Hi there,
   I want to change the spark plugs on my 1997 ford mondeo but I can't get 
them out. From what I've read online you should just have to pull the 
plastic plug that the cable goes into. Well, I can twist it slightly but 
there's no way it'll come out. Nothing needs to be unscrewed first does it? 
It's driving me nuts.
Thanks.

Art Vandelay wrote:

> Hi there,
>    I want to change the spark plugs on my 1997 ford mondeo but I can't get 
> them out. From what I've read online you should just have to pull the 
> plastic plug that the cable goes into. Well, I can twist it slightly but 
> there's no way it'll come out. Nothing needs to be unscrewed first does it? 
> It's driving me nuts.
> Thanks. 
> 
> 


On my 'M' reg 1800 Mondy they just pull off. However a couple of them are very 
hard to pull off...the little spring clip must hold the plug v. tight.

>
> On my 'M' reg 1800 Mondy they just pull off. However a couple of them are 
> very hard to pull off...the little spring clip must hold the plug v. 
> tight.


Thanks for the answer. Ok, I'll down some spinach and give it another go. 
The fact that they are set down in a groove means that it's difficult to get 
a grip on the plug.

"Art Vandelay"  wrote in message
news:iY6dnbwA0qAXL1vfRVnysQ@pipex.net...

>
>
> >
> > On my 'M' reg 1800 Mondy they just pull off. However a couple of them
are
> > very hard to pull off...the little spring clip must hold the plug v.
> > tight.
>
> Thanks for the answer. Ok, I'll down some spinach and give it another go.
> The fact that they are set down in a groove means that it's difficult to
get
> a grip on the plug.


They can get very tight- the rubber boot gets stick to the plug insulator-
you;ll see why when you get them off.

Don't pull on the cable itself, you'll break it. I have found the best tool
on these is a plumbers adjustable wrench to grip the circular base and lever
against the cam cover.

Do not tighten the new plugs too much- an 1/4th turn from hand tight is all
you need, and re-gap the new plugs from 1.3 mm down to 1.0 or 1.1mm, which
gives the HT leads a better time.

If your leads are more than about 50k old its time for replacement anyhow,
they are considered a wearing part on the Zetec-E engine. Only Motorcraft or
Bosch are good enough.

Tim..

> They can get very tight- the rubber boot gets stick to the plug insulator-
> you;ll see why when you get them off.
>
> Don't pull on the cable itself, you'll break it. I have found the best 
> tool
> on these is a plumbers adjustable wrench to grip the circular base and 
> lever
> against the cam cover.
>
> Do not tighten the new plugs too much- an 1/4th turn from hand tight is 
> all
> you need, and re-gap the new plugs from 1.3 mm down to 1.0 or 1.1mm, which
> gives the HT leads a better time.
>
> If your leads are more than about 50k old its time for replacement anyhow,
> they are considered a wearing part on the Zetec-E engine. Only Motorcraft 
> or
> Bosch are good enough.
>
> Tim..
>


Thanks for that Tim,
I didn't realise that the leads would need to be replaced too. It's at 110k 
and I'd doubt that the previous owner changed them, so I guess it's about 
time :-)

Tim.. wrote:

> "Art Vandelay"  wrote in message
> news:iY6dnbwA0qAXL1vfRVnysQ@pipex.net...
> 
>>
>>>On my 'M' reg 1800 Mondy they just pull off. However a couple of them
> 
> are
> 
>>>very hard to pull off...the little spring clip must hold the plug v.
>>>tight.
>>
>>Thanks for the answer. Ok, I'll down some spinach and give it another go.
>>The fact that they are set down in a groove means that it's difficult to
> 
> get
> 
>>a grip on the plug.
> 
> 
> They can get very tight- the rubber boot gets stick to the plug insulator-
> you;ll see why when you get them off.
> 
> Don't pull on the cable itself, you'll break it. I have found the best tool
> on these is a plumbers adjustable wrench to grip the circular base and lever
> against the cam cover.
> 
> Do not tighten the new plugs too much- an 1/4th turn from hand tight is all
> you need, and re-gap the new plugs from 1.3 mm down to 1.0 or 1.1mm, which
> gives the HT leads a better time.
> 
> If your leads are more than about 50k old its time for replacement anyhow,
> they are considered a wearing part on the Zetec-E engine. Only Motorcraft or
> Bosch are good enough.
> 
> Tim..
> 
> 


That's interesting about renewing HT leads. My Mondy is on 150k and I got it at 
57k...not changed those HT leads yet, and still going strong. But maybe it'll go 
even faster if I do change them ?   :0)

Good luck with those plug boots

"Jeff"  wrote in message
news:_LCdncu1HtIaa1vfRVnyjg@eclipse.net.uk...

> Tim.. wrote:
> > "Art Vandelay"  wrote in message
> > news:iY6dnbwA0qAXL1vfRVnysQ@pipex.net...
> >
> >>
> >>>On my 'M' reg 1800 Mondy they just pull off. However a couple of them
> >
> > are
> >
> >>>very hard to pull off...the little spring clip must hold the plug v.
> >>>tight.
> >>
> >>Thanks for the answer. Ok, I'll down some spinach and give it another
go.
> >>The fact that they are set down in a groove means that it's difficult to
> >
> > get
> >
> >>a grip on the plug.
> >
> >
> > They can get very tight- the rubber boot gets stick to the plug
insulator-
> > you;ll see why when you get them off.
> >
> > Don't pull on the cable itself, you'll break it. I have found the best
tool
> > on these is a plumbers adjustable wrench to grip the circular base and
lever
> > against the cam cover.
> >
> > Do not tighten the new plugs too much- an 1/4th turn from hand tight is
all
> > you need, and re-gap the new plugs from 1.3 mm down to 1.0 or 1.1mm,
which
> > gives the HT leads a better time.
> >
> > If your leads are more than about 50k old its time for replacement
anyhow,
> > they are considered a wearing part on the Zetec-E engine. Only
Motorcraft or
> > Bosch are good enough.
> >
> > Tim..
> >
> >
>
> That's interesting about renewing HT leads. My Mondy is on 150k and I got
it at
> 57k...not changed those HT leads yet, and still going strong. But maybe
it'll go
> even faster if I do change them ?   :0)


The classic signs are misfiring when hot at 1500-2500rpm under load. In
nearly all cases if you look at the leads you'll see lots of little pin
pricks and tracking marks on the plug boots and / or lots of brown
'spiders-webs' along the leads themselves, usually always on plug 4 or 3.

Tim..

"Art Vandelay"  wrote in message 
news:Qo-dnTnL8NR2MVAnalMan@pipex.net...

> Hi there,
>   I want to change the spark plugs on my 1997 ford mondeo but I can't get 
> them out. From what I've read online you should just have to pull the 
> plastic plug that the cable goes into. Well, I can twist it slightly but 
> there's no way it'll come out. Nothing needs to be unscrewed first does 
> it? It's driving me nuts.
> Thanks.
>


Give it a good wrench, you 'ol limp wrist.


================================
Ted Rubberford.
The Man In The Rubber Suit..