Lookin to buy a car and it's only got 7 plugs in...can't get the 8th in...it just turns in the hole and doesn't wanna grab the threads. Easy fix?
Can I just use a tap and clean out the threads? What size would it be?
If I took it to a shop could they put in a new plug, and how much would that cost?

Thanks for any help you can give me. I wanna get this car by next week but it has to run on all 8.

(it runs pretty decently on 7)

 

they make special taps for spark plug threads.... my guess is you didnt try hard enough... these cars are very tough to change plugs from the top... try from under the car might be easyer to see what you are doing

 

oh it would have been almost impossible from the top.
We were under the car. Me, my brother, and my friend with the thirdgen all tried it. None of us could do it...
I'll admit I probably could have if I had some force behind it...but the angle we had, there was no real leverage you could put on it...whatever you had in your forearm...

Where might I get a tap for it? Would a parts store have it? I could always do that...lots easier than putting on a new head.

 

let me guess the number 8 plug passenger side rear most

 

actually no. number 3. second from the front on the driver's side.
That number 8 plug was hard to get in...but just cause of the angle.

This plug is decently easy to get to (considering where it is)...but you turn and turn and nothing happens...(think trying to thread it in turning counterclockwise..just jumping off the threads).

anyone have any tips here?

 

Buy a different car.

 

While that's a really helpful reply, I don't think you get it.
The car is in really nice shape other than that one problem...and it's the right price. One little problem is not a big deal...and if you could have offered some assistance it could be solved quite easily...
Sorry, but I'm just trying to get some help and get the car running so I can drive it home and enjoy the car I've wanted since I was about 10.

 

How many rotations did you do on the sparkplug ? I change all mine from underneeth and it works fine. Its little hard the first time but once you got it its easy.

Try it one more time, you need to turn it many times before it comes out. is it loose so you can turn it by hand ? after 3 rotations you should be able to turn it by hand..

 

Lets get some engine info here eh?
What year car, etc etc?
I've never had to get under the car to do spark plugs on a domestic V8 vehicle, that boggles my mind there. You can get a spark plug tap for this, but the main thing that does is avoid getting chips into the cylinder. Can you get a pinky in there to see what the threads are like?

I think fbirds comment is based on the fact that the #3 plug should be EASY to replace, and you're not facing a particularly difficult or unique problem. Grab the spark plug tap and "get 'er done" eh?

 

1989 Firebird Formula
305 TBI
auto

I know it should be pretty easy...but it just wasn't. I'll try and find a tap. I dono where, but I'm sure somebody must have one. Thanks.

And The King...I'm trying to get the plugs IN...not out. Thanks anyway though.

 

Phone a few parts stores, let your fingers do the walking, it's a lot easier then driving around. Ask about a "spark plug tap" for a small block chev. It's fairly common, I know summit has them, but you should be able to source one locally.
If you can get your mirror and mini flashlight in there, i'd want to take a peek at it before tapping it though. You never know until you see it right?

 

Makes sense. Thanks for the help.

 

Make sure to post how it turned out.
I am curious if the spark plug tap does the trick.

 

The typical tap would push thread debris into the cylinder. There is a nifty tap out there that fits all the way into the hole, then you expand the thread cutters to engage the "good" threads presumed to be deep in the spark plug hole, and back the tap out. That way the debris comes out of the engine instead of going into it, and you get it started straight before you start cutting.

http://store.comosuperstore.com/028907263274.html

 

thanks. that's exactly what I was lookin for.
My brother came home with a 14mm thread chaser today though...so we're gonna try that. It should be good enough just to fix the first couple threads...just gotta get it started. If not, we'll have to look into that expandable thread thinger.

Wish us luck everyone.