1998 Nissan Pathfinder/300,000kms/Utility vehicle
I watched Scotty's video on fixing a car that cranks but won't start, after I had already started trying to change all the spark plugs. I wish I had seen it first.
My current problem, after fighting my way through 4 spark plugs is that I can't get the socket to seat on the 5th, and if I try to just leave it unchanged and put the spark plug wire back on, it won't seat either.
I've taken a 1/2 copper pipe and ground "teeth" into the rim and used that to clean around plugs 3 and 4 so I was eventually able to get the socket to seat and change them out after a long struggle to get them to actually move so I could remove them. #5, I can just barely see because it is at the top back of the engine and I'm squishing my head up next to the hood to look down into it. It looks cleaned out because I can see the shine of metal at the bottom of the well now, but the socket just turns around the plug. I've pulled the driver apart several times to check that I don't have anything caught in the socket that is preventing it from seating, and it is fine. I've put another spark plug into it and it all fits.
I've taken a new spark plug and put it into the spark plug wire and it seats just fine, too. I've used my copper pipe and run it up and down the sides of the well in case everything is getting hung up on "gunk", but that hasn't made a difference.
I'm not even going to try for #6 because it is on the back of the engine, right beside the fire wall. Just these 5 have been a battle and I'm not prepared to continue on when I can't even see where the plug is.
I don't understand why I can't get the wire back onto the existing plug or the socket to seat so I can pull the plug. I am guessing the answer to one will explain the other.
It may be that there are different spark plugs, with different sized sockets necessary to get them out. I have run into this before. This is why I have 5 different sized spark plug sockets.
OMG! That would make sense, but why can't I get the wire to seat again? It was a bear to get off (probably hadn't been off in years), and now I can't get it to seat back down.
BTW, my brother gave me the Pathfinder last year, and he can't tell me when he last serviced it.
Some spark plugs come with a removable, screw on cap at the top of the plug. Some are fixed. Look inside the cap to see if the connector has become bent, or if and old, screw in cap has come off the plug and is stuck in there, preventing you from making the connection.