'72 Spark Plug Removal

[g16stu]

I’m taking the plugs out of my '72 Westie and its a bitch! Does anyone have any tips on how to make this even a little bit easier, the search came up with a few recurring themes, i.e.
1) Remove the fan
2) Cut a hole in the engine bay roof and fit a later access panel
3) Ditch the bus and buy a later bay!
The main feeling I get though is that it’s just a bitch to do and I just need to get on with it and do it?
Suggestions please!
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'72 westie

All comments made are in accordance with the Rules of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

[Traveling Writer]

Relax, man! They're just spark plugs!

Yes, 72s can be a pain to work on sometimes because of the lack of access hatch, but there are plenty of people who love them and have learned to work around them. What exactly is the problem? Get a few different lengths of extenders for your ratchet, feel around with your fingers a lot to get a sense of the angles (they're all in there at funky angles, esp #2), maybe get a mechanic's mirror just so you can see what's back there till you get used to it.

BUT if the problem is that the plugs are not wanting to turn out, then be careful, or you'll be posting a thread about stripped spark plug holes next... Make sure the engine is COLD when removing plugs. Cold metal is harder. Use some penetrating oil spray on the plugs if they're tightening up as you turn them out, or if they feel too tight. Use a drop of motor oil or anti-seize on the threads when putting them back in, and torque them to the proper values: 3MKG or 22 foot-pounds.

More info please! And don't swap the bus or lose heart, for god's sake! Go slow and enjoy what you're doing!
_________________
Cheers,
Davi

1977 2.0 FI Westy
2011 1200cc Yamaha Super Tenere
1976 Feet (they work surprisingly well)

[g16stu]

ha ha, dont worry, im not gonna cut up my bus and im definatly not selling it! theres no big problem really, im gonna get them out, am just looking for tips. as for doing it with the engine cold, theres no trouble there, the fecker wont start so ive got no choice!
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'72 westie

All comments made are in accordance with the Rules of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

[Traveling Writer]

[atmellovw]

Use a spark plug socket with a rubber insert to hold the plug when it comes loose otherwise you run the risk of the plug dropping into the abyss. What problem are you having?
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1972 Westy ("Bubbles") - Pastel White - 1700(1974 MT) - Dual Solex

[g16stu]

Yeah , I’m using one of those, its just a pain to line up the plugs is all. Anything that can speed this up and reduce the amount of time I spend sitting in the street is a bonus.
I’m thinking I might make some marks on the top of the engine compartment that I can line the ratchet extension up with before I pull the plugs, then when I put them back in at least I have a rough guide instead of fishing around and swearing a lot!
Why didn’t the Germans just make the holes bigger and put bigger rubber bungs on the leads? surely the extra rubber isn’t that expensive? or put a lead in the castings to guide the plugs in?
Are the holes located along the centreline of the hole perpendicular to the tin, maybe I could make a bushing locate to the tin and guide the socket and plug in?
ok, now I’m thinking too much! overkill I think! I'm just gonna keep fishing away and hope i get a "feel" for it J
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'72 westie

All comments made are in accordance with the Rules of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

[Traveling Writer]

Ultimately, you can feel the hole itself on all the plug holes except #2 (unless you have freakishly long fingers, maybe). All the holes and the plugs are set at weird little angles, not straight up and down. Before you pull them, run your fingers around them, feel around a lot, to get a sense of the angle you'll have to gently start turning them back in. OR you will crossthread them! SO, pull off the wires, feel the plugs up good to understand that weird angle. Also look at how the plug wires sit; that'll show you the angles too. All the bottoms are in a little toward the center of the engine; the tops are all further out from the center, about 10 degrees. All of them point in toward the center...ie the BASE of # 2 plug (bottom right) doesnt just point a little to the left, but also a little toward the front of the bus as well. The BASE of #3 (top left) points down a bit and to the right a bit. Get it? Not so important taking them out, but a pain putting them back correctly. #2 is the most tricky, it has the most angle (15%) but luckily, even if you had the hatch, it's easier to do from the rear. Move the air cleaner, I think, just loosen it a bit and you'll have room.
_________________
Cheers,
Davi

1977 2.0 FI Westy
2011 1200cc Yamaha Super Tenere
1976 Feet (they work surprisingly well)

[Traveling Writer]

A pic from Ratwell.com shows a stripped version of the right side of your engine, cylinders #1 and 2. See the angles?? The back of the bus is to the left in this pic.

_________________
Cheers,
Davi

1977 2.0 FI Westy
2011 1200cc Yamaha Super Tenere
1976 Feet (they work surprisingly well)

[busdaddy]

Use a second plug socket and extension and put it on the opposite plug temporarily, then you have something to show you the angle you are aiming for, remember it's a mirror image though.
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[g16stu]

I like it! good thinking!
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'72 westie

All comments made are in accordance with the Rules of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

[cambarner]

[airschooled]

Big-ass magnet on a stick? I have a heavy duty one of these, and it could easily lift a spark plug. The end is approximately 2cm wide.

Grabber tool?

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Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
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[timvw7476]

I never understood the need for a magnet-on-a-stick,
till I started driving a bus.
The engine is wrapped in a tin clam shell.

[atmellovw]

One on the handiest tools I have is a small super strong magnet duct taped to the end of a two foot piece of hanger wire. You can bend it to suit the situation.
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1972 Westy ("Bubbles") - Pastel White - 1700(1974 MT) - Dual Solex

[cambarner]

Got it out with a magnet and a hanger! Thanks guys!
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1972 Microbus, AKA 'SurfBus'

[AZ Landshaper]

when reinstalling the plugs put a little oil or wd40 on them and start them with the plug in the socket and use your fingers, not the wrench to get them started. I have experience stripping the holes and hope you dont have to if your careful. Its too easy to think its a just a bit rough to turn and wrecking the threads.
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85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.

[atmellovw]

I always found that having two sparkplug sockets was helpful, one with the rubber insert and one without. The one without was easier to orient onto the sparkplug and then to loosen but then switch to the one with the insert to complete the removal. Then reverse these steps for reinstallation. Note that if you use the one with the insert to reinstall all the way you may find that when you go to remove the wrench the extension will pull out of the socket leaving the socket affixed to the plug! Just my thoughts...
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1972 Westy ("Bubbles") - Pastel White - 1700(1974 MT) - Dual Solex

[Wildthings]

[Sloride]

Before I put the access panel in my 72 I used a magnetic spark plug socket. That seemed to help. Once you get the angle it is easy. Remembering the angle is the hard part. Not trying to convince you to put an access hatch into your bus but it was the best thing I ever did after 15 years of ownership.
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1972 Westfalia - 1.8 VW in-line h2o conversion
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Link to the engine swap:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=565304&highlight=

1964 Ruby Red Beetle

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=705757&highlight=ruby+red