Spark Plug Boot Pliers??

[jeepnut24]

A bit of a noob question, but I have always pulled them by hand.... What is the benefit of the pliers, and how do you use them properly? I think Im going to have to pick some up for my current project. The wires just don't want to pop off of the plugs...

 

[Fedwrench]

Spark plug boot plier depending on the type, can reach where your fingers can't, won't get burned as easily as your fingers, and can give you more leverage than your fingers. Just remember to twist the boot from side to side to loosen it first, and then pull. It also helps to grasp the boot as close to the bottom edge as possible to keep from pulling the boot off in half.

 

[mrshaun]

2004 suburban with a 5.3 worst thing I have ever done in my life ( working on cars that is ) after an hour of chewing away at the plug wire boot I gave up. I tried every damn thing off the truck. nada. the guys at the dealership laughed and told me to let them have it. they hate them as well though. the boot was "glued" to the plug. I had to break the tip of the plug off to get the plug out. the boot was definitely not going to fall off going down the road.

 

[jeepnut24]

2004 suburban with a 5.3 worst thing I have ever done in my life ( working on cars that is ) after an hour of chewing away at the plug wire boot I gave up. I tried every damn thing off the truck. nada. the guys at the dealership laughed and told me to let them have it. they hate them as well though. the boot was "glued" to the plug. I had to break the tip of the plug off to get the plug out. the boot was definitely not going to fall off going down the road.

HEY thats the motor!!! Its going in my Jeep....

 

[Merkava_4]

Spark plug boot pullers have always been too bulky whenever I've tried to use them.

 

[Fedwrench]

Spark plug boot pullers have always been too bulky whenever I've tried to use them.

In that case use a long pair of hose gripping pliers made in China from Harbor Freight. They're not bulky.

 

[toolmutt]

I'm about to change the plugs in my wife's 2006 Tahoe. I already now that the boots don't want to let go and that the back one on the passenger side is pretty well barricaded in. Any suggestions on pliers or other tips?
(Sorry if I hijacked the thread.)

 

[mrshaun]

pay someone to do it for you. that was my solution to the back one laughing at me while i had fun with the first one.....

 

[Fedwrench]

I'm about to change the plugs in my wife's 2006 Tahoe. I already now that the boots don't want to let go and that the back one on the passenger side is pretty well barricaded in. Any suggestions on pliers or other tips?
(Sorry if I hijacked the thread.)

If you have compressed air available. A flattened piece of tubing bent like a J, attached to an air gun works great for cooked on boots. Hook the curve of the J under the bottom edge of the boot, blow some air, and the boot is usually free.

 

[mrshaun]

these boots on the 5.3 seem to be "welded" to the plug. I twisted the boot around about 20 times and it was still stuck. I tried everything I could.

 

[jeepnut24]

I'm about to change the plugs in my wife's 2006 Tahoe. I already now that the boots don't want to let go and that the back one on the passenger side is pretty well barricaded in. Any suggestions on pliers or other tips?
(Sorry if I hijacked the thread.)

Again the same motor so no problems....

 

[mooman]

I'm about to change the plugs in my wife's 2006 Tahoe. I already now that the boots don't want to let go and that the back one on the passenger side is pretty well barricaded in. Any suggestions on pliers or other tips?
(Sorry if I hijacked the thread.)

I'd have a extra set of plug wires ready.
I'm glad I did when I tried to change them on my 5.3L

 

[dede2897234]

I'm about to change the plugs in my wife's 2006 Tahoe. I already now that the boots don't want to let go and that the back one on the passenger side is pretty well barricaded in. Any suggestions on pliers or other tips?
(Sorry if I hijacked the thread.)

Toolmutt,

I have used this Lisle adjustable spark plug boot puller a few times on my 2003 Subaru Forester with great success:
http://www.lislecorp.com/divisions/products/?product=320. It is a quality tool.

Here is a link to the Lisle tool on Tooltopia:
http://www.tooltopia.com/lisle-51750.aspx.


Dave

 

[Misfit]

I hear a lot of people have problems with the 5.3's. I don't know if its because I have small hands or what but I haven't had too many problems with pulling the wires off? I did break a few wires on one but they were getting changed anyway so it was no biggie.

Now the mitsubishi's did it the smart way by putting the intake OVER some of the plugs and wires

 

[toolmutt]

pay someone to do it for you.

This is an option that I've considered but I was afraid I would have to turn in my man-card and sell all my tool if I paid to have spark plugs done.

I'd have a extra set of plug wires ready.

I've heard many people recommend this. I'm just going to plan on replacing them all.

Here is a link to the Lisle tool on Tooltopia:
http://www.tooltopia.com/lisle-51750.aspx.

Perfect! I need to get a few SK wrenches but they didn't quite add up to the fifty dollar minimum for the free shipping special. I'll try these pliers.

If you have compressed air available. A flattened piece of tubing bent like a J, attached to an air gun works great for cooked on boots. Hook the curve of the J under the bottom edge of the boot, blow some air, and the boot is usually free.

