Cigarette lighter issue in classic car

Im trying to remove a cigarette lighter and replace with a new one and cant get it out. sleeve and element seem to be corroded together. got some lube in there. but can get any leverage. i tried using a cork stuck on end of screw driver but no luck. its driving me crazy. any out-of-the-box ideas!!! 65 bonneville. couldnt post video. but this is how it should look when taken apart. those threads u can see are corroded together making it so they cant be unscrewed.

It is held one by a sheet metal cover screwed on from the back. You can either unscrew it from the back or from the front. Get a grip on it from the back with a vice grip or something, then turn the front. Something like a faucet wrench or inside pipe wrench that you can use to get a good grip on the inside.

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Just google classic car cigarette lighter removal lots of videos out thereā€¦

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thats what im saying , you cant do that. its basically frozen together. and i cant get any leverage on it.

thanks for the reply. but like im saying in my description, the sleeve and element are frozen together from corrosion. so those videos are only for people who dont have that problem. i cant unscrew the two in the normal way. hence outside the box. i really do appreciate the response tho.

By lube, do you mean penetrating oil? If not, get some and spray it on the parts that are fused together. Use a paper towel to catch whatever drips off the lighter. After an hour or more, try loosening the parts again. This might take a few extra sprays and even more patience.

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yes penetrating oil and a type of 3 and 1. iā€™ll try again tomorrow with more. full disclosure the lighter turned ā€œonā€ randomly while i was driving. and it was on for about 10 minutes for i realized what was happening. it was RED HOT going on white hot. im actually impressed that it A. continued to function that long and stayed intact and B. did nonreal damage. it was so hot i think it may have bonded a little. thats why i think itā€™s so hard. it looks ok. not signs of melting. just stuck hard from heat expansion.

Any way you could post a picture? Most of us arenā€™t familiar with ā€˜60s Pontiac cigarette lighters.

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Iā€™m a little confused, you are trying to remove the cig lighter socket, and you say you can not either A) hold the back and turn the front, or B) hold the front and turn the back, either way you should remove the one power wire off the back of the socket assembly so not to have a short to ground issue, how did it turn on and turn red hot when the 1st thing you do is remove the power wire?? Do you not have access to the back of this thing?? If you are unable to remove the wire then you need to remove the fuse if it has one or cut the wire and tape off the B+ wire, most of the older lighter sockets IIRC are B+ power, meaning NOT key on/acc powered, so this could burn your vehicle to the ground and whatever is close to it if this happens when unattendedā€¦
Also recommend in your situation removing the battery ground before/while messing with the time welded socket assemblyā€¦

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You canā€™t use the removal tool unless the element is removed from the lighter socket.

Tester

Who knew there was actually a tool? If memory serves me, the fuse is on the back of the socket
Where the wire connection is. Little round thing.

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What about replacing the receptacle? You can buy that by itself or with the tool shown by Testor.

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You could use a screwdriver and pound the outer bezel to the point you can pull it out the back maybe?

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I may have misunderstood, if it is the part you light your cig with that is stuck, then grab it with a good pair of pliers and put a foot on the dash and pull hardā€¦ lol

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Agreed, I thought it was the receptacle, but in his later responses it appears he cannot remove the lighter element from the receptacle.
Once he removes the fuse, he could trying screwing a large lag screw into what remains of the element. Then pull per your suggestion.

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i can but they are the same as all classics. just straight in the dash. not one that is inside the ashtray.

WHATTTTTT. i was trying to make that out if a wine cork and sheet metal screws!!

If you can grip the part that pulls out with a pair of vice grips, then you could use a screwdriver to apply some leverage between the jaws, being careful not to scratch the dash. Can apply some twisting leverage with that method as well.

If unable to grab hold, you could jb weld (glue) something you can grab hold of. Or you could drill a hole and insert a metal screw to hold onto.

Be sure to disconnect the battery when doing this, b/c that circuit may be live at all times, even w/engine off & key removed. .

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sorry no. the wire has been disconnected. just the inner element is frozen into the outer sleeve. i do have access to back but poor access so i can get no leverage. usually u just still yur finger in the element in front and then reach up behind and unscrew it. cannot be done.

not sure how a screw would work because u have to dethread the two. but what almost worked was in line with what yur saying. i have some needle nose that bend at 90 for fine work. i put the in and opened all the way and twisted. kinda got a grip but not enuff.