Your favorite spark plug socket(s)

[Dave455]

Have you tried the Zeal ones?

I have to admit I havn't!

I've got a fair amount of the regular KoKen. It tends to be my first choice for 'specialist' stuff, partly because the range is so huge, and partly because I've got a good dealer who'll have something delivered next morning if I find I need it half way through a job!

If I only had Zeal tools I'd probably have got the sockets to match, but the range of Zeal tools is quite limited! I've got a Zeal ratchet and one set of sockets though, and they're good!

Really like the look of the 1/4 drive Zeal too!

 

[mjoekingz28]

Just a heads up last I checked Mac was having a special on a set with a handle. I think for $20 or so.
I have Stanely set, a Craftsman set, and a Napa set and the Craftsman and Stanely are good. The rubber always falls out of the napa one. The ones with built in extensions would be great at times. I've actually used duct tape, the real stuff to hold sockets to the extensions.

I like my Craftsmans. I do wrap the socket and extension together in DOHC plug changes, but its not like I change them everyday (100,000 mile parts) so a foot or two of electrical tape adjoins them fine. I bought a dollar socket or two at the parts house and they do lose their inserts quite easily.

I heard the magnetic sockets are great to work with, but what I have is just fine.

Btw, I teied to buy the four pack of plug sockets at Sears, but were Chinese. So I bought two individuals Made here to add to the one that was included in my Craftsman 6 point socket set. So I am missing one size, 18mm if I had to guess. Probably just a plug for two stroke dirt bikes, as two plug sizes seem to take care of all autos and lawn equipment I have worked on. Even so, sometimes you dont even need a spark socket, as the plug is right there and any old deep well works fine since it is not recessed.

 

[MikeF2316]

How about for this one?

 

[gsingh]

How about for this one?

Mercedes?

 

[M6erfan]

http://www.sears.com/schwaben-14mm-12-point-magnetic-spark-plug/p-00930875000P?sid=IDx01192011x000001&gclid=CJe4u5_39cgCFYM6aQodwuEJOg

For BMW N54/N55 engines...

 

[fivespdcat]

That's a 14mm bi hex. The snap on socket is pretty good, otherwise get a German brand.

 

[MikeF2316]

That's a 14mm bi hex. The snap on socket is pretty good, otherwise get a German brand.

Yup, nothing like thinking you have a socket for every spark plug then running into one of those...

Oh well, I got to buy another tool.

 

[anndel]

5/8 Snap On spark plug socket

 

[blazinPond]

1x

The Craftsman with the rubber insert was my one and only, until the 5/8"

plugs came out.

Now I like the retention type Snap On S9706KRA, and on many

occasions I find I have to use the Snap On extra deep S9716KL.

How does the Snap-On S9706KRA retention socket work? I take it does not have rubber insert to provide retention.

Thanks

 

[joel63]

The hex end has a patented "Diamond Wedge" design that equally aligns the plug in the center to avoid damage to the porcelain.

Spark plug is easily disengaged by applying gentle side pressure.

^^ From the Snap On catalog.

 

[valentine]

Used my Craftsman sockets with the standard rubber insert for decades. That stupid insert was always coming out, getting lost, etc. Then I discovered magnetic spark plug sockets and I thought to myself "why the heck didn't I get this sooner?" Currently only have Toptul magnetic but there's a Hazet set in my future. Won't go back to the rubber inserts except in an emergency. I keep those in my travel box now.

-Valentine

 

[theoldwizard1]

Probably my Craftsman 3/8" drive, swivel. I think I have 4 or 5, including the one I ground down to fit a chain saw.

 

[TNToy]

I generally use mu Cman plug socket. However, I need something different when I did the plugs on my old 5.4 3V.

Ahh. The joys of the Ford motor which eats spark plugs...

We have a fleet of those at work, and they traditionally didn't get the spark plugs changed until they developed a misfire at 100k+ miles which was more than enough time for them to build a strong enough carbon deposit for at least two plugs to snap off, per vehicle.

