For anyone doing R&R work with Fit spark plugs, throw away your old-fashioned spark plug socket. The one with the greasy, slippery, o-ring that is supposed to hold the loose plug inside the socket. Even brand-new sockets like this can lose their hold on a brand new plug and let it drop onto the ground. This causes the ceramic insulator to crack, the plug will leak electricity into the head, and the plug is no good anymore.

Another member just discovered that in his last plug change, the socket o-ring came out of the socket and stayed around the base of the plug until it melted. He can't get the socket back onto the hex head of the plug to remove all of the garbage because of the melted o-ring.

Soooooo- don't risk any of the above. Buy one of these instead, and throw your o-ring spark plug socket away!

Amazon.com: Kastar 528 3/8" Drive Magnetic Spark Plug Socket 5/8": Automotive

Here is the member who did NOT have a magnetic plug socket!--
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/1st-...et-melted.html

 

Thanks for the heads up. Looking at doing the spark plugs shortly enough and whether I remove the cowling or not this should be well worth it. Cheers

 

Just solved this problem with 3-4 tiny cylindrical magnets found elsewhere (removed from a gunstig Ikea item).

I just let them stick them on an allen wrench and used it to "fish" the plugs (of course once unscrewed with a standard 16mm socket from which I removed the useless o-ring)