Spark plug keeps turning. I cannot get it out.

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by bobby515, Aug 4, 2025 at 9:48 PM.

  1. bobby515

    bobby515 Member

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    Question: My generation free-spark plug? I cannot remove it. It just keeps turning.
    A little bit of background, before changing the head gasket, I did a cylinder leak-down test. That had an adapter on it. It seems the adapter got stuck in the spark plug hole.
    I look with my light. A camera light and seen, wow, the adapter came off.
    Went to the store, got an easy out and a tap. Came right out, I ran the tap, just a turn or two, and the spark plug the whole was fine.
    A few months later, I did a head gasket, and I had no problem with this cylinder.
    Fast forward this weekend, the plug keeps turning and turning.
    I got fatigued, and I said, You know what, I think this has been like this for a while. So I put the car back together with three new plugs start of the motor. I hear no compression leak. The car runs well.
    Drove it 140 miles yesterday.
    Use the car for work like a taxi cab. Any advice? I think the car is going to continue to run well.
    The option is to take the head off??. having it retapped. Or getting an extra head, I'm doing a swap.
    But if it runs good, I'll do that in the future before it gets cold two hundred and thirty-two thousand miles.
     
  2. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Eventually, the plug hole will fail. What's keeping the plug seated is the coil pushing
    on it.
    You might be able to find a machine shop that could pull the plug out, and install a heli coil
    with out having to remove the head.

    But sooner or later, that plug and/or coil will fail.

     
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  3. bobby515

    bobby515 Member

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  4. bobby515

    bobby515 Member

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    Makes perfect sense. Never really thought about it. The coil kinda locks it down some.
    As far as a machine shop. You mean I can maybe find one who can get it out on the car.. kinda like a repair shop.??
    When it fails think the plug will blow out.
    How should I prepare. I have a feeling it may have been like this awhile.