Have I Screwed Up???

[bigtime57]

I finally got around to changing my plugs on my 99 SOHC friday night and I think I might have screwed up big time! not real sure . . .but. . .i had no trouble changing the plugs thanks to some tips from this forum but my problem was getting the middle plug back in on the passenger side. . seemed like i could never get it started back in. . my big ole hands didnt help matters. .but after some skin removed i got it in there. . but i tried several times to get it started back in the head with no luck then finally got it started but it just didnt feel right going back in while turning it with my fingers . . then when i put the ratchet and knuckle on it just didnt feel like the others but maybe it was due to the angle. . not for sure now im just very worried. . what is the chances i have cross threaded the plug in the head? would the head or plug cross thread first? i drove it about 80 miles yesterday on the interstate at pretty good speeds with no problems. . gas mileage shows to be better on the center console and idle improved. . but now im on pins and needles worrying that the plug will blow out! any suggestions

 

[302Xplorer]

Have you tried to remove it? If you can, you might want to grease it and try again. Maybe some dirty threads. You could leave it in there but it will always be in the back of your mind.

 

[FL Oil Guy]

If you do remove that plug coat the threads with some antiseize. I use that on every bolt I remove,(as long as you don't need to locktight that particular bolt) it makes it easier to remove the next time also threads in easier. Fel pro at a napa store should work.

 

[bigtime57]

well i thought about removing it but got scared .. .im afraid if i take it out it wont go back in and since its my only way of transportation i hate to be stuck without. . and i did use anitseaze on the plugs. . the plugs was really hard to get out and had quiet abit of rust on them so maybe it was just nasty stuff that made it feel so hard to get in......shew......but like you stated that in the back of my mind is just worrying me senseless

 

[302Xplorer]

Peace of mind or leaving it as is. Either way you are taking a risk. If you take it out you might not be able to get it back in (unlikely). Or, you leave it in, it blows out and it def. won't go back in w/o taking it to the shop. I would take it out, if you have damaged it, it's already done. Put some more grease on it and try again. Maybe try to apply a little grease to the internal threads.

 

[bigtime57]

is the threads on those SOHC pretty easy to strip? . .and i guess me next ? would be if they are stripped how much trouble is it to get it fixed? im sure removing the heads would be the first thing .. or can this be done on the vehicle?

 

[302Xplorer]

That I do not know.

Sorry.

But I am sure someone here does.

 

[Ray Lobato]

Don't worry about it. It is highly unlikely that you cross threaded the threads, as you did most of it by hand. Unless you are a gorrilla, it isn't easy to do. What you probably had was rust on the threads, and that was what made it feel differant. If you stripped the threads, the plug would have shot out of the block already. Relax.

 

[Mike N.]

When you put the plug in, did you go threw the wheel well?

you might get some piece of mind by simply jacking up the vehicle, pulling the rubber skirt off from the inside of the wheel well. and simply looking at the plug to see if it is at the same angle as the other two.

this skirt is held in with push pins..... they may be a little hard to get started, but just pull on them and they will pop out.

 

[bigtime57]

yes i took the passenger side wheel off and went thru the wheelwell and also loosend the bolt that held the tran dip stick to the side of the block which helped alot to get my hand in there. . .they look very very close if not exactly the same direction. My wife drove it over a 100 miles yesterday round trip and she said it ran fine. Hopefully I was just freakin over nothing. ..