Spark Plug Wire Issue

I'm not sure if I'm going to have an issue but wanted to pose the problem to the forum. I was changing out the plugs (should have been straight forward) but I had some major issues getting the #3 plug wire off. The boot finally came up but in the process, the wire came out of the boot. The question I have is: will I now have to replace the wire or can it be placed back in the boot? I can't tell if there is supposed to be wires connecting something inside the boot.

Any information would be appreciated!

You are saved! The plug cap boot has a spiral wire at the top of the cap. You can 'screw' the cap back onto the wire. In the FSM, under the procedure to check the resistance of the spark plug cap it instructs you to take the wire off the cap. You may want to trim just a tiny bit off of the coil wire to help make a better connection when you screw it back onto the cap.

ionbeam said:

You are saved! The plug cap boot has a spiral wire at the top of the cap. You can 'screw' the cap back onto the wire. In the FSM, under the procedure to check the resistance of the spark plug cap it instructs you to take the wire off the cap. You may want to trim just a tiny bit off of the coil wire to help make a better connection when you screw it back onto the cap.

Click to expand...

+1 on this.

If the resistance of the wire is good, then the "spiral screw" is about 1/2" long. Trim 1/4" off the cable and screw it back on.

ionbeam said:

You are saved! The plug cap boot has a spiral wire at the top of the cap. You can 'screw' the cap back onto the wire. In the FSM, under the procedure to check the resistance of the spark plug cap it instructs you to take the wire off the cap. You may want to trim just a tiny bit off of the coil wire to help make a better connection when you screw it back onto the cap.

Click to expand...

OK...maybe I'm a little slow on the uptake but when you say "screw" the cap back onto the wire are you saying that I will be pushing the wire back into the boot with a twisting motion? I noticed that there were indentions on the wire so I pushed it back in the boot up to the last one. I had to twist the boot to get it to slide up and then it stopped.

Is there a better way to get the boots off the plugs like some sort of tool with a curved end that will pry them up. There's not a ton of room and with the plumbing and all, i had a hard time getting my fingers on them with enough grip to pull them up.

RzrBak said:

ionbeam said:

You are saved! The plug cap boot has a spiral wire at the top of the cap. You can 'screw' the cap back onto the wire. In the FSM, under the procedure to check the resistance of the spark plug cap it instructs you to take the wire off the cap. You may want to trim just a tiny bit off of the coil wire to help make a better connection when you screw it back onto the cap.

Click to expand...

OK...maybe I'm a little slow on the uptake but when you say "screw" the cap back onto the wire are you saying that I will be pushing the wire back into the boot with a twisting motion? I noticed that there were indentions on the wire so I pushed it back in the boot up to the last one. I had to twist the boot to get it to slide up and then it stopped.

Is there a better way to get the boots off the plugs like some sort of tool with a curved end that will pry them up. There's not a ton of room and with the plumbing and all, i had a hard time getting my fingers on them with enough grip to pull them up.

Click to expand...

Push the shortened wire back into the boot, nice and straight. When it stops, twist the cap as if screwing it onto the wire (you are). A little silicone grease will help things along.

There are tools for pulling plug caps, but you wouldn't have much room to use one. Removing all the plumbing and capping off the hose nipples will help, and you don't have to put it back. (AIR Induction Removal)

This totally cracks me up. Total freaking coincidence. I just did the same thing tonight myself. Tried doing a search but to no avail, so I went to a local buddies house, he specializes in VMaxs, and he said basically the same thing these two intelligent beings just told you. It works!

I trimmed off about a 1/4", dabbed on some dialectic(sp?) grease and just screwed it back on. The tang you see inside the boot has a spiral twist like a screw. Turn it onto the plug wire in a clockwise direction.

For removing the boot in the future try using a bent nose pliers. And pull on the raised rectangular shaped part of the boot. In my haste I pulled on the round rubber just above it and pulled the cord out. I knew better, but sometimes $hit happens.

Twigg said:

RzrBak said:

ionbeam said:

You are saved! The plug cap boot has a spiral wire at the top of the cap. You can 'screw' the cap back onto the wire. In the FSM, under the procedure to check the resistance of the spark plug cap it instructs you to take the wire off the cap. You may want to trim just a tiny bit off of the coil wire to help make a better connection when you screw it back onto the cap.

Click to expand...

OK...maybe I'm a little slow on the uptake but when you say "screw" the cap back onto the wire are you saying that I will be pushing the wire back into the boot with a twisting motion? I noticed that there were indentions on the wire so I pushed it back in the boot up to the last one. I had to twist the boot to get it to slide up and then it stopped.

Is there a better way to get the boots off the plugs like some sort of tool with a curved end that will pry them up. There's not a ton of room and with the plumbing and all, i had a hard time getting my fingers on them with enough grip to pull them up.

Click to expand...

Push the shortened wire back into the boot, nice and straight. When it stops, twist the cap as if screwing it onto the wire (you are). A little silicone grease will help things along.

There are tools for pulling plug caps, but you wouldn't have much room to use one. Removing all the plumbing and capping off the hose nipples will help, and you don't have to put it back. (AIR Induction Removal)

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. That's a confidence booster. It's late so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to fire up the 'ole girl...hope she purrs like a kitten!

TripperMike said:

This totally cracks me up. Total freaking coincidence. I just did the same thing tonight myself. Tried doing a search but to no avail, so I went to a local buddies house, he specializes in VMaxs, and he said basically the same thing these two intelligent beings just told you. It works!
I trimmed off about a 1/4", dabbed on some dialectic(sp?) grease and just screwed it back on. The tang you see inside the boot has a spiral twist like a screw. Turn it onto the plug wire in a clockwise direction.

For removing the boot in the future try using a bent nose pliers. And pull on the raised rectangular shaped part of the boot. In my haste I pulled on the round rubber just above it and pulled the cord out. I knew better, but sometimes $hit happens.

Click to expand...

I thought I saw something like that tool somewhere, may have been at an auto parts store. For plug wire #2 and #1 I ended up using a paint can opener. Probably not as good as the bent nose pliers but it was all I could think of at the time and it was ingenuity at it's best!

Be careful when pulling on those wires, I had a plug cap crumble apart. It was rock hard.

Mine were pliable...then again, there's a little over 29,000 miles on it.

And to stop this problem in the future, use some dielectric grease inside the boot and along the top edge where it seals on the valve cover. The grease will allow much easier removal next time and it's easier still if you give a boot a little twist while pulling.

^^^^ I regret that I have but one like to give... This is a correct use of dialectric grease!

Thanks to all for the advice. I went back and pulled all the plug wires, applied the dialectic grease and re-seated the #3 plug wire (pain in the a$$ but figured while I had everything opened up I might as well make it easier on myself the next time). I fired it up and once it was at operating temp, I noticed the RPM dropped below 1000 (around 800) and it ran kind of rough. I adjusted the Idle back up to 1100 RPM per the manual and everything smoothed out. I guess I save myself some serious cash by doing it myself. Noob no more!

ionbeam said:

^^^^ I regret that I have but one like to give... This is a correct use of dialectric grease!

Click to expand...

And I also wish I had more than one like because Ionbeam finally agreed with me on A use of dielectric grease. LOL

ionbeam said:

^^^^ I regret that I have but one like to give... This is a correct use of dialectric grease!

Click to expand...

Wow. The ionbeam seal of approval!