Ugh - spark plug issues - snapped clean off, ez out snapped

I've been a lurker for some time here. Figure now is as good a time as any to get help.

I went about changing the plugs in my 01 explorer V8. The plugs were certainly original, and so were the wires @143k! 6/8 of them were a breeze and didn't fight me.

#1 plug decided to break the porcelain and bolt head clean off, so the threading & ground electrode are still in the head.

Got my EZ out and started going counter clockwise, got tight andddd SNAP! Stuck easy out with just the stud. Grrrrrrrrrrreat.......

The #3 plug is so badly rounded off that I will have to use a bolt out, and will probably be in the same boat.

I guess I need some ideas on what to do from here. I'm halfway thinking of leaving #3 alone, pulling injector #1's plug and going down to a shop to have a nut welded on the stud of the EZ out.

TIA

It cost me 450$ to take the head off and to a machine shop. EZ-Out from Autozone - broke at the third broken plug. Craftsman ones are better for thin wall.
I did try EZ-Weld A+B - didn't hold. Regular welding won't hold either - too brittle material.
At the end, only 2 of 8 did NOT breake in the heads. No more Motorcraft plugs for me.

Holy hell what a nightmare

Why blame the plugs? Any plug can do that if they are rusted in for that long.

wood_e said:

pulling injector #1's plug and going down to a shop to have a nut welded on the stud of the EZ out.

TIA

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Doing that will destroy the EZ out - you won't have one shred of temper left in the steel, and it will just twist off without digging in. EZ outs are as hard as they are for a reason. Were it me, it'd be head pulling time. It's the only way to do it right.

yavapaires said:

Why blame the plugs? Any plug can do that if they are rusted in for that long.

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Agreed. Motorcraft are as good as they come for our trucks. Leave any plug in for a long time in rust prone areas and this will happen.

My main priority right now is to remove the broken ez out - that's where the welding a nut comes in. Weld a nut on it, turn it clockwise and gingerly remove it.

Then I would go buy a new ez out, heat the stuck plug remnants to break the corrosion/rust, insert the ez out and let it all cool down together. Then I would give it one last try.

I fired it up without cylinder 1 (I unplugged the injector) and it ran good enough to get me to a shop I trust. I don't have any welding equipment.

If this doesn't work then yes - next weekend will be removing the head.

I thought there was a special tool to remove the snapped off plugs in these heads? Isn't a common problem?

wood1 said:

Isn't a common problem?

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In working on cars professionally and otherwise for the last 40 years, I've seen it 3 or 4 times, so no, it isn't common.

Lube said:

In working on cars professionally and otherwise for the last 40 years, I've seen it 3 or 4 times, so no, it isn't common.

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I disagree on that. You should come to Michigan that where they put Salt road in winter.

Many plow trucks that I need change spark plugs was PITA. I would spray Pb blaster or Kroil everyday for 1-2 weeks it help much. Then bring propane torch to heat then spray again. It will get out no problem.

I never broke spark plugs yet in 6 years yet. It get alot patience. You try hurry you put your butt in wrong FAST!!!!!

Lube said:

In working on cars professionally and otherwise for the last 40 years, I've seen it 3 or 4 times, so no, it isn't common.

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You are correct, I was thinking of the Triton engine problems which are associated to the aluminum headed engine and a two-piece plug I believe.

http://www.youfixcars.com/ford-triton-spark-plug.html

Sorry for the confusion.

A left hand drill bit size 15/32 is the best thing to use it may back what is left of the old plug out if not you are ready to retap the whole with a 14 mm spark plug tap. Welding on the old easy out will destory most of it's temper in most cases if you hit the thing with a chisel a few licks you can get it out with needle nose.

In my case (the pictures posted), I blame the LAME construction of Motorcraft plugs. They have no nickel plating (saved a penny there) and they are half-threaded (to make possible automated installation - saved another penny there).
Iron heads combined with no antiseize, no nickel plating, small gap to outside is a bad combo. In that smooth gap, water/salt accumulates and corrodes the unprotected base of the hex nut. There is where the plug breaks.
The ceramic insulator sometimes remains intact, sometimes it breakes when the nut breakes and the socket moves sideways.

Autolite XP are way better than the Motorcraft OE.

SoNic67 said:

Autolite XP are way better than the Motorcraft OE.

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I dunno 'bout that.

About a year or so ago, I read one of your rants about Motorcraft plugs and how amazing the Autolite XP plugs were. I searched this site and about the only person saying anything about the plugs was you. I scoured the rest of the web and came across a lot of Ford forums and found one or two people who seemed to like the plugs too. Not as passionate about them as you, but a few said they noticed "performance benefits".

I scored a set of 8 online at a price I couldn't resist. I compared them against the OEM plugs I had in there (about a year old) and honestly saw little in the way of cosmetic difference between the two. Very subtle differences maybe, but not as pronounced as you made it sound. OK, maybe one has nickel plating, and one doesn't. It's not outwardly obvious.

