Broken spark plug

Exacto makes a very small sawblade that could be used to cut a slot [ kerf ] in the remaing metal. Or you could use a small file [ ug ! ] Once you cut a kerf, it will unthread easily. A couple kerfs would hold a suitable tool, a file handle slammed into the hole, and grabbed with a big cresent wrench and concentrate twisting motion seems in order.

I've never heard of this before, sure plugs break, but your's is a first. Don't heat ! residual fuel could fire.

8up, I would pull the head. 230k is due for an intake manifold gasket anyway ;-) Even if you get lucky with the screw extractor on the first shot and don't break anything else, I'd be worried about whatever shavings have/will fall in the combustion chamber. Beings as it's not your car, give the owner the option of deciding based on mileage, risk, etc.

GW

Eightupman wrote:

Pulling the head is NOT an option at this point. She loves this car, as it has only let her down (tow truck type let downs) twice since she has owned it (alternator and PS hose). I have recently done some preventative maintenance work, (tranny filter change, new serpentine belt, ,front brakes, PLUS this tune up...when I get it done) so money is well spent there. We have already spoke in great lenth about the option of a new car as this nickle and dime stuff is just the beginning. Getting that type of work done for her budget is near impossible, even when I'm doing the job for free. So getting a new car is no where in the cards.

Thanks for your input.

mmmmmmm..I'll look into the sawblade idea......I can take a roll of nylon twine ( a LOT of twine), stuff it into the cylinder and bring the piston up to hold it in place.......this would act as sort of a barrier in order to get my small magnet in the hole to extract any filings. Anything not to pull the head at this point. I mean if I gotta do it, I gotta do it, but she cannot afford the parts needed to put it all back together again ($178.88 for the head set). It wouldn't be too smart (in my opinion) to freshen only one side of the motor.......plus whatever else this car/motor may throw at me along the way.

I'm gonna post pics of this when I get it out!!!

Thanks

Heat the broken remains with an oxy-acetelene torch... Blow out the cylinder first with compressed air to remove any residual fuel, heat the broken shell with your smallest welding tip (#0 or #1) till it glows a dull red. The heating of the shell will expand the shell slightly, since the shell can't expand due to the confines of the cylinder head and the fact that the head acts as a heat sink, once it cools, it will actually shrink slightly. once it cools it will come out quite easily with a square EZ-out.

Done it this way hundreds of times, haven't missed yet.

This is precisely -why- the hype about long life sparkplugs should -not- be believed!

Looks just like the one out of my wifes 95 Blazer, Rusted off right in the same place then blew out and created lot's of noise. On hers I used a micro torch to heat the remainder cherry red and then hit it with spray lube,put the extractor in and out it came.

8, My news server didn't support the post, probably because it had a picture (?) any chance you can post the pic to free webspace somewhere? GW

"Steve W." wrote:

"Neil Nelson" wrote

And I'll say a big amen to that!

Ian

here you go...

Dang, dude, that is messssed up. Thanks for the pic. It broke higher up than I was envisioning. GW

Eightupman wrote:

Well, in fairness, that one apparently has been in there for over double the recommended replacement interval..

Yeah, but the problem is; the replacement intervals get ignored because of the advertising hype and/or the belief that if it's running okay it doesn't need any maintanance.

"Robert Hancock" wrote

Yeah, you are right. We see too many vehicles that this happens on, even at the recommended intervals. A lot does depend on the design of the engine and where the plugs are located. If they have been protected from the elements, they are usually a little easier to take out.

The fact is that the longer maintenance interval on plugs has resulted in more instances of seized/broken plugs then when they were changed on a regular basis. Now the flip side to that argument is that often the less a plug is changed, the less likely some hack is going to cross thread the plug into the head!

Ian

The recommended interval on my car is 30,000 miles on plugs. I went

60,000 the last time, but I barely tighten them.

========= Harryface =========

1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE ~_~_~267,018 miles_~_~_

GW

If i find an old spak plug I'm going to screw it into a nut, put the nut in the vice and put a torque wrench on it to see how much torque it takes tightening it to break it.

CLICK !

========= Harryface =========

1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE ~_~_~267,300 miles_~_~_

I was pushing pretty hard to get it loose....I would bet 150ft-lbs or more...I would be curious to know...