SUPER Thin Wall 14mm Spark Plug Socket Needed - Anyone with a lathe? Will pay!

[KnurledNut]

Glad the OP found a socket!

I posted about this here before, but I ran into a similar issue trying to recalibrate a torque wrench. I needed a super thin 11/16 and couldn’t find any small enough. Ended up making my own.

 

[xjfish]

I have one, 12 pt with short pin extension. Cannot remember brand off hand, not Porsche, want to say Taiwanese. Purchased off MAC truck years ago, initially for 12pt 14mm BMW. I had ground down OD slightly. Will have to measure outer diameter for shits and giggles. Glad you got it figured out.

 

[noid]

Hi all - so I'm good here. A rennlist member ended up making one he's selling for 1/2 the porsche part price (its shown in the linked thread below)... so I won't have to bother any members here and appreciate the offers and assisting in the hunt!




Agreed. Just found a member at Rennlist has made one that works so I'm buying his part from him. I appreciate the offer.



Thanks for linking to the thread over on Rennlist. That is the socket, and in talking to my shop about it, they use a machined down snap on 14mm socket for their 9A2 engine work.



Very light torque 15nm / 11 ft lbs. Generally just enough to compress the washer and a bit of resistance on top.

And regarding this engine, I've 4 porsche sports cars (4 different generations) and this particular engine is the only one that needs something this crazy. The later GT3 need a narrow socket but not THIS narrow. The GT cars have a similar block platform but the heads are totally different on those.

Glad you got this sorted, if it doesn't work out let me know; I can arrange.

 

[spyerx]

As requested. This is the car. A 21 cayman gts 4.0.

 

[AJHD]

If you own and/or work on expensive boutique cars, you should be prepared for expensive service, repairs, parts and/or tools.

I ran into this a lot as a tech, with no shortage of pissed off customers driving expensive vehicles they couldn't afford to maintain and know nothing about.

That status symbol only gets you so far if you don't have the financial means to keep it running.

Anyway, carry on.

 

[FigN⋅m]

Thank you for your input.

 

[dnschmidt]

If you own and/or work on expensive boutique cars, you should be prepared for expensive service, repairs, parts and/or tools.

I ran into this a lot as a tech, with no shortage of pissed off customers driving expensive vehicles they couldn't afford to maintain and know nothing about.

That status symbol only gets you so far if you don't have the financial means to keep it running.

Anyway, carry on.

Doesn't look like he's hurting for bucks to me. That house in Southern California is easily worth $1,00,000

 

[spyerx]

What are you on about? Big Difference in expensive services and parts and ripped off for a socket.

If you own and/or work on expensive boutique cars, you should be prepared for expensive service, repairs, parts and/or tools.

I ran into this a lot as a tech, with no shortage of pissed off customers driving expensive vehicles they couldn't afford to maintain and know nothing about.

That status symbol only gets you so far if you don't have the financial means to keep it running.

Anyway, carry on.

 

[dchawk81]

What are you on about? Big Difference in expensive services and parts and ripped off for a socket.

I think it's just the idea that you bought a 70k+ car and don't want to spend $140 on a tool to maintain it.

 

[Pinne]

I think it's just the idea that you bought a 70k+ car and don't want to spend $140 on a tool to maintain it.

Why would anyone want to spend $140 on a socket if they know better?

The dealer prices on a lot of parts, service, etc are bordering on criminal. If you know better and have the time then why not save some cash? Dealer quoted me $700 to change spark plugs - nearly 1% of the purchase price of the car. For $65 in plugs and 30 minutes of my time I have $635 leftover. Same premise for the OP I'd guess.

 

[M635_Guy]

That special Porsche socket is made by Hazet (model 9006/1) but appears to be exclusive.

My old BMW wants a skinny spark plug socket. I got the Hazet just before they went nuts on price...

 

[dchawk81]

Why would anyone want to spend $140 on a socket if they know better?

The dealer prices on a lot of parts, service, etc are bordering on criminal. If you know better and have the time then why not save some cash? Dealer quoted me $700 to change spark plugs - nearly 1% of the purchase price of the car. For $65 in plugs and 30 minutes of my time I have $635 leftover. Same premise for the OP I'd guess.

I mean sure the socket is expensive but it's not like it's for a Kia.

 

[Banjorear]

That special Porsche socket is made by Hazet (model 9006/1) but appears to be exclusive.

Dang. Another exclusive tool from the Germans. This is getting out of hand. I guess they figure a large majority of Porsche owners don't do their own maintenance.

Maybe look on Ebay to see if a tech is selling off some tools. I didn't read other posts to see if anyone turned one up.

A little back yard hot rodding by reducing it yourself like mentioned above should do the trick.

 

[aka Larry]

I think it's just the idea that you bought a 70k+ car and don't want to spend $140 on a tool to maintain it.

