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Spark Plug Heat Shield Removal

49K views 34 replies 23 participants last post by  Elijah60 
#1 ·
im just curious about any long term ill effects on removing those spark plug heat shields on a 3.9 v6. im going to be installing the napa premium wires and just afraid off cooking the boots, thats all. Is it worth removing these things?
 
#5 ·
No you do not need the shields. Mine hit the trash 8 years ago. The make changing the plugs a lot harder and trap dirt around the plugs. Grab the shield next to the split and twist in.
 
#9 ·
the things that are there, get hot anyways, they are there to be a pita (imo), and look like crap too. they are about useless to say the least
 
#13 ·
Hey guys,

I'm having a hell of a time getting the right front shield out. At this point it's all mangled and I'm getting pretty desperate since I can't drive the truck. It's a 2000 3.9L.

What's the no-BS-I-need-this-out-NOW trick on this? I don't have a week to apply and re-apply penetrating lube....did some liquid wrench but it hasn't worked......please...HELP!

Thanks in advance.
 
#14 ·
get yourself some pb blaster and soak overnight, it loosened up my trailer hitch ball that had been on for 3 years and the nut was rusted on pretty good.
 
#16 ·
Pair of vice-grips or channel locks. Grab right at the edge of where the split is. Twist to where you are bending it inside of itself and just keep twisting until it coils up and starts to spin. Did it one time to where I had to use another pair of pliers to get the heat shield off my channel locks because it had twisted around the jaws.
 
#18 ·
I pulled all of mine off the other day when i did my plugs. They came right off like butter with a pair of channel locks. Looks pretty nasty in there, did you use any compressed air to blow that out before taking the old plugs out? I just hooked a line of 3/8 hose up to the compressed air can i got at walmart to get the hard to reach plugs.

I assume at least one person on this forum would have had a problem by now if this was something that shouldnt be done. Go with the crowd.
 
#24 ·
How are you twisting them?? There is a split that runs the entire length of the heat shield. Garb hold right on the edge where the split is twist it into itself so it kind of rolls itself up around the jaw of the pliers. I've actually had one wrap itself around the pliers I was using because I had to twist it that much that I had to use another pair of pliers to get it off the first pair. This will break it away from the sides of the head and then should pull right out.
 
#26 ·
Did mine today, took a while on the first two and got a blister from twisting, metal is pretty strong to bend. After those two, the rest came out like a breeze.

A tip: Take pliers and insert them deep on one side of the slit, close to the plug and then bend down once and hard. Then twist and pull a little and it will slip right out!
 
#27 ·
blow out the spark plug n shield with compressed air, remove the spark plug, grab the shield with some good size pliers and give it a wiggle or tap with a hammer and it should come off, these things are nothing but a problem as they hold grit n dirt around the sprak plugs and when the plugs are removed the crap can fall into the engine and cause pre-mature wear problems
 
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