Heating and quickly cooling (usually with water) is a time honored
tradition with good mechanics to unfreeze stubborn bolts and nuts!
For some reason they like to turn tighter first then out after these
procedures. Soaking first with any of the better penetrating oils is
always recommended.
WD40 is more of a water displaceer and slight lubricant. The name
supposedly comes from Water Displacement Formula # 40???
Dodgem

Gene Gardner wrote:

> A mechanic twisted off #7 spark plug on my '96 Dodge Ram 1500, 5.7
> Liter V-8. (Furthest back on left, and obstructed by master cylinder,
> vacuum chamber, steering column, and several brake-lines. At least
> it sloped forward, instead of rearward). He then sent me on my way to
> have it dealt with somewhere else. And, yes, it was a Champion plug
> as has been criticized by some on the web (RC12YC)..14mm, 3/4" reach.
> I wasn't quick enough to challenge him when he used only a simple
> ratchet handle and socket, which exerts extra side-pressure on the
> threads, and a harmful side-tilting force on the plug. He ovbviously
> should have used an extension, using any method to insure that the
> extension only exerted pure "rotational force" on the spark plug.
> He had advised against using an impact tool on it.
> In fairness, I had removed the other 7 plugs and another one was
> extremely tight, and I had thought it might twist off. I took the last
> one to the mechanic because I thought he might have some better method.
>
>
> Some of my initial ideas for removing the threads failed, wasting
> a period of time ..(lucky I didn't need the truck)....including a few
> careless maneuvers that cost me a lot of wasted time and
> effort...especially because of waiting almost a day every time I used
> JB-Weld epoxy that needed to cure. It's possible some of my attempts may
> have helped a little, BUT HERE IS WHAT FINALLY WORKED: (based on a web-
> poster's success using an oxy/acetyln torch for heating).
>
>
> I bought a "square-type", tapered bolt remover (usually called Easy-Outs)
> sized for 5/16" hole. Then bought a can of some kind of "freezing
> spray" at Radio Shack that can chill to -50 degree F. (Also available
> at www.mcminone.com "Envi-Ro-Tech Freezer" #20-2200, 1-800-543-4330
> or 1-877-626-3532).
>
> I then went back to the mechanic and he used
> his Oxy/Acetlyn torch with a very small tip to heat the the
> remaining spark plug shell to a cherry- red. I then immediately sprayed
> it with the cold-spray, after which he was able to use the square
> easy-out to remove the remains of the spark plug. (Actually, we repeated
> the heating, chilling sequence a second time). He admitted that he had
> never been able to get them out before and had initially sent me away to
> a machine shop when he first broke it off. I, of course, got my
> suggestions from posters on the internet.
>
> In hindsight, I might try an alternate approach first: I bought a Left
> Hand thread tap (3/8"-16) that can be hand-turned thru the existing hole
> (strongly magnetized to retain the metal particles...the shell spark gap
> electrode only bent, it did not separate and fall into the cylinder).
> This provides two things...it thins, or weakens the shell a little, and
> when a left-hand thread bolt is screwed in, it bottoms out
> counter-clockwise after which force is now applied to turning the plug
> shell out....without any outward pressure to the sides, such as a tapered
> square easy-out must have (heating cherry red as before). Unfortunately,
> I only thought of this after I had earlier run a right-hand tap
> through...and as I suspected the threads were too weak to avoid stripping
> out. I was only able to buy a grade 5 bolt strength (left-hand), so a
> judgement would have to be made, whether it would twist off. Of course
> we had the same worry with the tapered square easy-out.
> ...so it's possible my earlier misadventure cutting the threads, did help
> in the final success.
>
> Needless to say, I used Anti-seize paste on the threads, although some
> claim that changes the "heat-range" value.
>
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