spark plug seizure

[jaykay]

Has anybody experienced their spark plugs being seized/stuck in the engine after leaving them in for a longtime (without reaching the mileage requiring a change)

Sure have, and if more people knew what anti-seize was there'd be a lot less of it happening!

[Flavor 987S]

Jaykay, you need to learn the proper service intervals for your Boxster. A spark plug change is NOT only mileage dependent, it is also time sensitive.

For example a 2002 Boxster 986 is every 60,000 miles or 4 years.

For a 2006 Boxster 987 it is every 40,000 or 4 years (since my car will be 4-years young in March 2010, I am changing the spark plugs early, in October, as part of my winter hibernation prep.). My current mileage is about 33K.

Spark plugs are cheap maintenance, and one of the car's hardest working parts.

Search some old post regarding the use of anti-seize vs. NOT to use and Porsche's recommendation regarding such...and the proper torque setting. This was (using anti-seize) hotly debated a few years ago here.

Considering how easy it to change plugs on these cars, it qualifies as really cheap maintenance.

Technically speaking, the Porsche torque specs for plugs are with the threads dry, but in our experience, dry plug threads are not the best idea, and after 40 years of using anti-seize we've never had a problem. Certainly had problems getting some plugs out due to the lack of anti-seize, however, so take that for what it's worth.

[BYprodriver]

Originally Posted by jaykay

Has anybody experienced their spark plugs being seized/stuck in the engine after leaving them in for a longtime (without reaching the mileage requiring a change)

Aluminum is corrosion resistant but not against dissimular metal corrosion, so when aluminum is in contact with iron, corrosion happens. Antisieze works great a little goes a long way

[Jake Raby]

Best and most conductive anti-seize I have found is Milk Of Magnesia....

[jaykay]

I have not had the car for very long so I could say whether ant-seize was used or not. I personally do use it for every other car I have had. For all I know these plugs are the same ones that came from the factory!!!! I am guessing that the previous owner had let it go as the mileage for that change has still yet to be reached! The service hist shows nothing...

Is there a good procedure on here that will direct me on how to do it? Looks like I will have to know about a central rear jacking point, jack stands/pads etc...or maybe it can be done with one wheel off at a time. It like the wheel would have to come off anyway. I am a bit hesitant if I am going get a seized plug!

thanks for all the feedback

Super easy. Just jack one wheel at a time, do that side's plugs (and check the o-rings and plastic spark plug tubes, and inspect coil packs), then repeat for the other side.

[Adam]

I'm thinking about just loosening the stock plugs then retightening with a torque wrench since I'm only about halfway to 60k miles. The stock plugs still have plenty of life left in them and that would take lesson the likelihood of them seizing in the head.