In my attempts to get my V6 up & running I flooded the plugs so much they now won't spark even though I have thoroughly cleaned them. In the end I had to resort to a new set of plugs - at £30 a set (platinum plugs) I am amazed that are not recovering from the flooding.

Has anyone encountered this before? How can I clean them if a stainless wire brush won't do it?

dave walker in practical performance car agrees too.

new plugs time
tom

I have rescued a few before by running them up a couple at a time in another car that is up to temperature.
obviously caution is needed regarding compatibilty of plug reach etc. but its not as though you will be running it up the road, just burning the excess off.

Awwwwww

I considered warming them up with a blowtorch flame to try and burn off any petrol deposits - I suppose I've got nothing to lose now.

i run in a lot of 2 stroke jetskis and motorbikes and use a blow torch it works most times but its a bugger puting them back in red hot ,as it starts a lot better with hot plugs.

That works great, but wear heavy gloves...unless you want the initials NGK permenantly burned into your fingers. Get them nice and hot, stick 'em in, they'll run & clean themselves nicely

If you have a gas cooker, just lay them so that the electrode end is just in a gentle flame, that way you can do the whole lot in one go. Leave untill nice and hot and then allow to cool down, used this method on many occasions, and it works every time. atb Ray.

Seems to be a generic problem with platinum plugs....once ruined they're ruined for good.

Thankfully I've not mullered the ones on my zetec (yet)...

I heat them with a paint stripping gun or stick them in the oven for a bit. No problems apart from getting them back in withoout burning yourself.

Standard NGK plugs work fine, buy a set and see if you notice the difference in performance, you'll definitely notice the price difference. Think yourself lucky you don't need specials like the ones on a Ducati they had round at the bike shop recently, £47 each