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2002 Dodge Ram Van 2500

Question: How do you remove the metal sleeves off of the spark plugs

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Visitor, Tell City, IN, March 24, 2011, 16:41

can't get the spark plugs out because of the metal sleeves over the spark plugs

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  • Answer #1

    patrick mannion from Greg Solow's Engine Room, March 24, 2011, 16:48
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     Master

    The metal sleeves are to shield the spark plug wire ends they are supposed to come off with the spark plug wires when you remove the spark plug wires. You need to make a strong hook to get to the bottom of the shield and pull it off or use a long needle nose pliers to remove them. The trick is when reattaching the spark plug wires after you replace the plugs is to use lots of dielectric grease on the porcelain of the spark plug body so the plug wire doesn't bond to the plug. I normally see this problem with cheaper spark plug wire sets. Once you wiggle and pull on them you stand a high risk of damaging the spark plug wires!

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    Visitor, May 13, 2011, 18:16

    I have the same problem with my 98 dodge ram, there is a metal sleeve that is around the spark plug, there is no way they come off with the plug wire it is not he insulating part of the wire. The sleeves are frozen in place and it seems they are so tight to the hex of the plug that the socket cannot get around the plug hex.

    I did use a flat screwdriver to try and see if there was junk down at the bottom, I did loosen a bunch of junk and used my compressor to blow it out but still not enough to get the socket on the plug

    I tried twisting and moving the sleeve with a vise grip but it will not move, I sprayed some WD40 in at the plug to try to loosen it hopefully in the morning.

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