The price of the car shouldn't be related to the price of a socket IMO. Why do they charge $140 for a socket falls under the heading of "just because they can"....or they added the "Porsche tax, which is the same thing.

 

[dchawk81]

The price of the car shouldn't be related to the price of a socket IMO. Why do they charge $140 for a socket falls under the heading of "just because they can"....or they added the "Porsche tax, which is the same thing.

That's basically my point. They charge what they charge for the cars "because they can" so they can do the same for the sockets.

If you can drop 70k on a used car you can probably swing 140 bucks for a socket despite how ridiculous it actually is.

 

[ecotec]

That's basically my point. They charge what they charge for the cars "because they can" so they can do the same for the sockets.

If you can drop 70k on a used car you can probably swing 140 bucks for a socket despite how ridiculous it actually is.

Or you can find a cheaper option. I have the CTA 2376 for BMW, Mini, Scion, Subaru. It is tiny

 

[richfinn]

That's basically my point. They charge what they charge for the cars "because they can" so they can do the same for the sockets.

If you can drop 70k on a used car you can probably swing 140 bucks for a socket despite how ridiculous it actually is.

Sometimes Porsche don't actually charge what they can get for the cars, they will sell you one at retail and it might then be worth a fair bit more (GT3 RS and GT2)

You do have to buy about two million quids worth of lesser Porsche models to get on the waiting list though

He should just be thankful he isn't buying tools for a McLaren

 

[mike93lx]

Sometimes Porsche don't actually charge what they can get for the cars, they will sell you one at retail and it might then be worth a fair bit more (GT3 RS and GT2)

You do have to buy about two million quids worth of lesser Porsche models to get on the waiting list though

He should just be thankful he isn't buying tools for a McLaren

Man, I would love to need to buy that tool kit.

 

[KnurledNut]

Or you can find a cheaper option. I have the CTA 2376 for BMW, Mini, Scion, Subaru. It is tiny

What’s the O.D.? It doesn’t look thin enough. There doesnt appear to be any cheaper options for this.

 

[ecotec]

What’s the O.D.? It doesn’t look thin enough. There doesnt appear to be any cheaper options for this.

I measured it. It is not thin enough.

 

[pbon]

Or you can find a cheaper option. I have the CTA 2376 for BMW, Mini, Scion, Subaru. It is tiny

So put the calipers on it and tell us the diameter.

 

[ecotec]

So put the calipers on it and tell us the diameter.

18mm

 

[pbon]

I had that slightly beat with a socket I bought on Amazon for not much money, at 17.8mm, but that still is too much. Could try grinding down one of these roughly 18mm sockets. I’ll try to remember this since I might get a Cayman 4.0 one day if so don’t get a 911 Turbo.

 

[Steve_P]

The price of the car shouldn't be related to the price of a socket IMO. Why do they charge $140 for a socket falls under the heading of "just because they can"....or they added the "Porsche tax, which is the same thing.

I have a friend that bought a year or two old convertable 911 in 2000 with ~10K miles on it; basically a new car. All was good for the first 3-4 years and then of course it was time for maintenance, and then little **** started breaking all the time, the parts are stupid expensive -the Porsche "tax", and he doesn't do anything other than wash it, so he has to pay to have it fixed.

After ~ten years, he's had enough and decides to sell it; we were talking about it and he said, "this car is the most reliable car I've ever had. Every year I reliably spend at least $3,000 on it in repairs". That cracked me up.

So, a guy's gonna buy it, they go for a test drive with the top down, get back, the guy's getting ready to pay, my friend puts the convertible top up, and the rear window falls out of the top into the back of the car . The buyer must've felt bad for him and paid him the full agreed upon price.

And yes, $140 is ridiculous for a socket. But it's Porsche. I'm guessing most owners take their cars to the dealer for service, and the dealer gets the socket at cost for the service tech.

 

[dscheidt]

That's basically my point. They charge what they charge for the cars "because they can" so they can do the same for the sockets.

If you can drop 70k on a used car you can probably swing 140 bucks for a socket despite how ridiculous it actually is.

Is it ridiculous that the socket is $140? I'm not sure it is. It's low volume, it's relatively hard to make, the starting point is a reasonably pricey socket. It's ridiculous that the car requires a socket that nothing else does for spark plugs, but it's a) German and 2) a sports car, so you should have known it was going to be full of ridiculous opportunities to separate you from your money.

 

[yellowbox]

Impact sockets are easier to turn. Just saying. If I still had access to a lathe id make one for you.

Is it ridiculous that the socket is $140? I'm not sure it is. It's low volume, it's relatively hard to make, the starting point is a reasonably pricey socket. It's ridiculous that the car requires a socket that nothing else does for spark plugs, but it's a) German and 2) a sports car, so you should have known it was going to be full of ridiculous opportunities to separate you from your money.

