wrong grease used in spark plug install... cleaning?

[alIan]

Ok guys, so through a extremely enraging mix up of greases, i used a non-dielectric grease on my spark plug installation. I started the car and it died immediately, not getting spark (duh, arcing was prbobably disgusting due to the conducting grease.) Everything else was 100% by the book, i'm positive. I now have the correct grease, and i was wondering the best way to clean out the threads on the head to get rid of the other grease coat... i was thinking a clean t-shirt on the end of a screwdriver, running it around the threads carefully. Suggestions? (i'm using new plugs, so i dont need to worry about cleaning the other new ones). I also think once the dielectric grease was coated on it will prevent arcing also if a tiny bit of the old kind is left on...

Thanks
PS any suggestions welcome

 

[IMMORTALSPYDER]

I don't know what to help besides just trying to get all the old grease off. Personally, I've never 'greased my spark plugs'

 

[alIan]

yeah that's essentially what i'm asking... would there be a problem with getting the grease off (of the threads IN THE HEAD) with a T-shirt on a screwdriver, if i was sure the t-shirt was clean and not linty, etc...

 

[Defiant]

I'd recommend wood instead of metal to back up that rag. As far as lint goes, unless you stuff a baby blanket down the cylinder, anything's gonna get burned and blown out in about two strokes. If you can be careful, use some gas on the rag to help cut the grease. It doesn't have to be clean enough to eat.

If you're a total doofus, use kerosene or WD-40 instead of gas (guess why I added this suggestion, and win an ice cream cone).

You want anti-seize on your plug threads, and dielectric grease on the upper ribs of the plugs. Just a small dab. It will also help the boots not seize onto the plugs over time.