I crack them loose 1/4 turn while hot and fill all the holes with penetrating oil overnight so that I only get one or two broken plugs instead of 6 or 8. Then it's time for that wonderful extraction tool you posted. Ugh.

For the record, Champion has a replacement for the Triton plug that's all one piece - no worries about them snapping in the future. We run those exclusively now and no longer have issues with the converted trucks. The 5.4 likes them, unlike most foreign cars which will develop a misfire in a few weeks on ACDelco, Champion, or Autolite.

 

[ttpete]

http://www.sears.com/schwaben-14mm-12-point-magnetic-spark-plug/p-00930875000P?sid=IDx01192011x000001&gclid=CJe4u5_39cgCFYM6aQodwuEJOg

For BMW N54/N55 engines...

My BMW motorcycle also uses 10mm plugs, but they're NGKs from the factory. So does my Ducati. Both are 6 point.

 

[blazinPond]

The hex end has a patented "Diamond Wedge" design that equally aligns the plug in the center to avoid damage to the porcelain.

Spark plug is easily disengaged by applying gentle side pressure.

^^ From the Snap On catalog.

Thank you very much.
I just picked one up.
It'll be fun to compare to my old rubber insert socket.

 

[Alfisti]

For years I had a Champion ( spark plug brand ) plug ratchet, sockets and extension, but someone thought they needed it more than I did. Never been able to find another. It was given to me by a Champion rep at a race track, so might have been a promotional set, but would sure like another.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Ahh. The joys of the Ford motor which eats spark plugs...

We have a fleet of those at work, and they traditionally didn't get the spark plugs changed until they developed a misfire at 100k+ miles which was more than enough time for them to build a strong enough carbon deposit for at least two plugs to snap off, per vehicle.

I crack them loose 1/4 turn while hot and fill all the holes with penetrating oil overnight so that I only get one or two broken plugs instead of 6 or 8. Then it's time for that wonderful extraction tool you posted. Ugh.

For the record, Champion has a replacement for the Triton plug that's all one piece - no worries about them snapping in the future. We run those exclusively now and no longer have issues with the converted trucks. The 5.4 likes them, unlike most foreign cars which will develop a misfire in a few weeks on ACDelco, Champion, or Autolite.

Just a tip but use an electric 3/8 impact on them. I warm the truck up and do one side at a time. Very rare to break one.

And the motor craft plugs are one piece now as well

 

[70Swinger440]

I used to have a '98 Dodge Neon R/T that I used as a nice weather driver, and used to run at the drag strip. It had the 2.0 DOHC engine, so the plugs were down a tube through the valve cover. I always drove it to the track, so when I got to the track, I used to swap in a fresh set of plugs that were gapped a little wider. I took one of the OEM spark plug wires, trimmed the lead to the coil pack off, and I would stick the plug into the boot to get it started in the head. Then, I would snug it down with a Craftsman spark plug socket that had the rubber insert removed. This method has worked for me on numerous cars.

 

[joel63]

For years I had a Champion ( spark plug brand ) plug ratchet, sockets and extension, but someone thought they needed it more than I did. Never been able to find another. It was given to me by a Champion rep at a race track, so might have been a promotional set, but would sure like another.

Yes, the old Champion Plug Master.

Sorry you lost it.

Always wanted one. Picked up the socket a little ago.

 

[e30bradley]

Snap on. The mac ones I just bought recently ****. I bought the t handle set that was linked in the hot deals section recently.. Made in Taiwan junk. The rubber holder in the socket sticks on the plug every time and that makes it pretty much useless when the plugs are recessed into the head. I will try to glue the rubber holder into the socket but I have never had that issue with all my snap on plug sockets.

 

[wagon]

I have a proto 5/8 with a rubber insert. only a couple times has it popped off the extension, which is annoying as hell in a DOHC 5.0. engine sits so far down you need to be over 6' to check the oil.

like the socket, hate my extensions apparently lol