Hi All,

Got a little problem with a spark plug that keeps working lose, not counted which number it is but its the last one on the nearside of the engine.

I've not really had the car long, just a couple of months really, and I'm working my way through the problems. The biggy at the moment is this flippin spark plug! I don't know if it's a design 'feature' or someone has crossed threaded it in the past but I can't get a spark plug socket to fit the hole. The plug seems to thread in at quite an angle so it's pointing away from the centre of the engine (does that make sense?) so once I've tightened it by hand there isn't enough clearance between the plug and the side of the hole for the socket to fit...

Does anyone know if there's some sneaky VAG tool for this or am I going to have to fabricate something?

Cheers

Paul

What engine is it to start with, plugs no matter what shouldn't work loose on any engine

What engine is it to start with, plugs no matter what shouldn't work loose on any engine

Hiya, as per the subject line, its a 2.0l 8v (petrol) ... it's only working lose because I can't get the plug socket in there to tighten it, I can only pinch it up finger tight.

My phone shows the thread title but not the sub bit so didn't see that,

Not had much to do with the 8v lumps apart from old golf lumps, but have you tried just a normal deep socket maybe instead of plug socket to see if you can get down to it

My phone shows the thread title but not the sub bit so didn't see that,

Not had much to do with the 8v lumps apart from old golf lumps, but have you tried just a normal deep socket maybe instead of plug socket to see if you can get down to it

Hiya, it's not the length of the socket, its the thickness (think there's a joke in there somewhere...) I've got several types of cast socket but the sides are all to thick. It's almost like it needs a very thin rolled steal socket, not unlike a motorcycle (ching lightbulb just lit up...) toolkit socket.

Hiya, it's not the length of the socket, its the thickness (think there's a joke in there somewhere...) I've got several types of cast socket but the sides are all to thick. It's almost like it needs a very thin rolled steal socket, not unlike a motorcycle (ching lightbulb just lit up...) toolkit socket.

Think what I'm looking for is called a 'box wrench' by the look of it.

By the sound of mate it's been cross threaded in the past. You would never need to get a special tool for any spark plugs in a car. If you ant get on to it with a spark plug socket because of the angle then surely that will be showing you it's been threaded. If it's an 8v the plugs should be at the front of the head so maybe try a spanner or cutting down s spanner to nip it up. Plugs don't need to be tight though just nipped up

Think what I'm looking for is called a 'box wrench' by the look of it.

Popped the saddle off my Kawasaki and got out the plug spanner. Fits a treat (more or less) so now have a nice tight spark plug again

So a box wrench is definately the tool for the job

Paul

By the sound of mate it's been cross threaded in the past. You would never need to get a special tool for any spark plugs in a car. If you ant get on to it with a spark plug socket because of the angle then surely that will be showing you it's been threaded. If it's an 8v the plugs should be at the front of the head so maybe try a spanner or cutting down s spanner to nip it up. Plugs don't need to be tight though just nipped up

Agreed, it absolutely looks like it was cross threaded at some point. I've never seen a plug offset like that before. Still the box wrench from my bike got in there just enough to give it the final nip it needed to stop it working lose again (hopefully).

Re-threading it will be a mare, don't really want any swarf dropping into the cylinder. Easier option will be to block the hole and gently widen the appature with a little dremmel or something to make a little more room. Only needs 1mm extra clearance really.

Problem for another day now. As the Kawasaki saved the day it's only fair it gets taken out for a ride