I always take the heat shields around the plugs out to change the plugs.
I pull them out, put the compressed air to the heads around the plugs and
then take out the plugs. i never considered leaving those things in as
they seem to be in the way. They are a PITA to replace so if I can change
the plugs with them in, I'll give it a try (after the compressed air, of
course.).
Richard in San Antonio
On Thu, 20 Jan 2000 19:19:59 -0600 "Bernd D. Ratsch" <bernd@texas.net>
writes:
>
> Well, time to check/change the plugs and made a almost fatal
> mistake:
>
> Went out mudding last week, and decided to check the plugs today.
> Tried to
> pull out the first plug and hmmm....socket doesn't fit around the
> plug.
> Stick a screwdriver and clean up any dirt around the plug. Pulled
> the
> screwdriver out and found a little bit of mud/tiny rocks all over
> it.
> Uhoh...pull all the plug wires off the plugs and use a high pressure
> air
> nozzle to blow out all the dirt. So far so good...pulled out the
> first plug
> and looked down the hole (plug shields are still on at this point).
> Oh My
> God!! The plug shields are dirt shovels!! Little rocks, dirt, and
> lots of
> dust collected in them. Yank all the plug shield off and rinse the
> motor
> with some high pressure water and clean up with the air hose. After
> pulling
> out all the plugs, blow out all the holes again and turn the motor
> over for
> a few seconds to blow the rest out of the chambers.
>
> Here's the warning: If you decide to go out mudding in your 2wd (or
> 4wd),
> yank the plug shields out...they only do one thing...collect dirt so
> that it
> can fall in your combustion chambers at the next plug change. (And
> think
> what that'll do to the cylinder walls and rings.)
>
> $0.02
>
> Bernd D. Ratsch
> Pflugerville, TX
> 1997 Dodge Dakota SLT/CC - 2WD
> http://lonestar.texas.net/~bernd/Dakota.htm
> http://www.mopars.net/dak/bernd/
> http://www.toycrusher.com
> bernd@texas.net
> ICQ: 39320084
>
> "Have I gone too far...Or has Toyota not gone far enough!"
>
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