Newbie to spark plug change, what tool?
 

Hi, I'm getting ready to change my plugs for the 1st time. I ordered the Generic ones here off Pelican..
Do I have to buy the tool they sell here or can I just use a regular spark plug socket with the universal "knuckle swivel adapter" mated to it?
Thx

Your tool kit, assuming you have one, has a spark plug wrench in it...

Because the spark plugs are at a shallow angle and stuck way in there, a truly universal flex adapter for the socket or extensions isn't the best tool. I use a magnetic spark plug socket and a 2" "wobble" extension, with a knurled round 1" long piece so I can spin the plugs out and in with my fingers. That piece has provision for a ratchet to finish the job. BTW, what do you mean by "generic" spark plugs. Assuming you have a stock engine, the plug choices are VERY specific.

The Cap'n

Thx Cap'n... That's good advice.. I'll go magnetic..
I bought the NGK recommended by Pelican. Not the race plugs.
They were $3.50 each..

I don't have the tool kit that came with the car.. Where do they normally store in the vehicle anyway?

Sorry, the engine is stock to the best of my knowledge.. I only started it for the 1st time last weekend with the old plugs as I didn't want to foul the new ones with a bunch of gunk..
Will old crappy plugs add to the smoking?

my spark plug socket in the tool kit will not fit on a ratchet so i dont use it.

i use a 3 in 3/8 extension with a swivel on the socket end and a 13/16 plug socket.

the only problem i have had is when putting the plugs back in if the plug is a tight fit on the socket, the socket can come off. i use to just barely put the plug on the socket and all was good. i finally welded it all together. THE best tool for plugs.

The tool kit should be in the Frunk towards the front. The OEM spark plug tool works the best. It also comes with the allen tool. All you need to do is crack it open then use your fingers to take it out with the spark plug tool.

But be prepared for those connectors to be stuck, they are a real biotch to remove for the first time. Remember Do not twist but pull only and do not pull on the wire, only the connector.

Get some di-electric grease for the install.

The one under the compressor is also a fun one, best to remove the compressor and put if off to the side, use a heavy towel as not to scratch the paint. No you do not disconnect the ac lines just the electric connector.

Grey or Black Smoke?

Grey is water in the oil from condensation

Black is over fill of oil. Never ever fill when cold. It must be hot and on to check properly.

Jim

Gearwrench 80547. Magnetic with a 6" wobble extension built in.

The easiest thing I've tried yet.

oh..i dont like the stock tool.

i use 2 3" extensions from Sears Craftsman. you HAVE TO get the extensions with the locking tab feature. hell, if you are going to get serious about 911 ownership..get 2 3" ones and one 6" one. they save you a lot of cussing.
then any of your smaller ratchets will do the trick.

you want the 2 separate 3" ones in case you get caught up against the car body..you then push the tab, disconnect it and bring the socket and remaining (locked on there!) extension out.

Vash - that Gearwrench tool is less than $20. on Amazon.

I don't mess around with separate extensions at all since I got mine. It is a rare plug that tool won't get and the extensions never come apart.

Wow! Locking tab extension, I had never heard of it until now. This could have saved me a TON of trouble over the years.

Thx guys for all the great info.. I definitely have seen a tool kit.. I've been through the luggage compartment many times.

The smoke I'm seeing is white.. I was instructed to drain the oil from both locations, then fill with 9.5 quarts and start.
Get up to running temp at idle after 20 mins and check when idling. Add as needed till about 1/2 way up dipstick?

I haven't really had it running that long yet so I haven't topped it off yet.
I'm getting white smoke and some oil out the pipe, when I re-started it ran clean for a bit and then smoked again and I shut it off.

Remember this car sat for 8yrs.
Thx

Just bought the Gearwrench off Amazon for $20 including shipping!
Thx for the great advice!

the best tool for starting the install of plugs in this or any engine is a length of fuel hose that fits fairly tight on the porcelain part of the plug. Gives you feel for the threads starting properly. then get it hand tight ,pull off the hose and torque to specs. the hose can flex and get into tight spaces.

+1

To bad you don't have the tool bag wrench. I think it's the best spark plug tool I've ever used period. Get one somehow someday and try it. The design is perfect for the space and to finger tighten each plug to start.

I just picked up one too after looking at both the locking extension and the gearwrench tool.

Yup, really doesn't get much better than the stock tool here.

I've used three tools to do plugs; one is the GearWrench wobble-socket speciality tool. Another is a simple spark plug socket taped to a short extension with a long zip-tie on it to let me recover the assembly. The best, of course, was the stock tool bag spark plug tool.

Until now.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1423363851.jpg

This is the "Hazet spark plug wrench" which I picked up on eBay. I hope our host can carry them soon. It combines the hand-thread install feature of the stock tool, the adjustable-size feature of a normal wrench extension, and omits the bobble-head features of the stock and GearWrench tools that make installation tricky, also ditching the requirement of an allen key driver.

Works great in all cylinders, in all cases, and the build quality is excellent. It's simply brilliant.

Agree with reddog..I also have that Hazet (also from ebay) and it is pretty great. And it came with gummy bears.

If it hasn't run in a long time it can smoke like crazy for several minutes and it the has gone down into the exhaust longer than that.

If it runs, get it warm, check the dipstick and run it Worry about the plugs later.

Wow, my wife was just telling me about finding gummy bears in some box or another and I was like, "WTF? No, surely not, wait, gummy what? No, no, surely not!"

That s'plains everything!

I've had the best luck with the 3/8 inch drives and short extensions with wobble ends in conjunction with universals. In addition, I have a short piece of fuel hose and a mini pair of bent nose pliers on standby.

This hose method and the stock spark plug tool in the tool bag is what I use to replace the plugs.
It is normal for these cars to smoke for a about a minute if they are parked for some days and I would expect it to smoke for a few minutes if it was parked for years. Do make sure that your oil pressure gauge shows good pressure right after you start it, in my 1970 911T I am used to see about 5 psi at 2000 RPM when the engine is cold. Do not trust the oil level gauge, use the dipstick to top it up to between the low and max marks when the car is warm and idling.
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