I just talked to the service manager at my Ford dealership and he warned me not to use an air ratchet to remove plugs, to do it by hand, so I'm going to pass on the air ratchet.
What was his reasoning, galling the threads if the plug is seized/corroded? That would be my take on it. I used to be a pro motorcycle mechanic and have always removed plugs and glow plugs in diesels by hand for that reason. If they don't come out easy then it's time to figure a way of of breaking the grip first. Air tools could be unforgiving....
That's exactly right dellwas, he said his mechanics all remove plugs by hand. I'm going to jack up the truck and take the front tires off like I did on another vehicle I owned to see if I can get at the plugs from the fender wells. Just to change the distributor cap and rotor was hard because of the impossible place it sets under the airfilter box and 3 or 4" air duct hoses to the fuel injection body. I had to remove them to get at the distributor and it was still a bear to change the wires in the cap.
The one distributor snap close to the manifold was in a bad place, I couldn't get it to snap on the cap, so I ran a piece of mig wire around the back of it and pulled the mig wire and it snapped on. It's gonna be tight but I'll get it.
This was the ratchet I wanted to buy but from amazon.
http://www.tooltopia.com/chicago-pneumatic-7830q.aspx
Ya, sometimes you have to wonder at the engineers. I remember a Datsun 220, or 240z, can't remember which, but you had to pull the hood to change headlghts. Come to think of it things haven't changed much. We have a '06 Mercedes Smart and the whole front cowling has to come off to change the headlight/running lights.
Nice looking ratchet!
This was the ratchet I wanted to buy but from amazon.
http://www.tooltopia.com/chicago-pneumatic-7830q.aspx
Treat yourself and buy the air ratchet-but don't use it for spark plugs!
I suppose if your a professional mechanic it's not so bad working on vehicles but when you're a fumbler like me it gets real frustrating. I just hate to give in to defeat without putting up an honest fight first.. If I count what I've broke, lost and left over parts when I'm done I probably would be money ahead to take the vehicle to a shop.
I would have loved to buy the ratchet but if it's not gonna work for plugs I don't really have need for it.
Oh believe me, even the pros can have a rough go of it, and I'm sure the practicing pro wrenchs on here will vouch for that! Hey, at least you can work on your own stuff!
Air ratchets are awesome in tight places. A 3/8" will give your fingers a good smashing if you're not braced for the torque. I have used a 1/2", but do not own one. Nor do I plan to buy one. A good 3/8" would be a fine purchase and is a very useful tool. I am considering a cordless 3/8" or 1/4" drive. Removing spark plugs with power tools would not be recommended.
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KJ that ratchet has adjustable power setting and can be tickled. Nice one ..
Am I the only one old enough to remember the holes in the transmission hump inside the car so the back two plugs of the V 8 could be servicedYa, sometimes you have to wonder at the engineers. I remember a Datsun 220, or 240z, can't remember which, but you had to pull the hood to change headlghts. Come to think of it things haven't changed much. We have a '06 Mercedes Smart and the whole front cowling has to come off to change the headlight/running lights.
Am I the only one old enough to remember the holes in the transmission hump inside the car so the back two plugs of the V 8 could be serviced
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