Removing Spark plugs 2T engine?

[SteveXC]

So the time has come for the 1st service on my ta22 Celica, and I ran into a problem..
Nothing fits to remove the spark plugs?!

Has anyone else had this issue? Basically all my sockets and everything ive tried is too fat to reach the plugs. ( tried numerous sockets, spark plug tools)

Spoken to numerous car shops and even Toyota them selves and no1 can help me.

So im hoping someone on here and help me out.

Any help would be fantastic!

Steven,

[Silly Rabbit]

My Sidchrome socket fits mine so can't see why most decent branded ones wouldn't. Not a helluva lot of room but there is enough.

[SteveXC]

My Sidchrome socket fits mine so can't see why most decent branded ones wouldn't. Not a helluva lot of room but there is enough.

Might be worth trying that then, Ive tried mine and numerous other mates sockets and nothing, even test fit some from repco and nothing.

Excuse to buy new tools.. I think so.. haha

[Silly Rabbit]

Seems strange that they don't fit but maybe someone else on here has had a similar issue with it although I have never heard of problems before.

If worse comes to worse take the rocker cover off and that should allow a little more working space and the ability to see what is fouling it.

[JDM hachi]

This sounds like a problem i once saw on a mates car, the plugs used weren't the correct ones (bigger socket size required than for the plugs that should have been installed). We got them out with a tube spanner easily.

matty.

[ta22fan]

Remove the rocker cover (six nuts and a couple of emission pipes), and you'll find that you have much easier access to the plugs. A standard plug socket with a short extender will get the job done.

Paul

["Z" UTE]

The tube spanner that comes with just about all the older Toyota's is perfect for the job. That being said a plug socket is the preffered tool, it has the extra depth to accomodate the plug and still get the extension piece in. Also has a rubber grommet in the neck to grip the plug for reinstallation.

cheers |Chuck

[jb_22]

Yeah that rubber grommet is very helpful when replacing the sparkplugs to make sure you don't crossthread them. I have a stanley 6-sided socket set and the sparkplug socket works fine in 2T heads - little bit cheaper than sidchrome if you're tight on dosh.

[SteveXC]

Thanks guys, I still havnt got around to getting them out, The carby has finally gone (was playing up for a while) so its not getting driven atm. I guess ill keep trying different sockets and hope one fits, if not ill take the rocker cover off (needs a new gasket anyways, so can kill two birds with one stone) and see if that helps. However I will still need a socket thin enough to fit, just wont have the 8" drop to deal with haha

And it looks like the plugs are the right size, the new ones from the Boshe recommendation list are the same. Just find it stupid they are such a tight fit. Even spoke to a guy from toyota about it and he said try to find a hexagonal socket, so the whole socket is hexagonal shaped inside and out.

["Z" UTE]

The guy from toyota was almost right, Yes you definately need a single hex socket, not the double hex sockets normally found in a socket set. Normal depth socketys will not ever reach the hex section of the plug. A deep single hex socket may do the trick, but as previously mentioned the sparkplug socket is the tool to use, it by the way is a single hex arrangement.

If someone has overtensioned the plugs, they can be quite hard to remove. I suggest you spray some penetrating oil around the base of the plugs, warm the engine up, then use the correct tool to remove the plugs. If the plugs are tight in the head, warming the engine will be a necessity.


As you have the new cheapo Bosh plugs, you can easily check the fitment of the plug socket on those before trying to remove the plugs from your engine.


cheers Chuck.