broken spark plug threads stuck in head...

Pretty upset with myself, its my daily driver and I need to get threads out asap. I've always used anti-seize, di-electric grease when doing a tune up but broke a plug off anyway. I'm careful about cross threading and over torquing bolts, etc. Not sure what happened here, I'm at a loss.
I let it soak in pb blaster for a weekend and it still broke.

So I've been trying the correct size spiral extractor easy out but its not turning with a breaker bar. I haven't pushed too hard for fear of breaking the easy out. I've been soaking it with penetrating fluid with extractor in hoping it would seep down but no luck. I can get it out no problem by turning clockwise. should I try the square one instead? Or just take it to a shop?

I'd try some heat but afraid to put a torch down the hole and f**k it up more. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

I don't understand "I need to get threads out asap?" You broke sparkplug in cylinder head, and trying to use extractor to get it out? What others wrote after my post. Take photos of what you mean.

 

Show us what you broke and how the threads are still in the head.

 

Yup, snap a few pics and post them here

 

Just curious, what cylinder is it? also yeah get some photos for us.

 

Its obvious from his description guys....
The base of the plug that the socket attaches to sheared off from the threaded base...

So he can no-longer use a socket, has to use an extractor & hammer down through the center of what's left....

I cant give advice here as takes experience & no idea if you have that...
Whatever you do, dont break the extractor....

 

I wanna give advice but hard to do without seeing what we’re dealing with

one thing I would say that additional PB/lubricant will not help the extraction tool grab hold of what is left of plug
Get whatever surface you have left in the tube and clean with brake cleaner

need to see what type E tool you’re using

 

I had this exact thing happen to me on a 4Runner I purchased in NY. I went around to a couple machine shops to inquire if they could get it out without head removal. This was in a 3.0 V6, driver side I believe the middle cylinder. One shop guy responded that he stopped performing miracles years ago.

I soaked it with PB Blaster for days, like 7-10. Every day putting a little more in it. I had some EZ Outs, one of which would fit down in the plug thread body. I used the 8 sided square socket for the extractor with a 3/8" to 1/2" adapter connected to my 1/2" Snap On swivel ratchet. After like 7 days, I began to try to twist it loose a little bit each day. Around day 10, I was out there and was pulling and pulling on the ratchet (the length of a breaker bar, BTW). I thought it had moved slightly. I pushed back a click on the ratchet and thought hmmmmmm. I pulled more slow and steady and fely another move. I was wondering if I was stripping into the thread body or what. Back up 2 clicks now and pull slow and steady for more movement. Each time putting a few more drops of PBB onto the plug body with the EZ Out latched into it. Before I knew it I saw I was actually getting the plug thread body all the way out.

The moral to my story is, you can do it. Take your time, slow and stead will win this race. Best of luck and wishes for your repair !


Mike

 

ok, have some thoughts...
Depending on skillset will determine the success here.

I hate the twisty style extractors, think they can easily break...
Fine line between not being able to remove due to not knowing if its not coming out cuz youre not applying enough pressure or, its not coming out & youre going to snap the extractor...

I love the square extractor, way more stout & you can really go to town on them.

That's what I would use here, the biggest one you can pound in there really secure, which also takes skill to get it right.
Then hopefully you can get the appropriate socket on the end & you have access to the extractor end for a socket.
You will want to use a 1/2 air powered impact gun.
1/2 is better than 3/8 here as the deep dramatic slowerish impacts from the 1/2 will help with making the remnants of the plug come out easier if it was cross threaded at some point or just seized.

Heating with a torch would also help as you stated, just dont damage surrounding components trying to do so.
We had fine tip torch tip for situations like this,


You also CANT do this with a cordless impact, just doesnt hit like an air impact...




Ok, im tired...

 

When the tune dept sends my dept a job, "attempted to perform tune-up, #X sparkplug stuck / seized in head & cant remove"

Thats all we do, 1/2" air impact to fit the sparkplug, long 1/2" extension, & hit it with the 1/2" impact.

Come-out every time, then you can evaluate the threads in the head....

 

Slater has some great ideas mentioned. I believe I also knocked the EZ Out down in tightly, buy was a twisted and not the square. That is sort of a "to each their own" opinion, and also on the situation. I personally think this situation would benefit the twist type better. I also recall using a torch to heat up the extractor, plug thread body together slightly. I didn't use heat as a primary method to break free the two bodies of metal, but to help penetrate the PBB between the metal better.

Just a few more thoughts to add.

 

U said u tired!

would this work
I mean asking if this is yur preferred E tool?

 

Hmmm
Probably would fit in tube….

 

what tube?
The hex head is gone, that will not catch anything.
What's left of the plug base is full with the threads of the plug.
Countersunk persay.

Thats a great tool though...

 

That is if there is a hex attached to the plug body, I believe he broke that off. And all that is there is the threaded body into the head and a hole in the middle.


Mike

 

I searched my 2rz ‘rebuild’ pix and I don’t have a single one with the V cover off
(Probably off dozen times)

Internet pix (meh) shows steel tubes with valve cvr removed

 

Shit
Unless design changed from my old ass 96
Ugh.

 

this might be where that freeze off might actually work




Dumb ass me.....I have a can and never used it
bring me the truck and I'll do it for you

 

Interesting^^^^

I luv it
Trying to help someone without a single pix!!!!!!

 

I would take a long non -cheap 3/8 extension and grind down to a flat point



spring for a Kobalt or something quality



for the record.....you dont use anything on modern plugs in an aluminum head......let the alloy coating do its job

maybe a drop of machine oil at most