Snapped off spark plug

[irishfield]

3" recessed hole Dan. The 5.4 litre removal tool was your better idea! LOL I can get same from the local Ford dealer if I need it.

[vinnimon]

Wurth has a product that freezes things to -40 or something close to it. I have used it to undo bolts that I didn't think would ever come undone. I wonder if it would work for you in this case. Give them a call.

I may have to make an inquiry Thanks Cliff . We deal with a lot of stainless, and its a pain is rear to get screws out to change a light on a unit.

I like using castles liquid torch, it works better than most Ive tried.

[vinnimon]

Not to be an just my 2 canadian cents worth

For anyone thats wants to weld something to the plug, wedge something in, be perpared, you will have another issues to deal with. A broken bit is enough headaches.

There is a guy in the hammer that specializes in this. And he is good at it. He has warned what not to do, just in case. And what to do.

If it was not an engine block or a cylindar head, I would say go for it.

Damaging the threads in any manner could cause a plug bow out or a compression leak.

 

 

 

[spinnerdoc]

Have you tried heating the plug red hot then spraying wd 40 at it to cool it down rapidly and to penetrate into the threads? This is a trick that works like a charm at our shop when it comes to taking ceased up bolts.

[Muskieman]

Eh!.... try using SEAFOAM

 

I'm kidding... try using Iodine instead of the Branded Penetrant ..

like Releaseall.. Break Away...ect..

Iodine is 100% better put it in a spray bottle...

 

Good Luck..

 

[dhickey]

Hears what I do.

get a torques key 1/16 smaller than the outside diameter of the siezed bolt.(aprox +/-)

Drill a pilot hole as close to centre as posible without going through the plug(you know best)

Then drill a hole 1/16 smaller than the closest thread on the head(should be about 3/8) dont go through.

Taper the torques just enough to make the pionts look like wedges.

Heat the plug to the piont it becomes soft(malluable).

Then quickly drive the torques into the plug DO NOT REMOVE!!! (heavy hammer 5 to 8 hits you will know best)

Put tapping fluid on it

Go have lunch .(cool down)

It should spin out without doing any damage to the threads.

 

Hope this helps.

Problems like this outside the shop are trying at times.

Good luck.

 

 

[irishfield]

Don... all that is left is the outer plug thread and the neutral electrode. It's already hollow..

[tedley]

I like to use a snapon 3/8 drive torx as an easy out, tap it into plug to cut the torx grooves into the plug. wiggle to remove torx, then heat with torch, and cool with a water hose, reinstall torx work back and forth ,should come out, if not repeat heat and cool again. Good Luck

[irishfield]

You spray water into a cylinder Tedley?

[dhickey]

Drill out and retap.?

Or try driving the torques in then remove it put it back in(no force) and hopefully it will start turning.

 

Hard to say without being there and seeing it?

 

 

 

[mrpike]

Lot's of heat and use your EZ-OUT . Just make sure its really hot you may only get one shot at it. And make sure you got the EZ- OUT in good before you give it a turn. GOOD LUCK WAYNE.

 

 

 

O and vacum out after you get it out .

Edited June 11, 2011 by mrpike

[OhioFisherman]

Looks like a project to me, the last time I fooled around with a broken bolt I drilled a hole in it and took a 1/8 carbide cutter and put it in a dremel and cut almost to the threads in a few spots, then put a took a tap and started it in the hole and the bolt fell apart.

 

You don`t have a lot of room to work there though, and given your location no idea how hard it is for you to find carbide cutters in unusual shapes or lengths.

 

Cast iron cylinder head? excessive heating or cooling could cause more problems? cracking? and assuming the piston is aluminum?

 

Duct tape over the end of a vacuum hose and push a small diameter plastic hose through should allow you to clean out metal chips or filings? and since you have a bore scope? You could also use a thin piece of metal like a brake line to blow air into the spark plug hole to suspend any chips and vacuum at the same time to remove them? A small magnet might also work on suspended chips?

 

Good luck Wayne!

[misfish]

Ok Wayne up and at it. Im sure it,s soaked enough now.

 

Good luck.

