Well, during my ignition debacle, I needed to pull the plugs. Anyone who knows my car knows I have a set of headers on the edelbrock heads. Well that makes for a terrible combination. You can't get a plug socket on over 1/2 the plugs because of clearance issues.

Example:



You also can't get an open end wrench on others due to clearance issues. I wanted to be able to get a shorter socket on there for extra torque with my fingers. So I brainstormed. This is what I came up with.

I took a regular shallow 5/8 socket. It will not fit over the plug fully due to the ceramic portion. I used a grinding bit on a dremel to hone out the inside square drive portion.



Now you can see it easily fits over the spark plug ceramic portion:



I also put the outside of the socket on the bench grinder on 4 sides being as square as I could. By doing this, I can slip an open end 3/4 in wrench on it for more torque:





I found that this helps with the spark plug removal tremendously. It is small enough to fit between the plug and header. It won't get stuck on the header once the plug is loosened (like the larger plug sockets). It also gives your fingers more to grab on to when tightening/loosening the plug by hand. The ground edges make it even more effective at that.

Just thought I'd shard my solution so everyone can benefit from it, regardless of year

Matthew

Looks good.

Nice!

Yep, an open-ended plug socket is a must-have.

Hmmmm....this got me thinking. Apparently trick flow (and I'm sure others) make this item....for $15. I did not know that before I did it...to be honest with you I've never seen it. But I feel better now knowing I save $15

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TFS-90500/

And SLP's is $30! Outrageous!

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SLE-30102/

Matthew

Well done!! That's the sign of an excellent mechanic - the ability to make ones own tool.

If those guys didn't make such a tool, I was gonna suggest you send the design to Lisle. They pay money for ideas that go into production... I wanna say something like $1.00 per unit sold or something like that.

Gotta love alternative solutions. Nice job!

Quote:

Yea, I was going to mention this.

But doing your own engineering and prototyping gives you a real sense of accomplishment, keep it up.

I also the SLP was nutso when I first saw it. I thought 10 min. with a zip wheel on a $3 socket.

Or you could just break the ceramic part off like I do trying to get a regular socket to work. Your way is probably better!

LOL thats one way Ultraman


May have to make the same thing, 1-3/4 primaries with straight plug heads have to fumble with a wrench on almost all of them that socket would be perfect.

i took like an inch of a regular spark plug socket with a cutoff saw. i leave that socket in the car.

Nice work.

But wouldn't one of these gearwrench sets work? It looks basically the same as what you've come up with.



On my truck with long tubes I had to loosen the headers to remove some of the plugs. And loosening the header on one side required lifting the motor! Even with shorty plugs. The 2nd time around I was able to get the plug loose with an open ended wrench from below the engine.