WDWBen
Subaru Killer
So, I've decided to get a bit more handy with my car, and save some money by replacing my own spark plugs. I've never done this before. I attempted it on Saturday, but stopped because I got nervous I was going to break something, and my Miata is a daily driver.
Background: 2012 Mazda MX-5 2.0L, 60,000 miles. Used a hand-ratchet with a socket extension and a 19mm magnetized spark-plug socket to attempt to remove the plug after successfully removing the coil pack off the top. I'm having a lot of trouble removing the plug (I started with the plug closest to the windshield, as it was farthest away and I thought it would be the hardest to work on because of a lack of leverage. I know I'm not the strongest guy on the planet, but I just couldn't get the plug to budge more than a (highly technical term) smidge. It feels like if I keep working it, I'm going to break something, so I stopped, reversed the 8th turn of the plug back in, and buttoned everything up. I have a number of questions.
1) Should I be using a bigger (read longer handled) ratchet?
2) Should I be using a torque wrench instead? If so, what size? I don't imagine that I should use the same kind I would use on lug nuts.
3) Should I be using PB Blaster or WD-40 before trying to undo the spark plugs?
4) [insert other questions I should be asking but don't know enough to actually ask]
Background: 2012 Mazda MX-5 2.0L, 60,000 miles. Used a hand-ratchet with a socket extension and a 19mm magnetized spark-plug socket to attempt to remove the plug after successfully removing the coil pack off the top. I'm having a lot of trouble removing the plug (I started with the plug closest to the windshield, as it was farthest away and I thought it would be the hardest to work on because of a lack of leverage. I know I'm not the strongest guy on the planet, but I just couldn't get the plug to budge more than a (highly technical term) smidge. It feels like if I keep working it, I'm going to break something, so I stopped, reversed the 8th turn of the plug back in, and buttoned everything up. I have a number of questions.
1) Should I be using a bigger (read longer handled) ratchet?
2) Should I be using a torque wrench instead? If so, what size? I don't imagine that I should use the same kind I would use on lug nuts.
3) Should I be using PB Blaster or WD-40 before trying to undo the spark plugs?
4) [insert other questions I should be asking but don't know enough to actually ask]