[skinny]

here is a trick I have used many times on old Volkswagens all you need is heat a candle and prob in your case a easy out. heat it up and run the candle around where the thrads match. this will wick the wax into the thread. Then you need a method to turn the plug protion out be it a easy out gently taped in as to not expand it or tap the out side with a chisel. might sound od but I have used this method several times with great luck.

 

Tobad we are not closer I have the Left drill bit too and extra long easy outs also a long helicoil install kit for spark plugs (got it to do VW's without pulling tin off

[fishnsled]

Thanks! And many wonder why OFC is the most successful/busiest "fishing" forum on the net! LOL

 

Never had to pull a broken spark plug before but almost think I could now. Yep best fishing forum on the net. Lots of knowledge here.

 

 

Eh!.... try using SEAFOAM

 

 

And some not so useful help but funny as all hell. Good one Randy

 

 

Ok Wayne up and at it. Im sure it,s soaked enough now.

 

Good luck.

 

Most likely is Brian but perhaps a longer soak was decided upon. That way he could sneak in a couple of hours of fishing first. I hope that is what happened.

[Tybo]

HEAT WRENCH AND TAPERED EASY OUT.

you already have the hole threw the threads.heat just the threads.Since it can't expand it

will contract on it's self.

I have taken out way more with a torch then having to drill.

Use this way to take out broken bolts and inner races.

Use liquid wrench.It's non-flameble.

[tomO]

Try cutting a potatoe in half and sticking it on the plug and turning. Wait thats for a broken light bulb!

[Uncle Buck]

your snap on easy out set... is it this one?

 

 

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=77413&group_ID=1262&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

this has saved me more time then i can remember...

[Handlebarz]

Wow no reply from Wayne yet I wounder how many pieces his keyboard is in. Hope it went well for ya today Wayne

[Guest gbfisher]

Did ya get it done yet?

Tuesday and Sat look good.

[misfish]

Leahs keeping him busy.

[irishfield]

I just came in... been out there since 9am other than 20 min for supper, Leah brought out my lunch! Don't need another day like that.. half of it pouring rain while I worked on the damn thing. My own fault... don't let your machinery sit idle, it does it no favours.

 

Well I used almost everyones suggestions... even Randy's although the Seafoam went in the tank to hopfully clean up a leaking carb float needle.

 

Penetrant soak over night... torched it to glow red... put my EZ-out in it and if I turned it any harder I knew that EZ-out would shatter. Heated it again... and tried the quick cool with Liquid Wrench. EZ-out.. same deal.

 

Put my thinking cap on.. no fun working down a 3+ inch recess. Since the neutral tip was still in place I took part of a cotton ball and pushed it tight to the tip to seal the remainder of the plug. Drilled about 1/2 the wall thickness away almost to the very end and the cotton ball kept all the chips out of the cylinder. Remove cotton ball... heat again and tried the EZ-out again... NO JOY

 

Went for broke... drilled to 7/16ths... 15/32 would have been right to the thread roots. Heated it again.. hit it with Liquid Wrench.. hammered the EZ-out in and it came out so easy that I thought the EZ-out was just spinning.

 

Vacuumed out with a 3/8 tube.. borescope and then cranked over so it could blow anything out I missed.

 

Got a new set of plugs from CTC... match what came out anyhow.. NGK V - power GR4 Good thing they sell them in pairs at CTC and that I have a spark plug cleaner / tester. Only 3 plugs good out of 4... good thing it's a 3 cylinder!

 

Spent from 3pm to 7pm building up weld beads to fill all the rust out holes in the exhaust manifold. If anyone's worked on these things the intake and exhaust manifold is a combo.. and they rot out because people don't throw a can over the exhaust outlet to keep the rain out.

 

Still not done with it... has a point/condenser issue making it tempermental. Now to find a point set for a 3 cyl gas.....

 

THANKS for all the suggestions lads, every one of them had merrit... even the Potato Tom!!

Edited June 12, 2011 by irishfield

[dhickey]

Nothing like a good hammer /heat and somthing to grab the garbage with?

 

good job.

[vinnimon]

good job wayne

[fishnsled]

OK, maybe I'm not ready to take on this job. Too bad about the rain, didn't rain here at all today. Good luck with the rest of the job.