Getting spark plug boot out?

smetzger

03 P5 (x2), 09 Miata, 07 Mazda3, 13 Fit, 09 Ody
So, changing spark plugs and the coil pack pulled out without pulling the spark plug boot up.
Any ideas on how to get the spark plug boot out?

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The same thing happened to me.
I used a wire coat hanger and bent a little hook at the end of it.
 
Actually, yours came apart differently than mine.

You should be able to get a flat head screwdriver under the lip of the boot and pry it up.


On my car, the rubber boot was stuck on the spark plug and the plastic pulled out.
I had to reach down into the hole with the coat hanger to try to get the damn thing off of the plug.
I took me over an hour of fussing around.

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You probably need a new coil now, I don't think you can just stick the wire back into the boot.

Our coils are really fussy to begin with.
 
You probably need a new coil now, I don't think you can just stick the wire back into the boot.

Our coils are really fussy to begin with.


It looks like you can buy just the boot for the coil, so it must be designed to come apart.

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If you can manage to get your boot out without buggering it up, you should be able to just pop it back onto the coil.
 
Yeah, it just pops off.
I didn't know that. lol


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Do you still have your spring?

I don't see it in your picture.
 
Yeah, still have the spring.
I'll mess around with it tomorrow morning and let you know how it goes.

Probably will have to cut up the rubber part in order to get pliers.
If I had an air gun I could blow air into the hole and it would probably pop out. May try a bike pump before I cut up the rubber.
 
You might be able to get a needle nose pliers on the outside of the rubber boot lip and give it a twist.

You probably only need to break it loose.

My rubber boot was stuck to the spark plug, kinda "glued" in place.
 
Can't get needle nosed pliers in. I tried warming the car up and then using a bicycle pump to pop it out. No joy.

It is due for a timing belt (which is not something I am will to tackle). Shop would have to get this off for a timing belt. So, I am gonna punt and let the shop take care of it.

Thanks for the suggestions though.
 
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I tried one more time. This time I was going to use my air compressor/tire inflator.
I warmed the car up till the engine was hot and not just warm.

Thing pulled right out. No need to use the air compressor :)

One of the spark plugs was very loose and another spark plug was Denso, while the other 3 were NGK??? Not sure how that happened, maybe last time I forgot to change one plug?
I wasn't getting any misfire codes so...
But should run better now.
 
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Here's a video I found interesting about the relative quality of coils. The YouTuber equates the ability to take the coils apart to their quality if I remember correctly.

And since no one has said it yet in this thread, if you do buy new coils for a Protege, only buy Hitachi coils. Only. Hitachi. Coils. :)
 
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