"Hard to make " you can't be serious
140$ is price gouging , plain and simple

 

[ecotec]

"Hard to make " you can't be serious
140$ is price gouging , plain and simple

Not necessarily. It is economy of scale. They don’t make enough for it to make them any real money. Also, the socket is so thin that you almost have to make it out of the best tool steel. Even the regular thin 14mm (BMW…) is extremely thin. I have to assume that a lot of people break them.

 

[bobg03]

I looked, I thought I had one but I didn't. I did find a 16MM and an 18MM thinwalled 12 point sockets that were labeled as Craftsman.

I vaguely remember buying them for a couple of foreign bikes that I had owned in the early 90's. Imma gonna guess if they made those 2 sizes they probably made the size you are searching for. I also recall that any six point was not thin enough, sears had them in stock back then as individuals.

 

[woody 73]

Not to be the bad ***, but if the op can afford the expensive sports car, then the socket should be the least of his worries. Buy it cry once and move on.

 

[JEdiag]

Hi all - so I'm good here. A rennlist member ended up making one he's selling for 1/2 the porsche part price (its shown in the linked thread below)... so I won't have to bother any members here and appreciate the offers and assisting in the hunt!




Agreed. Just found a member at Rennlist has made one that works so I'm buying his part from him. I appreciate the offer.



Thanks for linking to the thread over on Rennlist. That is the socket, and in talking to my shop about it, they use a machined down snap on 14mm socket for their 9A2 engine work.



Very light torque 15nm / 11 ft lbs. Generally just enough to compress the washer and a bit of resistance on top.

And regarding this engine, I've 4 porsche sports cars (4 different generations) and this particular engine is the only one that needs something this crazy. The later GT3 need a narrow socket but not THIS narrow. The GT cars have a similar block platform but the heads are totally different on those

Not sure about your exact situation here but a locking extension can sure come in handy on spark plugs...

The price of the car shouldn't be related to the price of a socket IMO. Why do they charge $140 for a socket falls under the heading of "just because they can"....or they added the "Porsche tax, which is the same thing.

In my industry its either green or its yelow and thats why its expensive. Same thing though.

 

[JEdiag]

And a word of advice, locking extensions can be mighty useful for spark plugs.

 

[Indexmill]

My old BMW wants a skinny spark plug socket. I got the Hazet just before they went nuts on price...

Can this one still be purchased?

 

[Rilakkuma]

If it's a six point, it's probably way too big for this purpose.

Dang. I cant believe this wouldn't work. This vintage S9714MKDMGA feels super fragile at 18mm. For reference my new regular 14mm from snap-on is 19.5mm

 

[scooby074]

Call me crazy but I dont think that socket is expensive (considering).

Its custom, for a specific car/engine by a quality german brand. How many do they make or sell a year? 500? Probably more like 150. The price reflects that, and has some extra Porsche "tax" as well, no doubt.

Look at it this way, a quality brand like SO or Hazet sparkplug socket is at least $50. If you had a machine shop turn it down, theyd bill an hour @ $125. By my count that is right in the ballpark for what Porsche is asking.

 

[cgrutt]

Call me crazy but I dont think that socket is expensive (considering).

Its custom, for a specific car/engine by a quality german brand. How many do they make or sell a year? 500? Probably more like 150. The price reflects that, and has some extra Porsche "tax" as well, no doubt.

Look at it this way, a quality brand like SO or Hazet sparkplug socket is at least $50. If you had a machine shop turn it down, theyd bill an hour @ $125. By my count that is right in the ballpark for what Porsche is asking.

Seems pretty inconsequential with a set of rotors going for $40,000...

 

[wyb2]

I wonder what the folks that think he’s weird for not wanting to spend $140 would think of the time I welded up a “socket” out of cut up fender washers to get a plastic oil filter housing open … because I didn’t feel like driving all the way to the store.

I never did make it to the store, ended up using that ugly thing every time I changed the oil on that car until we sold it.

 

[mike93lx]

You guys are impressive. Not many places can someone get shamed for trying to save a little bit of money.

 

[Hannahranga]

You guys are impressive. Not many places can someone get shamed for trying to save a little bit of money.

Especially given this places normal tendancy to encourage tool acquisition

 

[mike93lx]

Especially given this places normal tendancy to encourage tool acquisition

"buy tons of tools that you don't need, but the ones I want you to buy"

 

[dchawk81]

"buy tons of tools that you don't need, but the ones I want you to buy"

Bro needs a socket for his car though. And it's super specialized. Happens to be expensive.

Expensive specialized tools are not really a foreign concept it just seems weird in this case because it's for spark plugs.

If you can find a workaround to specialized tools that's great but sadly you can't always do that, and have to fork over the dosh.