about an expanding concrete anchor that will wedge into the 3/8 drive hole?

 

[DAA]

Torch the rubber?

- DAA

 

[Herzog]

What about an expanding concrete anchor that will wedge into the 3/8 drive hole?

I feel like this option should be live streamed

 

[Kevin B.]

Maybe some electrical tap on the extension to create a shimmed/tighter fit? Or some type of cement?

Electrical tape is not a bad idea. I thought about some loctite and baking soda, but I suspect I'm only gonna get one shot at gluing something on there and I'd like to know it'll work lol.

sometimes a really long set of needle nose pliers or those curved hose needle nose pliers can grab it.

What about an expanding concrete anchor that will wedge into the 3/8 drive hole?

Tried the long reach needle nose, I can't grab it. But you and Carl together have me wondering about something like a long nose external snap ring pliers... or even a rivnut the right size.

I like DAAs idea too. Very destructive. Much approve.

 

[Gravy]

I would 100% gob on some thick super glue on your extension. Stick it down there. You could even spray some activator and then pull it out.

 

[UNSTUCK]

Threads are stripped? Just crank the engine over. Be ready to catch it and the plug when they fly out.

 

[Kevin B.]

Threads are stripped? Just crank the engine over. Be ready to catch it and the plug when they fly out.

Nope. Wrong size socket because I'm a bumble****.



It's out though.

 

[Medsker]

Great ingenuity with the wire!