shot a rusted spark plug out of the head

quote:
Originally posted by alk

I know I had a can of kroil in the garage, today I only seem to be able to locate the PB blaster. I wish I remembered where i bought the stuff, but I've had it for like 15 years.

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Oh don't worry, you'll find it right after you buy a new can.
 
I had the same problem with a Mercruser 4 Cyl. engine
My mechanic loaded the easyout with grease to catch all metal shavings and replaced the plug. For him it was routine and the cost was reasonable.
I was told that the problem is common with champion plugs, Use AC and replace all the plugs.
Get the boat back on the water, no need to pull the head.
 
DON'T try to turn the engine over!!

The bottom half of the plug is probably sitting in the combustion chamber. Feel around with a probe to see if you can feel any of the spark plug still attached to the metal body. If it dropped, it's very possible it will put a hole in the piston.

Like Riverrat and OHB aid, Ya gotta pull the head.
 
quote:
Originally posted by jtybt15

DON'T try to turn the engine over!!

The bottom half of the plug is probably sitting in the combustion chamber. Feel around with a probe to see if you can feel any of the spark plug still attached to the metal body. If it dropped, it's very possible it will put a hole in the piston.

Like Riverrat and OHB aid, Ya gotta pull the head.

Click to expand...

The engine was running when this happened, no way the rest of the plug or electrode is still in the engine, it was blown out either through the exhaust or the plug hole.

When you replace the plug check the gap, the one in the picture looks a little wide.
 
quote:
Originally posted by alk

I know I had a can of kroil in the garage, today I only seem to be able to locate the PB blaster. I wish I remembered where i bought the stuff, but I've had it for like 15 years.

Click to expand...


You still can get them from places like Amazon, MidwayUsa....
 
good job guys, beer all around while we wait for the results.
 
Guys,
The threaded portion of the plug was still in the head with a small hole in my case, the ceramic portion blew out while running still attached to the wire, my mechanic said it was common and easily fixed it. As I said above the threaded portion in the head was easily removed with a greased up easy out by an experienced mechanic and the engine was fine thereafter.
No need to make an easy job difficult
 
Not much progress yesterday, the electrode is still apparently on the plug, and after removing the exhaust manifold I have very good access. But with the T handle i was grabbing the ez-out with, could not get it to budge. Might try next weekend to get a ratchet or breaker bar on, but probably will snap the extractor, as it was already twisting.
 
Meanwhile I would keep it soaked with PB Blaster or the like.
 
Please be sure the extractor you use is as large as will go into the plug shell, and that you are using a top quality extractor. Tap it into place, too. That will help it get a good bite but will also work to disturb the rust bond of shell to hole.
 
Funny you mention the quality of the extractor, the number 5 spiral that I was using fits nicely into the what's left of the plug, but i've had this tool for some time, and most likely its a harbor freight el-cheapo. Besides a snap on truck, where can I find a decent quality item? Napa?
 
I had gOOgled "Spark Plug Extractor" looking for special tools and there seem to be some. I also found a pic of a broken piece of plug on the nose of a spiral "easy out" type extractor and it was a #5. The fit looked pretty good. I don't have the one I used with me, so I can't say what size it was. I can say it was fluted not spiral, but good products are made in both styles.
NAPA? Probably, but if you gOOgle like I did, I think you'll see some brands and suppliers.
If you feel an extractor "twisting" it's probably either slipping or spiraling itself deeper into the work piece. If it goes to break, you won't have any warning. It'll go from solid to snap.
 
I don't like those reverse spiral EZ-outs. They tend to wedge themselves as they twist down. On an application like a spark plug shell that's thin walled it can make it harder to remove what's left of the plug. Get one of the square EZ-outs.

If you get stuck not getting the threads out with an EZ-out you can get a small chisel or punch and try to break the top thread away from the second thread down. If you get it to peel away from the second thread, get a needle nose/vice grip and pull inward and up as you twist counter clockwise. You should be able to get the threads to cork screw out.
 
Picked up a set of craftsman straight flute extractors at lunch , along with the socket needed to attach the number 5 to my breaker bar. By Saturday afternoon, either the plug is out, or the head with cracked extractor poking out the top is off the motor and in the trunk of my car. Thanks again for all the replies.
 
I've had good luck with Permatex Freeze-off on stubborn bolts and such. Maybe something else to try when other attempts fail. You shoot the part with sub-zero nitrogen which shrinks the part and makes it easier to extract. Has worked wonders for me on exhaust elbow bolts.
 
In an emergency, I once used a metal filled expoxy glue, like Metal Mend, and glued in the plug (I mixed aluminum powder with expoxy).
 
i was thinking of gluing the damn plug back in , and dealing with this around November. Or maybe just running the motor on seven cylinders with a stuck ez-out sticking out the side of the head. That's about where I'm at now. The remains of the plug aren't coming out via an extractor, that much I do know. Due to extensive rusting, the plug remains and the head are one and the same. I was hoping to bring the head home, or perhaps drop it at a machine shop for evaluation - but the same manifold gasket leak that rusted out the plugs did quite a job on a few of the head bolts; there are three that look like mushroom heads, no chance of getting a socket or wrench on the remains of these three. A forth is in pretty bad shape, but still has hope. So what started as a job to remove one broken plug has morphed into a chop job on four head bolts. When rnbenton said the motor has to come out, I thought he was crazy, but that seems to be the most likely outcome. Ironically the boat ran perfect last summer, and even though we spent every weekend in June/July on board, I never took it out once. Now that it's partially paralyzed, I feel like I need to do everything possible to get it running. Probably isn't helping my state of mind that the other boat overheated yesterday; new thread on that possibly coming soon.
 
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