This also sounds like great tip. Thanks for all the help, guys.

 

[Jeeper]

I had a similar problem on a GM3.8 engine. I used a hook from my craftsman pro hook and pick set. I didn't have much luck with the lisle boot pliers. The boots were too stuck.

 

[Jeeper]

HEY thats the motor!!! Its going in my Jeep....

I am very jealous. Do you have a build thread link you could post?

 

[Brandon_Lutz]

Last time I changed plugs on my truck, I couldn't get the plug boot off due to the angle of the steering shaft and I couldn't bend my arm to get a good hold with my fingers.

I took a flat piece of thin iron strap we had laying around and bent about an inch and half of the bottom into a 90 degree angle. Then I traced the boot of one the new plug wires I was going to use onto the bent piece and then cut a half circle notch out of the metal.

Worked like a charm. I threw the "new tool" into the toolbox for future use.

 

[jeepnut24]

I am very jealous. Do you have a build thread link you could post?

Not here, and its going slower than I would like... But family is more important, and I pay WAY too much attention to the little details.


I got the boots off. I just kept pulling till they popped off. Thanks for the advice all...

 

[Moose-LandTran]

2004 suburban with a 5.3 worst thing I have ever done in my life ( working on cars that is ) after an hour of chewing away at the plug wire boot I gave up. I tried every damn thing off the truck. nada. the guys at the dealership laughed and told me to let them have it. they hate them as well though. the boot was "glued" to the plug. I had to break the tip of the plug off to get the plug out. the boot was definitely not going to fall off going down the road.

I've dealt with similar things. Used something like this:

http://www.tooltopia.com/schley-68450.aspx

Well, i bought some aluminium tube, sharpened the end until it was like a blade, then slipped it down, quick tap down on the end of it to cut the seal, and pulled it straight out.

Dealing with broken-off coil packs isn't fun either. Had a few of those, where the coil pack itself snapped off the top of the boot. Used a flat piece of thin steel, sharped the end and edge like a blade and tapped it down with a hammer to slice through the rubber. Used a screwdriver to break the two parts of the steel casing.

 

[quattrojon]

I've dealt with similar things. Used something like this:

http://www.tooltopia.com/schley-68450.aspx

Well, i bought some aluminium tube, sharpened the end until it was like a blade, then slipped it down, quick tap down on the end of it to cut the seal, and pulled it straight out.

Dealing with broken-off coil packs isn't fun either. Had a few of those, where the coil pack itself snapped off the top of the boot. Used a flat piece of thin steel, sharped the end and edge like a blade and tapped it down with a hammer to slice through the rubber. Used a screwdriver to break the two parts of the steel casing.

A.S.T make a kit for removing VAG ignition coils, which avoids damage to the plastic coil head.

 

[dede2897234]

I've dealt with similar things. Used something like this:

http://www.tooltopia.com/schley-68450.aspx

Well, i bought some aluminium tube, sharpened the end until it was like a blade, then slipped it down, quick tap down on the end of it to cut the seal, and pulled it straight out.

Dealing with broken-off coil packs isn't fun either. Had a few of those, where the coil pack itself snapped off the top of the boot. Used a flat piece of thin steel, sharped the end and edge like a blade and tapped it down with a hammer to slice through the rubber. Used a screwdriver to break the two parts of the steel casing.

Moose,

Thanks for sharing the link to the Schley tool available through Tooltopia. I did not know such a tool existed! I appreciate all of the lessons you have shared from your automotive repair experiences. I have learned quite a bit from you in the last two years I have been a member.


Thanks,

Dave

 

[quattrojon]

Moose,

Thanks for sharing the link to the Schley tool available through Tooltopia. I did not know such a tool existed! I appreciate all of the lessons you have shared from your automotive repair experiences. I have learned quite a bit from you in the last two years I have been a member.


Thanks,

Dave

Moose is a good bloke.... he's helped me out several times by correctly diagnosing mechanical maladies that i've had.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

A.S.T make a kit for removing VAG ignition coils, which avoids damage to the plastic coil head.

They don't always work, sometimes the coil packs are just brittle and they break apart. I've had some break while using the VAG dealer tool. Like the broken plug i just dealt with, sometimes it don't matter what tools you got, things are going to break.

Moose,

Thanks for sharing the link to the Schley tool available through Tooltopia. I did not know such a tool existed! I appreciate all of the lessons you have shared from your automotive repair experiences. I have learned quite a bit from you in the last two years I have been a member.


Thanks,

Dave

Thank you, Dave. I'm glad you like the little hints and tips. Most have come about for those "Oh ****" moments i often run into. As they say, neccessity is the mother of invention.

 

[torqueman2002]

I've used Thexton 334 Spark Plug Wire Puller on the GM 3800's. Makes an impossible job doable, not easy.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...=Thexton+334+Spark+Plug+Wire+Puller&x=17&y=20

 

[moparmuscle88]

ive never owned a pair, if i cant pull it off, i slit the boot with a knife and slip just a new boot on the wire whe i put it back