Changing plugs in 2.7, plug broke off

Yep......I was taking the old one out and it snapped. The entire center of the plug came up with it so the threads and the electrode stayed in the head.


What are my options here? I know they make tools for this problem. Thanks-


The entire electrode came out, so is a square easy out my best bet?

 

Fun. Easy out is the easiest way, make sure you don't get it in there too far and bugger the threads in the head. If you do, it's time for a heli-coil. Ask me how I know.

Make sure you clear any chips afterwards, get a really small shop-vac attachment and get anything out of the cylinder that fell in there.

 

I have the easy out in there now, it looks about perfectly lined up. I have screwed it down in there pretty tight, it now feels really tight when I try to loosen it, like it did before the plug broke, like it doesnt want to go anymore.

Should I just push through it to lock it in more? I just hate that feeling of something about to break. The extractor actually feels like it is about to break in half

 

Well, if you have the extractor in there too far, you may actually be pushing it into the threads in the head, which is why it would be extremely hard to pull out. Don't break the extractor (duh). Have you used any PB Blaster or anything to loosen up what's left of the spark plug?

 

Yes I have used PB blaster. I was afraid of this happening before I put the extractor in. The extractor should loosen just like a screw if I remove it though right? Ugh what a pain this has become....

 

Yeah, the extractor should just screw out. It might be the case that there is not enough material left for the extractor to grab onto, and it's biting the threads in the head. Seeing how you've got 300k miles on it, it might not be the worst thing in the world to pop the head off, chase it out of there, put in a heli-coil if the threads are messed up, and do a head gasket while you're at it.

 

This makes a lot of sense.

 

PB Blaster sucks. Get some Liquid Wrench and drench the spark plug hole and give it a while - 15-30 minutes. Then try again. If you can get some vibration on the whole deal by tapping with a dead blow, do that as well. The vibration and liquid wrench will hopefully work its magic on the threads.

 

Try 50/50 acetone and atf mixed then heat with a propane torch and have someone tap LIGHTLY on the back of the easy out while your turning it.

 

I wouldn't say it sucks. Liquid wrench isn't any better. Aerokroil ftmfw.

 

Machinist's Workshop magazine would.

Penetrating Oils Compared A study done by Machinist's Workshop magazine in their April 2007 issue looked at different penetrating oils to see which one did the best job of removing a rusted bolt by measuring the pounds of torque required to loosen the bolt once treated. If the study was scientifically accurate, it turns out a home brew works best! Here's the summary of the test results:

Penetrating oil .......... Average load

None ..................... 516 pounds

WD-40 .................... 238 pounds

PB Blaster ............... 214 pounds

Liquid Wrench ............ 127 pounds

Kano Kroil ............... 106 pounds





ATF-Acetone mix.............53 pounds

 

The truck has 337k miles and has been awesome. A miss on cl 4 is what lead me to do the plug change, I have never changed them. They were changed right when I got the truck at 260k but someone must not have put anything on the threads.

I am going to try some different penetrating oils and see what happens.

The extractor is tight, I tried it a few hours ago and it felt like I may have broke it loose some but it still is very hard and not wanting to turn really.

 

Once its bathed in penetrating oil, work it back and forth and not in just one direction only.

 

Yeah I am trying both ways. Feels really hard to turn both ways. I am using my torque wrench too so I am not pulling too hard in fear of the extractor breaking

 

If theres any chance you could get a photo posted, it might help with some additional ideas.

 

K I can do that. Thanks

 

this might be the only way.



good luck man.

 

I am doing my best to avoid the head issue right now, just bought a house haha. Here is a pic of the extractor down in the valve cover and what I am using to work on it.

 

Sorry, dont have anything additional. Just soak it with Liquid Wrench (Kroil if you have access to it), let it sit overnight maybe, and try it later.

 

So the electrode/center of plug broke out but the threaded end is still in head ?? & by threaded end isn't the contact points ("nutted end") still in place to pull out with plug socket ?? ...