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Pulling spark plug wires.

2K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  1937Austin 
#1 ·
I feel sort of stupid that I haven't figured this out before. But messing with the spark plug wires on my Falcon's BBC is often irritating because of no easy way to grip the plug wire boot to pull them off the plug. I especially fight the driver's side between headers and steering column, and worry about pulling the ends off my spendy plug wires!
So I'm dreading it again this morning, and wondering how I can pull the 90 degree ends and not straighten them out, or break the ends off. Then I got this bright idea! I grabbed two 10" black wire ties and hooked the ends together. Cut the 1" sticking through off, and then put one end around the plug wire. I worked it down to the end oof the plug wire until it was inside the 90 degree end. Then I held the plug wire close to the end and grasped the two free ends of the wire tie. Gave the wire ties a good jerk, and they boot pulled right off the spark plug with ease!
I pulled all 8 plug wires off the plugs easily, and was so excited I put them on again and tried it over again! Can't believe I've been fighting plug wire ends for over 50 years and finally came up with a solution! Hope somebody else has similar or better ideas to pulling spark plug wires in tight areas? I'd love to hear them!
 
#4 ·
I kinda side with the grease too. But over time depending on the heat created at the plug, that could be a problem too. I use MSD wires and rarely break a wire while tugging and twisting gently to pull the wires. I don't have any one way miracle to pull the wires. A big screw driver has helped me at the boot end which I gently pry back on. I guess do what works best for you. Right? Nice to see you found a good way to do it and thanks for sharing.
 
#5 ·
I use GE silicone high temp lube inside the plug ends also, and they don't stick. But they're impossible to get a grasp on the driver's side plug wire ends! Passenger side are of course totally reversed, and there's tons of room to grab them. My Moroso wires have metal clips inside that click in very hard, and hold well, so that compounds the issue on the driver's side.
I wondered to myself about taking a junk screwdriver and grinding the end thin enough to bend a U shape and use it as a hook type puller? Guess I could put a wet rag around the handle so it wouldn't melt while heating the end with a torch to bend it. Or do like Lash said and simply cut something from sheet stock and cut the handle as a T handle to give a good grasp to tug on the wires.
 
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