Broken Spark Plug

[bvenvert]

Well, I find myself in a little trouble and didn't know if anyone could help, but I have to ask...Anyone ever broken a spark plug off on thier Ranger 4.0L V6? I was trying to replace the spark plugs on my Ranger (158K Miles) and was able to remove the first plug fairly easily. It was worn big time, so I went ahead and started to replace them. I went to the second plug and it was hard to break loose, as a matter of fact, so hard that I snapped off the plug. I have all the insulator out of the block, along with the bolt portion of the plug, but the balance is rusted into the block. Is there any easy way to get this out?

I called Advanced Auto Parts and they suggested using Seafoam Deep Creep on the remaining threads and then use an easy out tool to try to twist it out of the block. Has anyone drilled out a bad plug and not ruined the cylinder??

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
Bill V.

 

[RangerX]

Try a search for "broken spark plug". This has happened to a few others, and I remember seeing a write-up with pics.

 

[bvenvert]

Well, Everything worked out over the weekend and I was able to get the broken spark plug base out of my truck. I used a boatload of Deep Creep from Seafoam and a square extraction tool from the local Advanced Auto Parts to bust the base loose. I proceeded to spray the rest of the plugs for every couple of hours and was able to crank them all loose without any more damage. I think the plugs in my truck had been in for a while. They were rusted and worn down to just nubs. Some of the electrodes were almost paper thin.

Anyway, another tradegy narrowly averted.

 

[Ranger Al]

When you replace it with new plug, it is good idea to apply a little "anti-sieze" stuff on the thread.

 

[michelle]

A spark plug broke off in our Explore 2000 XLT while coming home from vacation. In the middle of the night, we cant get it out. What have you done to get it out. Its easy enough to get to....what worked for u?

 

[RangerX]

Hi Michelle, and thanks for doing a search to try and solve your problem!

This is what he ended up doing-"I called Advanced Auto Parts and they suggested using Seafoam Deep Creep on the remaining threads and then use an easy out tool to try to twist it out of the block" -as you'll see mentioned in post #3.

If you can't find Deep Creep, PB Blaster is another good spray to free stuck parts. Easy out tools are available at most parts stores, Sears, etc.

Good luck, and welcome to the forum.