Help! Rounded spark plug!

[JCat]

I'm pretty sure carbide will not cut hardened steel (the ez out).

 

[osteologation]

I'm pretty sure carbide will not cut hardened steel (the ez out).

Maybe, maybe not. Or at least not effectively, idk. It's worked great for everything I've needed it to cut/grind. It was a general suggestion anyways as it was a surprisingly useful bit.

 

[Exploder240k]

Thanks for your continued support, guys.

To those of you suggesting drilling out the broken off EZ Out (Jcat and Osteologation), my first thought is all the drilled-up dust will end up down the cylinder and I will have to get that out or keep it from going down in the first place, right? How bout a shop vac on it while I drill?

I've borrowed a Haynes Manual, but haven't yet looked up the instructions on removing the cylinder head altogether. I just don't see that being a simple job.

 

[budwich]

IF you are "lucky", you might be able to drill it out BUT that might be impossible ... first trying to get a drill in the space and second, as mention, the drill bit probably won't like the harden steel that is lodged there. Having said that, I would give it a try as you don't have much to lose... ultimately having to remove the head. I have put in a "heli coil" in an installed head (which required rethreading... you basically use grease to "stick" the filings to the threader... a trick)... in your case, I am not sure I would worry much about "drill filings".... ultimately if you are successful in getting the "thing" basically out, you can "flood" the cylinder with some "liquid", then vacuum it out with a wet vac (and a straw/tube) to get most/all the "bad" stuff out... hopefully. Ultimately I suspect you are delaying the inevitable of having to remove the head :-(

 

[acabtp]

you can't drill the plug now that the ezout is stuck in there. it will just break the drill bits. sorry, i do not have any helpful ideas.

 

[pistolguy]

I used to be a machinist and removed many broken easy outs. A cobalt or carbide drill bit will eat them. You may break one or two. A round end carbide burr on a die grinder would be the best method to gradually eat it up with. This would require a 1/4" shank burr that tapers down to a small end, or a 1/8" shank burr with a 1/4" collet.

 

[osteologation]

Removing the head is daunting but not as bad as it seems. But it would be my choice in that situation. Take it to a local machine shop they don't charge much to remove them once you got the head off.

 

[drdoom]

removing the head is daunting but not as bad as it seems. But it would be my choice in that situation. Take it to a local machine shop they don't charge much to remove them once you got the head off.

+1

 

[joecrna]

OK, time to stop playing around. You are burning tons of time (Im sure the wife loves this) and will still have to remove the head. If you do find a way to "drill" everything out then send a thread chaser through, you are still likely to get small metal fillings down into the cylinder. Say goodbye to the rings and hello to serious repairs.

Pull the head! Not simple but no worse than what you have already been through. Then you still have to get the plug and broken Easyout out. A carbide drill with the proper cutting oil will go through hardened steel but it will take time. Then tap the threads in the head to clean them up. If we are talking about aluminium heads (SOHC engine) you may be better off taking the head to a machine shop and letting them screw up the threads.

Don't be tempted to try drilling with the head on. You couldn't get on the bolt straight, why would you think you could drill straight down the spark plug hole. Then you would still have the headache of metal filings in the cylinder. Just pull the head and move on. Seriously, I feel your pain. It just seems easier to see the light from outside the situation.

 

[superboat]

Hey expoleder240k any luck with that spark plug?I ran into the same situation and really don't want to pull the head.

 

[bigcrunch]

It maybe more economical to replace the head. Junkyard trip and take it to machine shop for freshening and install it.

 

[SoNic67]

Pull the heads, the extractor is made of 'tool steel', cannot drill it out. That's what I did when I was in the same situation - 3 spark plugs broke at removal, used the wrong type of extractor that broke at the third plug...

 

[bigcrunch]

and when you put it back together use anti seize compound were possible.

 

[FIND]

Guys... this thread is almost 2 years old

 

[Flash]

It doesn't hurt to continue to comment for the befit of future people who have the same problem.
For instance it was only just mentioned to reassemble using anti seize.