The truck ran the same with the XP as they did with the OEM plugs. The XP had been in for about a year now as mentioned. Recently, I'd been troubleshooting an elusive P1151 code and about the only thing I hadn't checked were the plugs. I pulled the one year old XP plugs last weekend and compared them to one year old OEM plugs that they replaced. Again, cosmetically almost identical with similar wear on both sets.

I put the OEM plugs back in. I also did a few small tweaks at the same time, and my truck seemed to run smoother. Honestly, it's probably psychological. I can't say the XP plugs give me any better performance than OEM or that OEM are better than XP.

Also a year ago I did a ton of research into the whole Iridium thing. Lots of people argued that the Autolites aren't even a "true Iridium" plug, but more of a "hybrid", or something like that. At the end of the day, Iridium gives no performance gain over Double Plat, just longevity. I don't plan to keep Double Plats in for their recommended service level anyhow, so I definitely wouldn't keep Iridiums in that much longer.

Plugs truly aren't that expensive over the course of several years, and in the case of the 5.0, are easy to swap out (granted, I don't live in a bad rust region).

My honest assessment of both plugs is that they're direct replacements for each other. Buy whatever is cheaper at the time and you'll be satisfied. Also, don't forget the anti-seize and don't over-torque them. That's the key.

One thing I did learn from all those other Ford forums I checked out was that a LOT of people do like Motorcraft OEM replacement plugs. You won't go wrong with them, IMHO. Your mileage may vary (pun intended).

Because of your personal experience, I don't doubt you hate OEM plugs. The target of your disdain really should be the person who left the plugs in for so long in the first place.

I truly can't say with any conviction that one plug is "way better" than the other.

But that's just me.

At least they won't RUST like the crappy original Ford ones. I did explain my scientific reasons why I think they are crappy. It's more than just a "rant" or "gut feel".
And the guy above just proved that is not a singular issue.

Even more, the original OE Motorcrafts (AWSF-32EE) where REPLACED even by Ford with an "improved" model. First they had SP-413... Why so, if the others where perfect? Oh, wait - look there - full threaded! And Nickel plated!
After a while, they added even a newer model: SP432 Suppressor Spark Plug PLATINUM FINEWIRE - .054 GAP

That is VERY close of the Autolite XP ones that are FINEWIRE too, just Iridium (tougher material). And Autolite makes the Motorcraft plugs too, per their specs.

LE: How would you feel if a car had an Autolite branded engine in it? Build by Ford strictly per Autolite specs but no Ford label on it?

Mercedes uses Bosch plugs.
Hyunday uses NGK plugs.
Nissan uses NGK plugs.
Toyota - NGK.
Audi - NGK or Bosch.
Ford plugs? Ford...
Isn't that precious?

SoNic67 said:

At least they won't RUST like the crappy original Ford ones. I did explain my scientific reasons why I think they are crappy. It's more than just a "rant" or "gut feel".
And the guy above just proved that is not a singular issue.

Even more, the original OE Motorcrafts (AWSF-32EE) where REPLACED even by Ford with an "improved" model. First they had SP-413... Why so, if the others where perfect? Oh, wait - look there - full threaded! And Nickel plated!
After a while, they added even a newer model: SP432 Suppressor Spark Plug PLATINUM FINEWIRE - .054 GAP

That is VERY close of the Autolite XP ones that are FINEWIRE too, just Iridium (tougher material). And Autolite makes the Motorcraft plugs too, per their specs.

PS: How would you feel if a car had an Autolite branded engine in it? Build by Ford strictly per Autolite specs but no Ford label on it?

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So you're saying that Ford now "improved" the Motorcraft spec, to be more in line with the XP plugs? Makes sense that I saw no difference between the two, because my "OEM" plugs were only a year old. I`m using the new spec`d plugs. I don`t think the old models are even made anymore.

I'm willing to bet that if the XP plugs were kept in as long as your Motorcraft plugs, in the same conditions and without anti-seize, you'd probably have the same difficulties getting them out.

Yup, Autolite makes Motorcraft plugs. That was implied in my post.

But you have something against Autolite XP because the "Ford" ones are somehow "tuned" for Ford?

IMHO it's just a scam to get more money from us.

SoNic67 said:

But you have something against Autolite XP because the "Ford" ones are somehow "tuned" for Ford?

IMHO it's just a scam to get more money from us.

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Not saying that at all. Where I am, Autolite XP plugs cost more than the equivalent Motorcraft plugs. You said that the XP plugs (and I quote) are WAY BETTER than Motorcrafts. Not only do I strongly disagree with that assessment, but I don`t feel that one plug is better than the other for our trucks.

I`m not seeing where the "scam" is.

SoNic67, I don't have any argument with you, just a question. Just what is your automotive background?

Let's not go off topic, I wonder how the OP is doing, he didn't post anymore... For now seems that he drove it in 7 cyl, like I did, to a shop.